Lineup: JohnEgan, Brad Wilkie, Liam Humble, Nick Wood, Tom Clarke, Sam Dickens, Rob Ellingford, Justin Armitage, Henners, Rob Jones, Alex Bain,
Lester Hitch, Andrew Pinnington, Chris Pyke, Joe Coffey, Oli Perkins, Tom Robinson
Goals: Perkins, Pinnington x 2, Coffey
Cubo’s strong pre season continued as a mixed 1s and 2s team eased to victory over RBS in Chiswick. On a balmy evening in South West London, it was unclear whether the game would even go ahead after a combination of transport delays and a lack of clean shorts and socks threatened the incredibly ambitious 6.30pm kick off time. Even after some late withdrawals, Cubo had 22 players to choose from, an unfamiliar challenge for Messrs Egan and Wilkie.
Despite having been warming up for nearly an hour by kick off, RBS were on the back foot from the off. Pyke and Humble took control of the centre of midfield, neatly spreading play and winning the ball high up the pitch, with Shedwick’s driving runs a constant menace. An aggressive back four, led by Wilkie, was snuffing out RBS attacks with ease. After some early sighters, Perkins scored the first after being released on the right and firing a low, long range strike past the keeper at his near post. Both protagonists seemed genuinely surprised by the goal but it had been coming. The second was from a defensive error as the RBS centre half, clearly imagining he was an altogether different footballer, attempted a twenty yard pass with the outside of his boot. It fell neatly to a Cubo man who slid Pinnington through, who smashed home high into the net from inside the area. RBS scored past stand-in keeper Lester but soon the two goal advantage was restored, a mazy/dizzy/meandering run from Humble ending at Pinnington‘s feet, who toe poked past the keeper.
Half time brought a raft of changes, and left half of the Cubo team in their underwear on the side, looking like an advert for Tesco boxer shorts. Despite the visual distractions Cubo maintained control, with Wood making an assured debut at centre half. Shedwick, dropping deep, was linking play well both left and right, with Armitage returning to the fold after *comment removed*. It was Armitage, putting in a strong performance after *comment removed* who created the final goal, a direct run and cross being met emphatically on the volley by Coffey, who led the line exceptionally well in the Chiswick twilight.
Cubo will be hoping to continue their form into both 1s and 2s league campaigns.
MoM – Pinnington for scoring the goals and writing this report. Although Humble ran him very close.
Big shout out to the debutants Liam, Tom C Nick, Sam and Rob. Assured starts to their Cubo careers.
AFC Cubo 