North London Crickets Vs Camden Musicians

NLCFC 4 Camden Musicians 1

 
1. Richard Hall
2. Salman Ali
3. Cas Nicholson
4. Patrick Mills
5. Luke Buffery
6. Jon Robinson
7. Andy Hale
8. Simon Creasy
9. Steve O'Hagan
10. Ben Wakeford
11. Guy Nicholson

North London Cricket’s unbeaten record was extended after a long, hard battle in a mud bath. With overnight rain the fixture was in doubt, but after some confusion (two teams looking for the privilege of getting beaten by the Crickets), the game began.

Just three minutes in, the Crickets forced a corner and went ahead. The first of many superb crosses from Robinson was floated in, and only half cleared by the Musician’s defence. The loose ball was pounced on and slid home by the ever threatening Wakeford, who increased his chances of being the Leagues top scorer. Four minutes gone, 1-0 and all the signs pointed to yet another walk over. This image was soon shattered as the Musicians hit back strongly.

Almost straight form the kick off; the Crickets were forced back into their half, with the skilful Musician’s strikers looking to get them straight back into it. A shot from distance had returning keeper, Hall scrambling across his goal mouth to slide the skidding shot round the post. The resulting corner was half cleared only to fall to an awaiting Musician, whose shot caught the wind and floated into the top corner. 1-1 and things were all of a sudden looking interesting.

 For long periods of the rest of the first half, the Crickets sensational run looked under considerable threat. The Musicians took charge of the game, forcing the Crickets deep into their own half, but strong, well organised defending kept actual chances to a rarity. With the muddy conditions not helping either the Crickets flowing passing game, or the individual runs of the Musicians, chances were few and far between. Despite Camden Musicians, domination of position, it was the Crickets who had the more chances, looking especially dangerous from set pieces. It was two very muddy teams who relaxed at half time, with the crickets the happier of the two, looking forward to having the wind in their favour in the second half.

The Crickets took charge early on, doing their best to pass the ball round, despite the steadily decreasingly bad conditions. Forcing early corners, the Crickets always looked the more likely to score, which they did. The panicking Musician’s defence needlessly scrambled the ball for yet another corner. Robinson’s corner was curling towards the top corner only to be helped on its way by the keeper, palming the ball into his own net. This left Robinson claiming the goal, which nobody was denying him, and was just reward for the superb deliveries he kept putting in all game.

Once more the Musicians hit back striving to get level. They started to push forward, with their best chance being thwarted by a mixture of good defending and the bog like penalty area. At 2-1 the game was still in the balance, and saw the Crickets swooping down on the Musicians goal mouth looking to kill the game off. When the goal finally came it was from yet another corner. The Musicians again failed to clear sufficiently as the ball was headed clear to Cas Nicholson on the edge of the area. His powerfully hit drive was heading goal ward, but with a Musicians defender, and keeper in front of it. Up popped Robinson to head the ball, wrong footing the defender/keeper.

The game now looked safe, but unimaginably the conditions got worse! With fifteen minutes remaining the heavens opened and anyone not soaked now was! For five minutes the torrential hail poured down turning the previously muddy conditions into an absolute bog. Shortly after, a moment of genius from Buffery brightened the game. He picked the ball up deep on the right flank, and proceeded to jink past one, then two then three. He kept his composure to skilfully scoop the ball over the last defender, through to Guy Nicholson who tucked the ball smoothly into the bottom corner. This feat was even more remarkable because of the conditions where dribbling was near impossible.

4-1 and another victory secured. A fine performance from the crickets who defended well, keeping the Musicians’ chances down to very few, and managed to pass the ball around with skill and precision. The Crickets were led well from the front with the tireless Wakeford at times literally scrambling about on all fours to keep possession. It was a good team performance on a day that individual skill was suppressed by the conditions. This victory secured a place in the semi-finals where they shall meet arch enemies Dukes Head.