Pre-season in full swing as Sassco let a 1-0 lead slip.
The so called regular cup game against Redhouse FC didn’t materialise during the season, so we managed to get it added on to the end of the season before all the posts came down.
We weren’t struggling, but were down on numbers. Steve Farquhar came in for a debut and so did the legendary David Murton. It’s good to have Murton on board for a good two months, before the inevitable vanishing act. Murton came into the side in 2005, but claims he’s more “mature” now.
I any case, both him and Kyle were well pumped up for the major event. A flurry of text messages from them first thing in the morning meant that I brought in a new rule; Kyle and Murton are not allowed to sleep together before a game. Before kick off, Murton claimed “3-1” and “all hell to break loose.”
My calming act failed and when Jimmy skyed the ball well over the bar, I expected a set of missed chances. Still, moments later, Jimmy looped the ball over Carlos Middlemiss and Sassco were leading 1-0. Catfish was doing his mind tricks again, saying that they had a bare eleven. They had around fourteen players there. If that’s short Catfish, you should see Sassco. Eleven players for us is too many sometimes.
So, in at half time leading 1-0. Simma did have a good few saves to make and despite Redhouse meekly capitulating their division title, they were still very strong. Even Charlie made an appearance for them after his brief affair with Sassco.
Just as the video camera batter was fading, the second half saw a disputed penalty dispatched by the ever dependable John Hunt. Our heads seemed to go down immediately. The decision was probably at fault, but Simma did make a good deal of saves to keep the score down prior to that. Redhouse then took the lead when a player was unmarked on the left hand side. At 2-1 the game levelled out. We had some decent opportunities in the box, but shots were high or wide or way too limp.
David Murton had a glorious chance to write his name in the history books, but his shot was palmed out by Carlos and the game was gone for Sassco. Right at the death, a corner kick was given and Simma raced up the length of the field and inevitably all the way back as the final whistle went.
Redhouse keep the trophy this season, but we’ll try and win it during the season or at the end again if we don’t meet. The way Catfish is going – this will be the only trophy he’ll be winning for a while.
The video footage of the first half and part of the second half will be uploaded shortly.
Community North Sports Complex
AGUK Challenge Cup
Sassco.co.uk 1 Dave “Jimmy” Raeper
Redhouse FC 2
Sassco.co.uk: David Simpson, Simon Mulvaney, Chris Dixon, Mark Middlemiss, Dave Gourlay, Neil Richardson, Kyle Robinson, Dave Murton, Dave Raeper, Steve Farquhar, Marc McDermont
