Report
AUFC Veterans Legends 3-3 Icons The immovable object met the irresistible force at the Racecourse Ground on Friday 6th May as the AUFC Vets’ Legends drew 3-3 with the Vets’ Icons. The Icons had the better of the early encounters, but it was the Legends who ended the game the stronger. In the end, it finished 3-3 and the spoils were shared. About right. With end-of-season WLVFL league fixtures seemingly becoming fewer and farther between, the powers that be decided that it was time for a Legends v Icons game. Availability was excellent, so Matt Newall and Doug Page (Legends) went head-to-head against Mike Tomlinson and Rich Harrison (Icons) in a battle of the managerial giants. “Our boys have been focussing on this game for a fair old while” mused Tomlinson to Mark Chapman on Five Live pre-game. “Rich and I laid down some hard and fast rules, too; three training sessions in the week beforehand (one in the Stag, one in Bar 1 and one in the Swinley) and a strict rationing of pre-game kebabs. We mean business….” Tomlinson and Harrison’s planning certainly looked like it was having an impact as the Icons had much of the better of the first of the three 30 minute thirds. Ben Standing held the ball up top impressively, Phil White lurked with menace wide left and Jamie Burgess fitted nicely into a Cancello-esque left wing-back role. It was subsequently no surprise when Dave Simpson played in Standing and he coolly rounded Kev Patterson to put the Icons one up. Doug Page and Matt Newall, Berkshire’s version of Brian Clough and Peter Taylor, decided that the Legends needed a bit of a re-set. They switched from 3-5-2 to 4-4-2 and that immediately had some effect. Leon Palmer-Wilson buzzed down the left flank like a latter-day Tony Morley, and his neat cross was deflected home by Dan Hough. 1-1. The Icons nonetheless responded and went into the first break ahead. Phil White found space on the edge of the box and he (again) slipped in Ben Standing. He lifted the ball deftly over the on-rushing Patterson and the Icons were back with their noses in front. 2-1 with half an hour gone. That lead was extended mid-way through the second third as Mike Tomlinson, a Trent Alexander Arnold with fractionally less hair, pinged a delicious ball over a rather static Legends’ defence. Jon Keough, with the touch and prowess of Ian Ormondroyd at his finest, shinned the ball into the bottom corner. 3-1 and it looked like the Icons might well be on the cusp of taking control. The Legends, however, fought back admirably. Stu Flurry offered plenty of width, Tim Standing, Paul Woodford and particularly Andy Gleave got a grip in the middle and the Legends slowly began to dominate possession. It subsequently wasn’t long before the marauding Sam McIntrye pulled a goal back. Game on. Ed Du Bois, Nigel Gatehouse and Keough marshalled the Icons’ back line impressively, but it did nonetheless feel like an equaliser was becoming ever more likely. Jez Myhan came close a couple of times, Tim Standing kept popping up in decent positions and Toby Underwood was an ever-more threatening force. The equaliser arrived with 15 minutes left, Andy Gleave turning smartly before shooting and Andy Lunn picking up the pieces to slot home. Would there be a dramatic late winner? Both sides went for it as the game became ever more open. But, it wasn’t meant to be, 3-3 it ended. “Football” mused Doug Page in the post-match press conference “was definitely the winner. There was some decent stuff played this evening, and that includes the very impressive post-match rehydration strategy. Respect due to Thommo, Simmo, Tobes and Rob for taking that part of the evening very seriously indeed….” %%title%%
