So I’m sat here writing the match report all proud with my dick of the day hat on, I’d like to say I don’t get to wear it often but alas it’s looking very threadbare.

So it was another early morning “jolly” across the fens to visit mid table Peterborough 5th, these are the games in which Ely desperate need to pick up points.

Unfortunately shortages across the club meant regulars Shaun, Sam and Warren were drafted to play for the 1st XI, not a great start however Fez on route North to visit family Saturday morning “decided” to join us for a run out, I believe it may have cost me a favour.

So with Pete Rains, Mark Baldock and Dave Bolstering Neil in defence it’s safe to say if we faced a blistering forward line we may be in trouble, so (please note) with a win of the toss we immediately pressured Peterborough; this gave a rather quick and unexpected result.

A solid tackle in the Ely D and a neat bit of skill saw Neil beat an attacker and carry the ball confidently out of defence, finding Fez who immediately (yes immediately) released the ball to Marc on the wing. Marc “meep meep” ever willing to run rounded the defence and passed the ball to Chris who finished rather clinically into the Peterborough net.

Now, to an onlooker will have looked like training ground precision, however Marc has never been to training, Fez doesn’t usually play for us and also can’t find the training ground, Neil normally just fouls in the D and Chris can’t usually hit a ball in the direction of a barn door never mind at it… so I can only put this goal down to an accident.

Further Ely pressure resulted in a short corner, Tim drilling the ball only to see the lead runner deflect his shot wide.

As in previous weeks Ely kept the ball well, man of the match Brownie working the ball out of a dead end something we would have previously forced, and playing simple back to Mark Baldock. Unfortunately only two minutes earlier Mark had pulled his back and watched the pass roll just out of his reach. OK it only needed one step but I am assured it was definitely out of his reach, the loose ball was pounced on by Peterborough and the 5v2 break was on. Neil rapidly dropping back to his D to cut the angle saw the ball carrier cross, Ian Grange fantastic all game cut out the pass and cleared to the middle, Tim Reynolds having run the entire length of the pitch almost intercepted the return only to see the ball ricochet just under his outstretched stick to a Peterborough player who calmly finished.

1:1 and half time.

The second half was scrappy, both teams fighting for space on what felt like a narrow pitch no team finding a clear opening although on two occasions Ian Grange was called on to make in hindsight some fantastic saves look simple.

Some contentious decisions saw Peterborough become highly frustrated with what were their own umpires, a number of yellow cards for decent gave Ely a welcome break, with an injured player and no substitutes this time and space was well received and probably helped Ely last the game.

As the game wore on, space started to appear the ball was well worked up the pitch by Peterborough pulling sweeper Neil out wide, a cross back out of the 22 saw and a youngster with relatively fresh legs round Pete Rains who’d been solid all game to cross… a player who’d lost his marker found the back of the net, 2:1 to Peterborough.

Considering this was a makeshift team I could have expected heads to go down, especially when players were tired, Fez kept running right until the end along with Marc on the right, however both players were finding it hard to beat their respective markers despite in Marc’s case at least 5 goes in a row.

Eventually the effort paid off, the ball spinning loose to Yahya so far unmentioned, Yahya on loan to us from the 3rd XI saw his first shot smothered by the keeper the ball rebounding almost directly back to him for a second chance, he could have panicked but calmly undercut the ball into the net. For anyone reading this report Yahya does go to training, coincidence?

The game finished 2:2 it’s fair to say the game could have gone either way, but I’m happy with the point especially with a makeshift team.

Thanks to everyone.

Neil