The A Team came very close

Penn & Tylers Green 2 – 5 Wycombe Community

A first home game at the Rye this season for Penn & Tylers Green FC A’s saw a visit from league favourites Wycombe Community for what was an eagerly anticipated clash in the fixture calendar.

Before the game Big Greg was found in the changing rooms cuddling in the corner with a stuffed Piranha in a glass box. He had said that it was a birthday present for his Dad, I hope I don’t pull Greg’s name out of the hat in this year’s Penn & Tylers Green FC Secret Santa present exchange.

With the nets being put up the talk turned serious and Penn & Tylers Green FC’s line-up and tactics were being discussed. With Big Al sunning himself in Cuba (midway through a season) team decisions were left to Rob Chappel and Paul Benning. Various tactical and personal changes were made to the starting 11 with a 4-5-1 formation the starting line-up of choice.

And so it began, from the kick-off Ricky Wood passed to Prenta who sprayed it back to Pablo and POW!!!!! A trailing hand to the nose and Pablo hit the ground like a large sack of aunt Bessie’s roast spuds and with a squirt of blood in to the air. So with 10 seconds played Pablo was forced into substitution and Vinno was brought on to replace him. The job of right-back for the day was to be a thankless task with Wycombe community’s Bale esc left back Foxy bombing up and down the wing like a man possessed.

The first Half got well under way once both teams settled, Wycombe Community always a threat going forward with a menacing strike force but a solid Penn & Tylers Green FC back four and tremendous keeping by Connor kept them at bay. However, on the 31st minute of play the deadlock was broken and Wycombe went 1-0 up, no-one was at fault for the goal just a plain old fashioned good finish.

But when this has happened in previous games Penn & Tylers Green FC heads usually drop and the score line grows. This Saturday it was not the case. From somewhere, heart and resilience were found and Penn & Tylers Green FC pushed hard for an equaliser. The main outlets being Lawro and Leggie on the wings who were providing good service to Ricky and Joey. After numerous counter attacks it paid off and Lawro scored the equaliser. For the record Leggie with the assist, but Leggie it was definitely a shot!

Half-time 1-1. Penn & Tylers Green FC feeling like they could go and win it. And a good chance there was for the first points of the season.

The second half began and again great football from Penn & Tylers Green FC. Passing, flowing movement, communication and end product all rarely seen from the A’s this season but welcomed. Chance after chance was created and missed but eventually it came. Brilliant opportunism from Ricky Wood and a crunching challenge saw the ball come out and roll into the away team’s goal. 2-1!!! Against the league favourites!! The A’s smelt a whiff victory in the air.

Wycombe Community are not league favourites for nothing. Two subs were made by their manager and it transformed the game. An overhead kick made it 2-2. Then 3-2 followed with a decent passing move. Then 4-2, then 5-2 with this being the end result.

However, for Penn & Tylers Green FC A-team this last 15 minute bombardment is something we need NOT to look back on as it is what we expected.

What Penn & Tylers Green FC A’s should take great delight in, is the first 70 minutes of this game and how they played. The whole back four Kieran, Rob, Dougy and Vinno kept a strong frontline at bay for 70 minutes. A midfield 3 of Greg, Prendergoost and Joey Nic were solid and worked very well together. Lawro and Legge were a strong outlet on the wings and Ricky Woods ability to hold up play and distribute is something that Penn & Tylers Green FC A’s will need to incorporate on a weekly basis.

Conor also looks to have cemented a place in goal after a sterling performance between the sticks and a Man of the Match performance.

If the form showed in Saturdays game is repeated, then eventually the result Penn & Tylers Green FC A’s are looking for will come and when it does I will be the first one at the bar the getting the Jugs in!!

Match report by Mitch Dean.