Mellor Seconds 5-2 Waterloo FC
Match report provided by Second Team Manager Rob White:
This was a huge game in our season. We have already played Waterloo in the league and were beaten 3-0, so it was important to the team to give a good account of ourselves knowing we also still have to play them at home in the league and set the tone for that game if anything. The instruction from the management was to go out and play our game, and just enjoy the cup with no pressure. We played with a real appetite, scoring two nice goals, even Longson got one and we outplayed the opposition, however yet again we switched off for brief moments and came in at half time 2-2. We played the 2nd half with real aggression and it’s great to see your opposition blaming each other, the referee and even Al. We were brilliant in the 2nd half and stuck to our game very well. They did have a spell at the start of the half, as they are a decent football team, but we stuck with and proved our metal. The back five were solid, however greenie did get caught out with one of his Cryuff turns which was punished again. The midfield four were as good as we have seen this season, Knowles and Boon were class in the middle, Valentine tormented them down the right (until he started body popping like it was 1985 on the floor, cramp style and had to be dragged from the pitch) and Lebo was a constant threat, although this was not his day for finishing, although in fairness quite a few through passes were slightly behind him when played through which prevented him from getting on the scoresheet. Jerome was fantastic again and constant thorn in their side. Avi played really well converting an important penalty to make it 4-2, which killed the game off. A penalty fantastically won by Jubby who went through against two centre backs and completely rinsed one of them, who didn’t know what day it was by the end of it, and the other brought him down in the box. We then broke from an attack on our goal, Avi ran the centre half down the line, who couldn’t keep up with him and he calmly played into the box for Boon to finish calmly. A well-deserved win for all the team and through to the next round of the cup.
