Report

NEW COTTINGHAM SHOULD HAVE SCORED MORE!

New Cottingham completed the League Treble over The Bar of Burton Latimer after a comfortable 3-0 at West Glebe Park. Manager Neil Jarman had a full quota of players but still with the likes of Samuel Girvan, David Horsley, Nathan Innes, Richard Moore and Paul Tilley to come back in, as well as the potential return of retired Lee Wildman, who has expressed an interest in pulling off a Paul Scholes. Jarman decided to go with a new formation in 3-5-2 and play two full backs; the roles of which went to Stuart Mason on the left and Steven Ratcliffe on the right. Matthew Sheen played his favourite role of sweeper with Mark Walker as centre back alongside Martin Collins who had crawled out from wherever he has been to make his first appearance of the season. Ian Abrahams, Steven Torrance and Skipper Adam Muir made up the three in the middle, with James Green and Michael Wilkinson up top. Ben Green and the returning Michael Hall made up the bench.

Although there was a touch of frost about, there was little doubt that the game would take place, as by the time kick of came about, the pitch was actually quite heavy. Right from the off, it looked like the new formation was going to work. Adam Muir and Martin Collins had early shots from distance to test The Bar goalkeeper, but to no avail. It was actually Adam Muir’s right peg that opened the scoring after good work down the left saw Stuart Mason put in a cross. The defender could do little about other than put it on a plate for Muir who did the rest. It was a neat finish into the top corner of the net. It was Muir’s seventh goal of the campaign, which now sees him lead by 2 clear goals from Matthew Sheen in the top scorer chart.

Stuart Mason, who was thriving in his new role, then was put clean through and found himself with literally acres of space and oodles of time. Like a vicar in a strip club, he didn’t know what to do with himself. As it turned out, his weak right foot effort was well saved by The Bar goalkeeper. With the score still at 1-0 The Bar had their best moment of the morning when a header hit the bar. Abraham’s head also hit the bar in the challenge. With pressure growing from the home side, New Cottingham finally made the score 2-0 when a Steven Torrance left footed cross was turned into his own net by The Bar defender. He had to go for the ball otherwise it would have been a simple tap in for James Green. 2-0 and New Cottingham were in full control.

The 2-0 lead was even comfortable by New Cottingham’s standards who had lost a 3-0 lead in their previous game. However, 2-0 should really have read 6-0 or 7-0 but Mason, Torrance, Muir and Wilkinson on several occasions found The Bar goalkeeper in remarkable form saving guilt edged chance after guilt edged chance. The Bar didn’t threaten much in the second period either, with Jarman, making his 50^th appearance for the club having very little to do between the sticks. A free kick straight into his arms was about as busy as he got.

The confidence was oozing out of every New Cottingham pore, so to speak, as The Yellow and Greens played wonderful passing football that started at the back. Collins, Walker and of course Sheen looked comfortable on the ball as they knocked triangles around the hapless Bar attackers. It was this fine football that lead to the final goal of the morning. Ian Abrahams pinned his ears back and rolled back the years to get onto the end of a through ball. He delivered a fantastic cross for Wilkinson who laid the ball back for Torrance. The Australian hit it sweetly first time into the top corner. Finally after all their dominance New Cottingham had a second half goal to show for it.In truth, with no exaggeration, considering the chances that were missed the score should and could have been 10-0, but The Bar goalkeeper arguably had the best ever performance of any player New Cottingham had come up against. Next up for The Yellow and Greens is another home game against Leather Craftsman, where of course last time out New Cottingham squandered a 3-0 lead to lose 4-3.

Man of the Match: Ian Abrahams – quality in midfield and did all the hard work for the last goal
Move of the Match: The aforementioned third and final goal
Quote of the Match: Stuart Mason – “You Spaz” – Mason not agreeing with one of the referee’s decisions so called him a spaz!
Ref Watch: Mick Abrahams – text book performance NCFC Mark 6/10