| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Paul Ellaby |
Posted - 05/12/2006 : 18:32:16
Beforehand the Cougars expected to collect three points, having beaten this team 8-0 the week before. By the end they were grateful to pick up one point in a one all draw.
The Cougars again played well though they did not reach the heights of last week. It was quickly apparent that Irlam had a greater resolve about them, not to mention a couple of new faces, the one in goal proving to be the scourge of the Cougars.
The game followed a typical away day fashion for the Unicorn team. They played all the football, created the chances, spurned them and then conceded a goal aginst the run of play. Frustration was evident all round at the end of the first 15, not least among the Management. Fortunately for the boys, Bill had left his hairdryer at home, and so the second period was played in a more controlled manner.
With The Unicorn goal rarely under threat, Robert Gill could relax and watch his team mates give Irlam the run around. Tom Cox was put through on goal on at least three occasions, kept his nerve and appeared certain to score, but their keeper made superb saves each time. The keeper repeated the trick against David Hanley towards the end of the second period.
The Management agreed among themselves that it was one of those days, but the message to the team was to keep on going and the goals would come. They were half right. In typical fashion, despite all the good approach play from Callum Francis and David Hanley in particular, the goal was a scrappy own goal. In fairness, it was another great David Hanley corner to the near post and the defender was under pressure from Tom Morgan. All the defender could do, facing his own goal, was to head it into the roof of the net.
The Cougars didn't mind and set out about getting the winner which nearly came as Charlie Sands made a late run to the back post and just failed to get clean contact on another Hanley cross when just a few yards out.
The team deserved but more but were grateful to avoid defeat.
Man of the match: Tom Cox for a tireless display upfront and for heeding the advice of the Management at the end of the first period, when he had shown signs of frustration, and staying focused for the rest of the game.
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