Something fishy about the keeper? Superhuman effort keeps Panthers at bay

SHELF PANTHERS MATCH REPORT 20 MARCH 2011
Shelf Panthers 2 Challenge 4

Who on earth was that opposition goalkeeper? On the face of it, he looked like a pretty normal teenage footballer. But when it came to the crunch, he proved to be a cross between Superman and an octopus, repeatedly flying through the air or extending an improbable limb to deflect the ball away from danger.

His second-half heroics thwarted a Shelf side who really didn’t deserve to lose this match.

The Panthers started badly, though, conceding a first-minute goal for the second week in a row.

But they rallied well, began creating chances of their own, and could have equalised after 13 minutes. Ryan’s shot was blocked at point-blank range by the keeper, who then somehow got another tentacle in the way of Toby’s follow-up, and Robert just couldn’t quite manage to get on the end of the rebound.

Challenge made it 2-0 with a close-range volley after 29 minutes, but the Panthers hit back a minute before the break. Man of the Match Adam Renard set off on a typically tenacious and pacey run down the right wing. His cross was met by Toby, whose flick was well saved by the keeper, but Dylan was following up well to lash the ball gleefully into the unguarded net.

That looked to have swung the game Shelf’s way, with the prospect of 35 minutes playing down the slope.

Challenge doubled their lead with a breakaway goal five minutes after half-time, but Toby – who started in midfield before switching to his more usual striking role towards the end of the first half – reduced the deficit to 3-2 after 47 minutes when he controlled Adam Renard’s cross in the six-yard box and fired home.

Three minutes later, one of the game’s pivotal moments saw Robert whip in a great low cross from the right, which Toby met with a sweet half-volley that had “goal” written all over it. Unfortunately, the Challenge keeper had other ideas, reacting instantly to fling up a hand and tip the ball over for one of the saves of the season.

He thwarted Toby again two minutes later after a lovely flowing passing move involving Robert and Adam Renard.

Challenge scored a fourth goal with a lob six minutes from time. But Shelf could still have grabbed a late share of the points (as they did against the same opponents early in the season) if Robert and Toby hadn’t fallen foul of more inspired goalkeeping.

So the visitors drove back to Buttershaw with all three points (except for the one team member who flew faster than a speeding bullet, before plunging into the ocean and heading for a coral reef…).