Rovers 2 Maritimo 1

The preparation for the Rovers v Maritmo match could only be described as poor. The Rovers normal Wednesday training session never happened so it had been a full 7 days before the Rovers had touched a ball. The Gaffer was a last minute scratch due to his son having to go the hospital with a possible case of the swine flu (sounds like a dodgy excuse to me). Jonathan of the Asian persuasion was woken from his REM sleep at 8:22 by the stand in gaffer Brodie.

The Rovers kicked off with 10 players, Paulie joining the action about two minutes into the start of the match. The Rovers had beaten Maritimo 1-0 at their place when Jonathan (Asian) scored a whopper of a free kick and I believe the Rovers thought they might walk this game on a bigger pitch. The match started out that way with the Rovers dominating all of the ball. Paulie first action came straight away as he entered the field to take a corner. His ball was fantastic and it eluded every one and found an un-marked Larson at the back post. Larson did well, he took a touch and hammered it goal ward. Some how the ball hit the top of the cross bar and went away from danger. Paulie hooked the ball back in but the Rovers couldn’t get on the end of it and the danger was gone for the moment.

Maritmo started to get into the game a bit more and a tricky left winger that was full of pace. Joe Calvey was doing a good job on him, not letting him turn and have a run at him but he was always a danger man. Jose, Bryce and Paulie were pushing forward, which left Brodie Larson and Kieran in to hold the midfield, Larson and Kieran did a fine job of holding the center of the park, as that was a brand new central partnership. Jonathan and Jon were doing a great job winning high balls and using the ball as it came down to them. This is an area that has improved so much this year, both of them are footballers first and defenders second. This was very evident when Jon played a fantastic ball to larson down the right side, but his cross just did not get by the first man to the waiting Paulie. Overall Maritimo did not have many chances but did have a few free kicks that were well wide. Brodie and Lawton were having a good deal of joy down the left side, with Bryce the main outlet. Asian Jonathan came on for Brodie with 5 minutes to go in the half and the score ended up 0-0 at half time.

Joe Calvey asked to be replace so Erik Larson came in at right back with Kieran and Asian Jonathan in the center. Jose moved back to the holding role and this move paid instant dividends. The poor passing that the Rovers displayed in the first half went way and the Rovers got on the front foot. Jose was instrumental in this as was Kieran. Kieran was a touch off the boil in the second half but made up for it with a fine second half display. The Rovers took the lead on something out of nothing. Jon played a high ball over the top that found paulie near the end line. Paulie, at pace, skipped inside a challenge, the next defender was left for dead and paulie’s sweet left footed shot went near post past the keeper. It was a very well taken goal
The moment of the match came from the kick off. With many of the rovers players still celebrating Maritimo’s best player, Rafa hit a shot some 55 yards. Ben was forced to tip this over the top and thank god he was alert to the danger. It was some effort. He rovers had a fantastic chance just 5 minutes later to double the lead. Jon played a ball to Brodie who actually passed it a team mate, Jose fed bryce and bryce chipped the ball into paulie. The big defender went through paulie in the air and won the ball. No one really appealed for pk but the ref gave and up stepped paulie who hammered it high just off the cross bar and over. Game on. With 15 minutes to go Larson came off for Cameron and Brodie came off for Calvey.

This match report had other commitments but what I understand Maritimo scored against the run of play and that the ball should have been cleared a few times but they beat the offside trap with 10 minutes to go. With time ticking down Asian Jonathan picked up a lose ball and played a perfectly weighted ball to Captain fantastic a.k.a Curt Lawton who hammered in a shot from 37 yards (some say 30, some say 40) but either way the celebrations that occurred after the ball rattled the back of the net we memorable. What a great way to win it and it couldn’t have happened to a more consistent Rovers performer and great team mate.

MOM: Lawton, when you score the winner with a few to go you are the MOM
Pitch: huge
Ref: actually not the bad minus Bryce’s yellow card which was a joke
Quote of the day: He stuck his boot up my asshole, Larson to the ref which is what got him booked.