Audlem FC Match Report 17/01/2022

The morning comes and I am as warm as toast under my crisp white duvet. Contemplating leaving the warmth as I ready for our next game on a cold Sunday morning. And I recalled the days before duvets. As a child , we had cellular blankets, eiderdowns , flannelette sheets piled high on us, as central heating then was a paraffin heater in the kitchen . And the fire in the front room . I would wake to seeing ice on the inside of my window which then was metal framed .

Late – in 1963, I was travelling to such as Belgium and France . And my very first sight of the duvet. People at that time , put their duvets out of the windows to air . And hotels had them . Long before we here had them. I recall we called them continental quilts .

Thankfully now all is cosy under this TOG or that TOG.

Predawn and the sky is lit be a beautiful silver moon . Hanging low to the west. Owls hooting to each other. As as the moon sinks down below the horizon it turns to a yellowish tinge.

So lovely and so so peaceful on such a still morning.

But , my game .

I See March of the day. Late – by the BBC , as time spent on the Djokovic saga .

Load up the balls , Medical bag, papers etc and off I drive on deserted roads . To our game. No too far as we play here at home. Pitch in reasonable order considering the time of year .

We play Leighton F C .

Referee is Stuart Sims .

Again a very good number of players have reported for duty . We begin today – top of the league and also unbeaten so far in the league .

Leighton arrive very early , some here at 0915. Keen!

Car park close to full already . Bells ringing out in the morning air. Calm day, with a chill in the January air .

John Dyer here as Trainer to take the players through their warm up routine .

Rain coming down which is such a surprise after the frosts of yesterday .

Stops after 15 minutes.

We present an Audlem F C baby grow to Ross for his new baby , Dylan. Suitable based and bearing his number for when he signs on in about 15 years and a half ! See my photo .

Kick off sharp

1100

Normal racing around as all get their testosterone going .

We are in our red/black kit . Opponents in blue/black. Nick Gregory taken down hard. It is obvious that they mean to target him and block his chance of scoring .

But just on the edge of their penalty area.

Kev Rodgers dummies, Dan Rooney shoots- goalie stops the ball but ever alive to a chance, Nick Gregory sends it home .

1-0

Play is hard as Paul Bowker is tackled very hard .

1108

Awarded a free kick again close to their box. Nick takes it but goalie saves .

Very vociferous in their play and sadly at times a bit ripe.

1112

Ref books one of of their players after a heavy burst of verbal dissent .

David Farral , senior exec of the league arrives . Always very welcome .

1116

First corner and it goes to me. No gain

Free kick to Leighton. No gain .

Game at present about 50/50 . Pitch holding up quite well .

( a strong supporter of us – Barry Owen here and he very generously donates £20 to our funds. A very noble and welcome gesture)

1125

Fine pass to Will Cork from Nick Gregory , but his shot goes just wide of the woodwork .

1130

Another goal chance Fierce shot by Andrew Betteley feeds Ross Henderson , who in turns sends to Nick Gregory.

1132

Free kick for LFC . No gain

1133

Pass by Nick Gregory to Will Cork who scores

2-0

1135

Fierce shot from Jack Welch who is having a great game in midfield . Just wide.

LFC betting very rattled.

Fast run upfield by Paul Bowker , avoiding tackle after tackle – shoots but saved .

1139

Andrew Betteley scores from a feed by Will Cork

3-0
.
Penalty to us as we press and press hard .

Sam Mason takes it – and scores.

4-0

More dissent as referee books LFC player.

Half Time and we are bossing th ' "e whole game.

LFC have to borrow our water bottles as they have none with them.

Kev Rodgers has skippered the game as Thomas Capewell still less than 109% . Thomas here to see our game

Second half

And we begin where we left off .

1205

A really sweet goal as , Will Cork feeds the ball to Nick Gregory who scores his second goal.

5-0

Bad tackle on Nick again and we have a habdbags incident. Results in lecture by referee. Dropped ball restart.

Mgr Kev Mort , orchestrating the play. Sends on Seb Burrows for Andrew Betteley .

1212

Free kick awarded as Will Cirk is chopped down in full flight. No gain

1215

Free kick to KFC no gain .

1218

Another free kick to us as the flying ever active Ross Henderson is taken down.

No gain

Good number of spectators here supporting us . Nice that is .

1220 , and rain arrives again .

Ross Henderson in full flight send a pass to Seb Burrows who scores.

6-0.

Sub Ben Walker cones on for Will Cork. And Callum Mese on as well .

1225

Free kick to us as Nick Gregory is again taken down . Seb Burrows feeds the ball to Ben Walker , and he scores.

7-0 !!

.

1227.

Tony Sindstadt on .kev Rodgers off

Rain has stopped. Light breeze .

Brief stoppage as LFC player down . All ok.

Game over .

Great victory.

We still sit atop the league with unbeaten to date . Nice feeling indeed .

This year – 2022 – we arrive at our tenth anniversary of the rebirth of the Club and we are seeing if we can plan for a new strip to celebrate this mark of Our existence. If anyone out there would like to be a part sponsor and have their name or address on the shirts or the shorts, do come back to me on -

rjw@notrubraw.com. Or 07813 820157

Thank you .

Ralph Warburton

Audlem F C