Goals: Guerin (4), Mastrantone, Kuponiyi, Fairfield
Assists: Fairfield, Piggott, Bailey (2), Mastrantone
The Crue started life in the lowest division as they meant
to go on, rocking up with a minute to spare in a Di Canio-esque panic.
Fortunately for our heroes, the opposition had a similar laissez-faire attitude
to the new season and kicked off with only four players on the pitch. Once
their fifth player sorted out his shin pads, they set out to impose their
greater physical size on the game.
But the Crue were quick out the blocks, setting a high tempo
early on that had HLFC chasing shadows. A string of quick passes led to an
early chance for Kuponiyi, his strike twatting the post as the despairing
keeper looked helplessly on.
It wasn't long before the ball made its first acquaintance
with the HLFC net. Guerin intercepted the ball in midfield and took it on a
gentle journey through the opponents half before banging it home. There
followed a few tense seconds, the Crue anxious at having never held on to a 1-0
advantage before. But a Fairfield pass picked out Guerin for his second of the
game, before a Piggott punt found its way to Mastrantone's chest from where he
rifled the cushioned ball into the top left corner for 3-0. Much to the
displeasure of the Crue's fans, Mastrantone made his customary milk-the-goal
exit, hands high above his shiny head in celebration. Shortly after, #substitutewanker began
trending on Twitter.
Only fifteen minutes had been played and the Crue were in
control. But with prior season's myriad
concessions haunting every player's soul like Titus Bramble's ghost, they kept
the passes quick and neat and soon found a fourth goal, Mastrantone sliding a
through-ball to Guerin for his hat-trick. Keeper Piggott hadn't had to make a save
thanks to the tireless defending of Bramwell, Guerin and Bailey. With Guerin
bombing on, Bailey excelled in the role of playmaker and he turned provider for
goal number 5, finding Kuponiyi who topped the move with a custom tidy finish.
Still the Crue weren't done, last term's player-of-season,
Bailey, again the maker with a rare furrow forward, crossing the ball with evil
accuracy and picking out Fairfield's unseen run. A deft finish on his return
from a crippling back injury sent the crowd into an emotional hysteria hitherto
unseen at Kidlington's "Sandpit Stadium".
Like the sea when Neptune is having a proper bad day, Botley
smashed their opponents with wave after wave of quick, attacking play.
Fairfield's corners caused all sorts of bother with Bramwell inches away from
latching onto a devilish outswinger. Another Bramwell strike from way out
narrowly missed the far post after another decent Botley set play.
It was apt that the final say went to hat-trick hero Guerin.
After a mix up between keeper and defender, Guerin found time to test a few
tricks before slotting the ball between the two and into an empty net from near
the halfway line.
A consolation goal late on wasn't enough to stop the
slightly embarrassed Botley victory celebrations after the match, the Crue
finally having found their feet.
