Saturday’s cup game started with around 25 of our girl players from the U11’s and U12’s being mascots for the day following their in-house mini tournament that morning.
The game started well for us, and we passed the ball around really well, but it was clear our opponents were either happy to defend deep or were being pushed back and could not get up the pitch hardly at all. Irchester defended well and for Wormley although the passing was good there was no cutting edge in the final third of the pitch. Approaching half time, it looked for all the world like a goalless first half when Irchester won a corner and after a scramble on the goal line with bodies on the floor everywhere in the six-yard box we found ourselves a goal behind. 0-1 44 mins
From the kick off it was clear Irchester were suddenly really up for it and the won the ball in midfield and three passes later a smart finish from their centre forward put them 2-0 up as the referee blew for half time. 0-2 45 mins.
There was a lot of celebrating from our opposition as they left the field and words exchanged between a few of their players and they seemed to target Ibs to wind up as they all walked off but clearly after dominating the game and having nearly all the possession in the first half, we had a lot of work to do.
The second half started frantically, and It was clear we were closing Irchester down very quickly and giving them no time at all on the ball, our passing was crisper and we started to make inroads into dangerous areas behind their back four but still they defended resolutely and had two very quick wide man who kept our defence on their toes through the half. We still had not troubled their goalkeeper when Ibs picked up the ball wide left cut inside across the edge of the penalty area and let fly and the ball nestled in the bottom corner, great strike and the boost everyone needed. 1-2 63 mins
Suddenly Irchester did not look as confident at the back and another Ibs run taking on three of their midfielders saw him hacked down by their centre half, yellow card and a free kick to us in the middle of the half. Some clever passing and interplay saw Cormac Clarke arrive in the box from left back and toe the ball past the defender being before being wiped out, penalty to the Worms. Ibs stepped up and slotted it home, game on. 2-2 69 mins
Within two minutes another brilliant passing move saw Ibs get on the end of a through ball ahead of their keeper who then brought him down, yellow card and a penalty. Despite the Irchester keeper trying to put Ibs off with some verbals, Ibs told him where he was going to put it and then slotted it home, really cool finish. 3-2 72 mins
Despite a few long balls into our box, we defended well, and substitute Charlie Hill brought a flying save from their keeper after another slick passing move. The referee blew the whistle, and we progress into the next round. We looked a lot fitter than our opponents towards the end of the game and clever substitutions from the manager saw us manage the game out. Lesson for our opponents “Do not upset Ibs” he left the pitch a happy man, a giant smile across his face and a hat trick to his name, his first for the club. Some would say a game of two halves, but we dominated both halves just not clinically in the first half but much more so in the second.
No midweek game this week and we welcome Shefford Town and Campton to the Lane next Saturday in the SSML
