After weeks of banter and ‘trash talking’, Tuesday night finally saw the Students Union take on the Cardiff Met University Staff football team in the Movember Charity Football Match!
After weeks of banter and ‘trash talking’, Tuesday night finally saw the Students Union take on the Cardiff Met University Staff football team in the Movember Charity Football Match!
As the crowd of students and staff rolled through the gates you could sense the excitement about the game…or maybe that was because Dominos were present giving out pizza. Fortunately the Students’ Union team came out victorious winning the game 4-2, although all players of both teams can be commended for the spirt in which they all played.
Overall the night proved to be a success with funds being raised for the Movember Foundation and all the players and spectators having a fantastic night at the game.
We look forward to the rematch between the Students’ Union and University Staff team next term hopefully!
For all those who missed the game here is a quick match report, enjoy!
The Staff team started off the first half brightly with some good interplay between their midfield and forwards, which sent a few alarm bells ringing through SU team’s defensive line. Although an early penalty shout for the SU was turned after a blatant foul inside the box, but the game settled soon after.
As the half progressed the SU team got more composed and began to get the ball down and play some good football, with two players from the Women’s Football team being the focal point of the attacks down the right flank. Resulting in the SU team getting several corners in space of 10 minutes but were unable to convert any of these opportunities into a goal.
The momentum of the game then quickly shifted back in favour with the staff team after a brilliant counter attacking move which resulted in them taking a 1-0 lead. Although questions could be raised about the SU’s keeper who claimed the ball when in the top corner but actually went straight down the middle of the goal.
With seconds remaining in the 1st half the SU team had a fantastic opportunity to level the game. The SU had a one on one with the keeper but the staff keeper proved to be a rock between the sticks making a fantastic save to keep his side up at the break. Unfortunately what would ultimately prove to be a turning point in the game was the University team keeper getting injured and having to be subbed off.
After a short drink, team chat and a slice of Dominos pizza the teams’ swapped ends and play go underway. The SU team got off to an excellent start quickly levelling the game through a nicely worked goal. As the half progressed, players on both teams began to demonstrate some impressive bits of individual skill. Although we believe there may have been a sniper in the crowd as several players seem to hit the deck completely unopposed with the ball, with the manager of the Men’s Second XI football team being the best example.
The SU team nearly took the lead in the form of an audacious back heel from the SU President inside the penalty box which had the keeper scrambling to make a save in the bottom right corner. It’s fair to say the President was fairly unaware as to what had happened and was as surprised as everyone else at what he had just done.
Several minutes later the SU took the lead through header from the President. Although we are all pretty sure that the right winger who whipped the ball in was about a year offside before he received the ball. Clearly the ref was in our favour by the look of things….This notion quickly changed as the ref began to intercept the through balls to the SU forwards and even started playing 1-2s with the staff team to get around the SU players!
Fitness levels now started to show with the game dropping in pace and tempo. A tactical move by the SU to bring some fresh legs on in the form of the SU Vice-President, who spent the first half playing as a sweeper-keeper and generally chilling out. With the number 10 shirt on the Vice-President clearly believed that he was Lionel Messi or Neymar as he pulled out step over after step over weaving his way in and out of players. As a result the SU scored its 3rd goal through the Vice-President beating one of the defenders to the ball and just managing to get a toe in and put the ball past the keeper. Although we are still debating as to whether it was an own goal, but he is still claiming that it was the best finish since Pele graced a football pitch!
At 3-1 the staff team began to mount a comeback with some impressive displays of skill and physicality! Then out of know where the Mens football 2nd team manager had a David Beckham-esque moment seeing the keeper off his line and ping a shot from 40 yards out on the right wing. From the moment it left his boot everyone held their breath…we watched the keeper scramble back to the goal…it felt like an eternity as the ball travelled through the air…muted celebrations began to unfold as the keeper gave up on getting back…but the moment was short lived as the ball landed just wide of the goal to the relief of the SU team.
In the dying moments of the game the SU team managed to score a fourth goal with an excellent finish curling the ball into the top right corner of the goal. Which was received with a gentle round of applauds from the crowd which would have been more accustomed to Lords, the home of cricket.
4-1 to The SU and the game was now certainly over with just seconds to play, surely there was not a final twist to be had in the game? The Staff team made their final change of the night bringing on a young number 9 who was probably no older than 9. He received the ball on the back foot and began to dismantle the SU defence. Running past one, then two, then three players…next thing you know he ran through the whole team and just had the keeper to beat. He shoots….and the ball is saved off the ankle of the keeper. Then all of a sudden the ref blows up for a penalty! The staff team give the youngster the ball with complete faith in his ability. He steps up to the penalty spot, places the ball….has a brief pause before he runs up and sends the keeper the wrong way and slots the ball into the bottom corner. The crowd then erupted into cheers for the young impact player, he must be one to watch in the future!
The game finishes 4-2 in favour of the Students’ Union but it was well contested and evenly matched for the majority of the game. But more importantly everyone at the game enjoyed themselves and we managed to raise a good amount of money for the Movember Foundation.