After the Bunwer team’s recent run of poor form, the boys were in desperate need of a win. This Saturday saw the boys line up against perennial underachievers, Banco de España at la Elipa upper and the team were ready to fight. For many the game was the last that they would play at la Elipa, at least in FC Britanico colours, as Nick’s long awaited move to Faustos edges closer and closer.
The starting team line up read:
Karim,Chaz (still dodging big games) Alessandro, Alex, Kung-foo Kilroy, Ningu, Chris Parkerinho, Josh gimnasioandyellowcardhunter, Chris Stradling, Zak attack (of terrible in-game Spanish) and Ish
Bench: Mickey Joe, Aj, Sean
As the game started, Rami, dressed in a lovely blue on white shirt, cream chinos and brown loafers, paced up and down the touch line impatiently as the Britanicos failed to take a firm hold of the game. The team really struggled to take control of the game, and the imposing Banco de España defence dealt with everything that was thrown at them easily. The Bunwer team showed a few glimpses of promise around the 30 minute mark as Nick and Chris S tried to release Ish and Zak into the channels but every chance ended in nothing more than misery. Rami and Fletch were growing impatient and so were the thousand fans that came to watch. On a positive note though, stand-in club number one Karim continued to deal with anything that the opposition sent his way, calmly collecting a few looping attempts from the underneath his crossbar. The game then burst into life as FCB won a free kick thirty yards out. Not content with the way his team were playing, captain and talisman Ally picked up the ball and rifled it goal-wards. Como Ronaldo, the ball floated over the wall then took a dip as it headed towards the goalkeepers top left hand corner. Sadly though for all viewing, and I include the Banco de España players and coaching staff in this too, the ball shaved the wrong side of the crossbar and it went over. This was exactly what the team needed to kickstart some energy into them to push on for the opener…I lie, the away team ran up the other end of the pitch and scored. 0-1 Banco de España. Halftime.
Fletch and Rami did their best to inspire confidence and fire into the boys at half time with an entertaining handbags at dawn moment, an abstract yet seemingly effective way of getting the boys to start playing the way they usually do. No halftime changes to report.
The warming sun seemed to put some heat in the Bunwer team’s legs as the second half started, and it wasn’t long before the Brits had their equaliser. Pouncing on a loose ball around the edge of the area, in true Zak fashion, the Profe danced by the last of the Banco de España defenders before sliding a cool finish beyond the goalkeeper. 1-1 and it was game on. Sensing panic in the away team’s ranks, FCB pushed from the back, and they put themselves into the lead after some explosive play down the right wing. Karim started the move by releasing the ball to Ally after saving yet another Banco attempt, and the ball then moved swiftly up towards Ish via Chaz and Chris Parker. Unable to set and organise, the defenders gave Ish the time to compose himself and finish high into the net to score the Bunwer second.
Eager to kill the game off, Rami then introduced Mickey Joe to put a bit more drive into the midfield. 10 minutes into his first appearance for the team in a month, I would love to say that Mickey’s introduction had an immediate impact. However it was Nick Boyle that took the game into his own hands to effectively wrap up the 3 points as he rifled a shot from 30 yards that went on to evade the outstretched Banco de España goalkeeper and go in off the post. A fine strike for a left-back. The closing 20 minutes were relatively relaxed for the boys in full white, dealing with everything thrown at them admirably, and after working late on Friday and having a deserved lie-in, Sean Williamson took to the field in place of Silky for the closing moments of the match. Banco de España did get one goal back in the last moments of the game, as they scored a shamelessly offside goal but at no point did the second half comeback kings appear nervous or in danger of losing their lead.
All in all the second half performance was perhaps as good as Rami’s boys have performed all season, although again the boys failed to show this throughout the 90 minutes as has become custom through much of this Torfeo campaign. Regardless, the season is coming to an end and there is no doubt that this season has been a success in many respects, one being Josh’s ability to pick up only one red card in 10 games. Moving on to next week’s fixture against Faustos, this will be a tough one for the boys but as they have proven throughout the season, the Bunwer boys have enough to match these teams.
MOM: goalkeeper Karim
