League: Grace Over 50s Div 1
Nailsea Vets 50s vs Re-Union
I wasn’t present at this game so don’t have the match details. I was suprised it was such a resounding victory against ReUnion who usually give us a tight battle. Highlight was a hatrick for Neil ‘Nelly’ Watts!
Nailsea Vets 50s vs Easton Monday 95
Nailsea were quick out the blocks with a goal in the first two minutes. Frosty played Tony through for a one on one with Mondays keeper and he calmly side footed his shot low into the right corner. The first half was reasonably evenly contended although Mondays felt they should have had a penalty to give a chance to draw level before half time. Monday’s equalised 10 minutes into the second half with a well worked move ending with a low cross into the box from the right and a glancing header beating Lee McGreevy into the far left of the net. Mondays played some neat passing football and had the better of possession in the last 25 minutes but didn’t pose too many threats to the Nailsea goal. Nailsea nearly snatched a late winner with a shot off the crossbar but a draw was probably a fair result. We look forward to the rematch in a few weeks time.
Easton Monday 95 vs Nailsea Vets 50s
Last game of the season for Nailsea and a point was needed to secure the league title. Mondays pitch at Clifton College is the best grass surface around and deserved the football to be kept on the ground. Both sides played neat passing football but it was Mondays who struck first, taking advantage of a Nailsea error on the left allowing a low cross into the box to be met with an unstoppable diving header. Within a couple of minutes Nelly equalised for Nailsea with a superb strike from 25 yards out into the top right hand corner. On the stroke of half time Jerry met a through ball on the edge of the area and delicately chipped Mondays advancing keeper to make it 1-2 Nailsea.
Mondays packed their midfield in the second half and for 20 minutes dominated but Nailsea defended resolutely. Nailsea switched to 5 across the middle to stem Mondays flow and rely on a break away with one up top. The plan worked and on 70 minutes Darren Pool squared to Dave Luckhurst who’d ran the length of the pitch to arrive in the 6 yard box to tap home for 1-3. Shortly after another spell of Mondays pressure Darren Pool received the ball just into Mondays half. With no options Darren saw the Mondays keeper off his line and lobbed the ball into the net from 35 yards out. Dave L notched another with 10 minutes remaining to make it a resounding 5-1 victory. In fairness, the score flattered us slightly. Mondays are the best team we’ve played this season and if they’d taken some early chances it would have been a closer contest. Nevertheless I’m proud of our team for a great performance today and throughout the season to take the title.
Chew Magna 50s vs Nailsea Vets 50s
This match was due to be played at Chews ground in Pensford but with a water logged pitch Chew suggested we play on Nailsea’s artificial pitch to ensure we got the game played. Well done to them for making the suggestion and fortunately the pitch at Nailsea School was available.
Nailsea enjoyed a large proportion of possession in the first half and a few commented we didn’t want a re-run of our dominant performance last time out without a goal to show for it. Neil Watts came close with a low shot across the face of the goal only for Chew’s impressive keeper to push the ball wide of the post with a finger tip save. 0-0 at half time.
The second half continued in a similar vein and Nailsea squandered some good chances. The Nailsea goal wasn’t under much threat until a bullet header from Chew was superbly tipped over the bar by Lee McGreevy. The dead lock was finally broken when Lee Cogan picked up the ball wide on the left and cutting inside curled a beautiful strike into the far right hand corner of the net out of the reach of Chew’s keeper diving at full stretch.
Chew enjoyed a good deal of possession in the last 15 minutes but couldn’t convert into chances and Nailsea hung on for the win.
Enjoyed a pint after the game with a good bunch of lads.