SHELF PANTHERS MATCH REPORT 9 OCTOBER 2011
Netherton 6 Shelf Panthers 1
The treacherous Pennine weather can occasionally undermine even the most unbiased of match reports.
And this week, unfortunately, only these few soggy fragments remain of the original copious notes about this week’s first-half performance:
1. Tom Wood out of the game following a nasty arm injury in the first minute.
2. Is the rain always horizontal in Netherton?
3. Think it’s time to buy a waterproof notebook.
4. 5-0 to Netherton at half-time.
Happily, a slightly more detailed record of Shelf’s second-half performance has survived the deluge.
After a half-time talking-to from Lee – who urged them to forget about the first 40 minutes and try to win the second half – the Panthers came out with much more purpose, and within three minutes Toby flashed a snap-shot wide.
They went 6-0 down after 55 minutes to another Netherton long-range effort. But - with Jonny and Adam Renard shoring up the defence, and Sam and Man of the Match Robert making penetrating runs on the Netherton goal – the Panthers rallied to enjoy the lion’s share of the final quarter of the match.
They should have pulled one back after 62 minutes when Robert’s quick thinking enabled him to pounce on a poor Netherton goal-kick and race towards goal, only to hit the ball wide.
Further chances went begging as the visitors continued to up their game before finally getting a deserved reward ten minutes from time when a high bouncing ball left the keeper stranded and Toby nodded it into the empty net.
Toby could have had a second five minutes later after being set up by Tom Mann’s fine through-ball, but his shot pinged off the post.
Maybe he was distracted by the sight of the animals of Netherton lining up two-by-two behind the goal…
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