Audlem FC Report

As I ready myself to load up kit, medical bag, water , balls etc for my journey to the game ....
I reflect on my garden . I put out the seed and bread for the birds, I say to myself "when did I last see a starling here" . When did I last see moths flying next to a street lamp. Remember the days when having driven along the roads we had a windscreen crusted with the insects as they were dashed there. When did I last hear a cuckoo. All gone from this county of ours. What awful things we have done to this earth of ours. Wild flowers virtually wiped out. Dog Daisies, buttercups ,harebells, corn flowers, thrift etc . So many young people have never had the pleasure of lying in a meadow of grasses and flowers .listening to the skylark . How guilty we are with intensive farming, spraying so much to death . How do we get back -- all the lost beauty of the natural world .
– if only all had the will so to do.

But , sad as I am for all this, now to the game .
Loaded up on a calm morning with none of the strong winds suffered in the South. Virtually wind free. And no rain . Drive trough musty morning roads to the Barony Centre. Game versus White Horse who I am sorry to say are one of those above us in the table .

Kit all laid out for the players as they drift in to fine changing rooms.
All in all 14 turn out- some with very heavy hangovers after the days drowning their sorrows following England's poor showing versus South Africa in Japan.
Referee today is Alex Jones, recently qualified and just 17 but already building a good reputation as a fine official .
Out to the pitch which is dampish with boggy outfield.

Kick off at 1102 .

Good run up field- Danny Mahoney , attacking and is toppled in the goal mouth .
We are playing in our yellow kit with White Horse in blue. I hear comments from some of my players to the effect that our opponents are here for the taking -- I hope they do not have to eat their words.

Bells of St Marys church in the distance .
A good start by us and keeping our 4 4 2 shape. Sunshine which is very welcome . Pitch is next to road that leads to Sainsbury's and in my eye sight are a welter of lovely varied trees with tremendous colours as autumns leaves turn their colour .

1107

Great save by Andrew Beco Betteley -- who has to get between the sticks as Connor our keeper is away today.
First free kick of the play goes to us as Lewis Williams is brought down . No gain.
Play at present all on opponents half .
Pitch cutting up a lot in its soggy state. Will tire legs a lot . First corner is awarded to White Horse . No gain .
Lewis fouls a player, free kick to them .

1120

Beco pulls off another fine save . Another corner to WH. No gain.

1123

And then yet another .
They score !
0-1
Yet again a set piece undoes us
Great ball upfield by Dan Rooney, but no one there to meet it.

1130

Shot by Paul "Ginge" Ashley goes wide.
White Horse have a good bucketful of free kicks now . They are playing very well.

1133

Fierce shot beats Beco. Arrows straight into our net
0-2
Kev Mort -- our manager -- plays a sub . Sam Mason off with tweaked ankle . James Bebbington on .

1128

Lewis Williams fires a ball just wide of their goal

1130

Then. They race upfield and score
0-3
Sub. Mark Parker off and Kevin Beresford on.

1144

Yesterday another corner to WH . Must be 7 by now as they pepper our goal area.

1148

A soft easy goal to WH
0-4

Half time comes.

Brief respite .
We are visited by David Farrall . Executive of the league . A very welcome visitor though I wish I was able to tell him we are in the ascendancy .
Kev Mort takes himself off to get a kit on .

1215

Stupid, soft easy goal and WH score once more
0-5
We are being taken apart . Bright slanting and warm sun

1220

Blow me down . They score again
0-6
We are finding it hard to get out of our half, so much are they on top. A brief foray up field fizzles out . Bebbo off and Kev Mort comes on . Our most senior player .
Header by Will Cork -- goes over the crossbar . Best chance we have had for a while .

1226

We win a corner. Taken by ever running Danny Mahoney and his ball is met by our skipper, Thomas Capewell who heads it straight in !
1-6

Shot by Kev Mort -- saved. Another corner taken again by Danny , but no gain.

Handbags as players square up to each other as time runs out. Referee Jones talks to both and warns them .

Game over as Danny's frustration boils over.
We have been filleted, sliced open and eviscerated .

Must make mention of the effort that Lewis, Danny and Ross Henderson have put into this game . Ever running a fearless. See photo of Ross with this report.

We troop off but must say that heads did not come down until we left the field of play .

Next game is at home . Versus Broadhurst of Northwich at our home pitch . Will be on Remembrance Sunday .

Ralph Warburton
AFC

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