A CASE OF GOOD FINISHING

Surreal Madrid were hoping for an improvement from the last meeting with C.S. Maritimo when it seemed they were struggling to overcome their Xmas excesses. The match started off fairly well with both teams evenly matched and with Madrid playing some good football. However after 20 minutes they conceded a soft goal from a corner when the ball was flicked on at the near post and headed home at the far post. Shortly after Derek Siddle deputising in goal make a great plunging save down to his right to push the ball round the post to keep the score at 0-1. Even though Madrid were passing the ball round well they failed to make it count in the final third of the pitch and the score remained the same at half time.

The beginning of the second half continued in similar fashion, but after 20 minutes Surreal Madrid managed to get back on level terms. A good challenge and clearance by Daz Johns left Dave Stringer chasing the ball to the opposition corner flag, he then had time to put in a good cross to Jens Marrot at the far post, and under pressure Jens bought the ball down and then lifted the ball calmly over the advancing Maritimo keeper to make it 1-1. Madrid continued to battle for the next 10 minutes, but shortly after inexplicably collapsed under good Maritimo pressure. Maritimo regained their lead when a cross into the area was met at the far post, which crept just inside the Surreal goalpost. About 3 minutes later they increased their lead when one of their players was allowed to run across the 18 yard box unchallenged and he fired a good shot home to make it 1-3. It was about this time that Terry Wilcox got injured and was replaced by Gordon Carson. Unfortunately things got worse as fitness on a heavy pitch seemed to take its toll, and Maritimo scored their forth when a ball was fired home following a scramble in the Madrid penalty box. Shortly after the goal of the game was scored when the Martimo winger beat a Surreal Madrid player for pace and hammered the ball from a narrow angle just outside of the Madrid 6 yard box. Just to rub salt into the wound Maritimo scored a fluky sixth when a speculative cross from the left looped up and found the top corner of the Madrid net, and the match finished shortly with the score remaining at 1-6. This seemed to flatter the opposition as it was a much improved performance from Surreal Madrid.