Date: Saturday 5th December 2015
Venue: Wandsworth Common
Line-up: Arnie, Jeremy L, Fred G, Ollie, Chris B, Crispy, Salty, Hoops, Rob, Shardlow, Pinners
Subs: Ollie Strudwick
Cubo 2s were looking to bounce back following a disappointing and somewhat unlucky loss on a tough mudder pitch a few weeks earlier. However, with Silly Season having commenced, pulling together the match day squad proved challenging, which meant a couple of new faces promoted from the Academy/anyone-know-anyone-who-fancies-a-game?? And with Tom Hooper doing an immaculate Paul Scholes retirement u-turn impression, meant a 12-man squad was tasked with taking on Inter Old Boys at il San Siro (Italian for Wandsworth Common).
Cubo kicked off with a fairly substantial prevailing wind and it was fair to say the wind was behind them in more ways than. Cubo dominated the possession and pressure in the first half, particular in the middle of the park with Salty and Hoops setting the tempo. Along with Marty Shardlow’s continued aggression and guile creating havoc, Inter OB were on the back foot. Cubo had more corners than a dodecahedron, hitting the post direct from a Pinner’s whip, and another cleared off the line following a goal mouth scramble. Despite Cubo failing to find the finishing touch, a new look back four was communicating well and the team showing good shape left Inter finding it hard to break down. Halftime 0-0.
Cubo started the second half slowly with Inter gathering momentum and confidence. 15mins in, Inter earned themselves a corner. A dangerous inswinger resulted but Inter’s Captain Baldy managed to completely miss the open header from no more than 2 yards out. This proved to be the kick up the proverbial backside that Cubo needed. With full-backs Jez and Chris B linking more and more so with Rob and a Crispy out wide, Cubo began to stretch Inter. Pinners went close dragging a shot narrowly wide. However, finally the pressure told, with some tidy football starting on the left, the ball shifted swiftly to the right to find Crispy who naturally thought the best way to score would be to deliberately scuff it into the swinging left shin of Inter’s hapless centre back sending it straight into the top bin. And he was right. 1-0 Cubo.
From then on, Cubo looked like the only winner. Fred and Ollie continued to rebuff Inter’s advances with the latter even going on a Lucio-esque run on the counter attack, beating the last defender only to pump his shot heaven-bound, much to Pinner’s distaste (not that he let anyone know it!). More good work on the left from Rob drew a foul. Crispy whipped in a deep cross to find club legend Tom Hooper unmarked who delicately dispatched it to make it 2-0.
Arnie’s only activities of note were tipping over a throw-in and trying to “stop the wind”, summing up how well the team defended, and a clean sheet was their reward with the game ending 2-0, representing a dominant victory.
Goals: Hoop Dwag, Crispy?
MOTM: Ollie
AFC Cubo 