Jets Shine In The Storm
Oxhey Jets 5 Rising Ballers Kensington 3 Esoteric Recordings Division One Challenge Cup 1st Round 23rd November 2024
Not sure about Storm Bert, but there was some storm at the Boundary Stadium for sure.
A debut for young Henry Ford in goal and a rotated side caused by injuries and availability gave an unusual look to the Jets today. Still, they got off to a flyer as George Rice slotted after just three minutes to put Jets on the way.
This feels like a repeat statement each match, but chances came and went. Jets paid the price with an equaliser (22 mins), then 1-2 down( 27 mins).
Strangely, as the rain got harder blowing against the Jets attack, good play put George Rice clear on goal, but as the keeper came out and Rice played the ball past him, his eyes were fixed on “not both go past, and Rice was taken out with the keeper getting a straight Red.
With a pitch player in goal now for RB, Jets went straight after them, and the first thing he did was make an incredible save low by the post from the free kick.
Jets kept on pushing and pushing, but despite the lad doing well and some good fortune, Jets still trailed at the break 1-2.
Jets knew they had to go on the assault first, and now “Bert” was hammering the pitch with wind and rain, but the pitch was holding up really well.
Now, horror struck. Hesitation costs, and hesitation was the name of the game as a nippy forward propelled ten-man Ballers forward for a superb curler, giving the keeper no chance 1-3 (46 min), and now a mountain for Jets.
In fairness, Jets kept their cool and kept attacking, but the ballers made the mistake of dropping deeper when a tin opener of a ball set George Rice clear. As he prepared to slot, the stand-in keeper wiped him out!! This time, there was a Penalty and a yellow, but he had a yellow before he went in goal for kicking the ball out the ground after the whistle, so there was a red card, and the second keeper was off, and the ballers were down to nine men.
Wearing the skipper’s armband, Andre Lopes converted 2-3, and Jets were back in the contest.
Jets now called on attackers to take up the assault, with Brander and Harris joining the front runners. From then on, it was one way: ballers doing everything to run the clock down ( as we would have done) and Jets, with the gale force behind them, streaming forward.
A dream start for young winger Michael Kelly off the bench, who hammered home 3-3 from the mid-penalty area (76 min). Now, it was who blinked first. Jets just had to keep composed and not go mad attacking.
Joe Reade, the central player, placed a peach of a curler (82 min), and Jets had the edge again 4-3.
Now, Ballers had to come out to play. They had a good go and were so unlucky when a goal-mouth scramble looked to end in the net, but assisted by a good save by Ford, the ball was cleared upfield to Jets relief. The ball bounce beat the defender, and Elliot Harris nudged the ball forward and was way clear, slotting cooly and securing the win 5-3 and two cup wins in four days for Jets.
It wasn’t the best, but the Jets produced a real storm in dreadful wind and rain.
The managers picked George Rice as the man of the match. George’s goal and two keeper red cards swung the game in Jets’ favour.
Jets had a very young and inexperienced side out today, and in dreadful conditions, the lads did the job.
