The Stormers narrowly lost to a tasty Mayo side who grabbed the winning goal in the dying minutes of the game on Sunday.
Barnes Stormers FC hosted Olympique Mayonnaise in a 12:30pm KO for a SSFL Div 7 league match on Sunday. Featuring the majority of the side who had beaten VLV the previous week, hopes were high for Barnes to get off to a flying start and indeed they did with some very dominant play moving the ball around well. Recent new signing Elias made a great start with good composed play to help control the middle of the park. Whilst in front of goal, a front four of Jamani, Hussain, Dae and Casey did well to trouble the Mayo keeper, forcing some top saves from the man between the sticks.
That early dominance saw Barnes storm to the lead with a goal from talismanic captain Mo Saibu.
That first goal maybe came too early as Barnes took their foot off the gas and allowed OM to get back into the game somewhat. They pushed hard peppering the defence with long ball after long ball through to their pacey wingers. Barnes did well to cope with the threat for the first 40 or so minutes with GK James doing excellently to come out and clear any loose balls. However after being under siege from OM, Barnes did eventually fall and conceded a goal late in the first half.
1-1 Half Time.
Barnes restarted the game and a set piece routine was ruined by the wind allowing the ball to drop to OM and race through at goal and slot home amongst a goal mouth scramble. 1-2 to OM.
Barnes battled on but struggled to get out of 2nd gear in the second half after conceding the goal early in the second half. A few subsititions later and Barnes had a free kick about 30 yards out from goal. Hussain stepped up to whip a cross intowards Big Case who did enough to distract the oppo defence and keeper allowing Hussain's ball in to nestle nicely into the net. Back to 2-2 and Barnes were fired up. The stalemate didn't last for long as OM went on to score again from Barnes losing possesion in their opposition's half. 2-3 to OM.
The Stormers rallied and kept pressing hard with some nice link up play between Selvin, Jamani, Liam and Alex leading to a succession of shots which the OM defence and keeper did well to keep out until Liam pounced to claim his 3rd goal in 4 games. 3-3.
Unfortunately Liam's effort wasn't enough to see Barnes walk away with a point to show for their effort as in the dying minutes of the game OM were able to bag another.
3-4 Full Time.
Despite the scoreline, GK James Clack was MOTM for his efforts in clearing up loose balls. At the end of the day it was the combination of long balls being delivered from the midfield and pacey OM front line that was the difference. "We knew that front line was pacey but unfortunately we just didn't deal with it today", mused manager Tom Jackson. "That aside, I was please to give Simon Higgins his debut and welcome back Luke, Alex and Selvin into the side after they've been away. And I have to applaud the boys for not giving up and fighting all the way to the end. We're going to need to show alot more that now to ensure we get the results we need over the next few games".
Barnes have a rest week this Sunday but will be facing a familiar foe in Left Footers FC in a 9 a side friendly under the floodlights at Falcon Park on Friday night.
Lineup: James Clack, Tom Jackson, Mo Saibu (C), Jack McGarva, Rhys Williams, Elias Elhafedi, Liam O'Neill, Deschamps Campbell, Hussain Aulaqi, Jamani Johnson, Casey Walters
Bench: Alex Twist, Simon Higgins, Luke Rowan, Selvin Sanchez
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