Vets Football

[RAPPO]

MERLIN APPEAL CHARITY MATCH

 

ST.AGNES BOLSTERS  (1)  3       Mark Wade 25’  Mark Rapsey 79’ 88’

ELSTEAD VETS (ESSEX)  (1)  2     12’  70’

 

Aggie Bolsters had their annual pre season friendly raising money for the Merlin charity against Essex touring team Elstead at a sunny Enys Parc before their vets season starts in 2 weeks time against Callington. It turned out to be a pretty physical game for a friendly with the visitors starting on the front foot with their lively youngsters up front (never 35 those two!) causing problems and from a ball over the top the striker just beat 1st half keeper and American footballer Chris Gardener to the ball rounding him and walked the ball into the net at the car park end. Aggie started to get into it a bit after that and were rewarded with an equaliser on 25 minutes when Ian Stevenson got down the right and cut the ball back onto his left foot and sent over a great cross where Mark Wade making one of his Frank Lampard late runs into the box headed home from 6 yards. This seemed to piss Elstead off and they went back on the rampage with attack after attack but Gardener was in inspired form between the sticks first making a great double save then bettering it when a right wing cross came back off the crossbar to the striker 8 yards out and headed it down but Chris pulled off a Schmeichel esq save low down to his left scooping it out! We got back into it towards half time with the lively Kevin Allen having a couple of left foot shots dragged wide of the far post when well placed. Managers Steve James and Martyn Kimmins have worked hard in the summer trying to bring in some new faces and brought on one of these Arthur Kurwen at half time along with Mark Norgate replacing the excellent Gardener in goal. Ronnie Sekawata in midfield and Mark Rapsey up front. Matt Baxter and Andrew Ley getting first half knocks which they couldn’t continue with. The 2nd half was quite end to end with left back Fred Allen bombing forward when he could linking up well with midfielders Wade, Nick Bell and Rhyd Purnell with Wade and Sekawata winning plenty of tackles in midfield and Jack Belche and Nigel Brabyn coping well with the visitors speedy front two. A lovely Wade pass slipped Rapsey through on the hour and he did the hard work cutting inside two defenders before hitting his shot straight at the keeper from 10 yards for a shocking miss. (up there with my worst ever and I’ve missed a few!!) Matters were made even worse 10 minutes later when speedy Gonzalez got clear on the left rolling the ball past Norgate but as Allen and Brabyn both went to clear they ran into each other and the ball carried on rolling into the net!! Brabyn soon made amends still popping up everywhere like he did in his hey day by turning up on the right wing this time and crossing to the far post where Rapsey made up for his earlier **** up by dive heading the ball back across the keeper and into the top corner. How can you miss one like that then score one like that!?! Joke! 🙄 Both teams sensed a winner and Norgate made a couple of low saves before the hosts won it with a couple of minutes to go on referee Paul Minns watch. Great to see Paul back in the middle after his long illness 👍 Purnell and Rapsey played a one-two on the edge of the area before Rapsey drove a low shot into the bottom corner which the keeper just waved a foot at. Stevenson ran clean through in injury time and with just the keeper to beat he his shot took s bobble against the top of the bar from 15 yards but it didn’t matter as the Bolsters saw the game out with Wade running the ball into the corner flag before Paul’s final whistle. Good win for Aggie against a team that have been playing together a lot of years around the vets leagues in London. Mandy was as busy as ever in the clubhouse racing around raising money and I’m sure she raised loads for a great cause. I was chuffed to win a Poldark mug in the raffle! The mother in laws xmas present sorted out already! I’m so organised this year!! 😂⛳️🎅🏼👌 Good days footy (or 45 minutes for me dodgy knees but still fell asleep in the bath earlier) bit too hot but I suppose we should be grateful, soon be pissing down on those cold Sunday mornings that we all still love at our advanced ages!! 👍⚽️

[Aggieman]

Absolutely awesome match report Rappo, raised around £370 👍👍⚽️⚽️⚽️

[RAPPO]

Thanks Steve, great work that mate!! Good old Mandy and Kimmo 👍👏🏼👌