Jubilee Rangers vs. Wyrley Juniors

Result: Jubilee Rangers 4 - Wyrley Juniors 5

Wyrley grab all three points in a rollercoaster game

Team

Subs

Back To Top

Match Report

Prior to this game, Jubilee had conceded 28 league goals in comparison to Wyrley's record of 12 conceded. This fact - combined with the difference in the two team's league positions made a Wyrley victory seem all but certain prior to the kick-off on another dark, damp and overcast afternoon in the West Midlands. And after 15 minutes, all seemed to be going to plan with Wyrley cruising at two goals up and with Nick Russell in the Wyrley goal not having had a save to make.

Two early chances had already fallen to Matthew Anstey - a header from a Richard Bullock cross, and a shinned effort from close range - before Richard Bullock put Wyrley in front on three minutes with a rocket of a shot from the right-hand edge of the penalty area after some excellent approach work from Simon Casserley and Jaffa Mayer.

Further chances had fallen to Richard Bullock and Jordan Clarke before Jaffa gave Wyrley a two-goal cushion when put through on goal by a ball over the top of the Jubilee defence from Luke Brown.

Wyrley looked the hungrier of the two teams and continued to cause the Jubilee defence all sorts of problems. When Jubilee attacked, they attacked in numbers, but the pace of Todd Wootton and the composure of Jason Dennerley at the heart of the Wyrley defence snuffed out any threat on the Wyrley goal.

Then on 24 minutes Jubilee got a goal back with their only shot on target of the first half after a long throw caused havoc in the Wyrley penalty area and a Jubilee player reacted quickest to poke the loose ball into the net.

This setback jolted Wyrley back into action and within one minute they nearly extended their lead when Matthew Anstey got behind the Jubilee defence, and beat the Jubilee keeper to a ball touched back into his own area. Matthew Anstey then laid the ball back into the path of Jaffa who blasted the ball over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

Then on 35 minutes, a strange incident robbed Wyrley of a perfectly good goal. An attempt on goal by Matthew Anstey was deflected into the path of Jordan Clarke outside the penalty area who hit a spectacular shot to which the Jubilee keeper only managed to get his fingertips as it curved inside the near post. However, Wyrley's celebrations were cut short as the realisation dawned that the referee was indicating that play should be restarted with a goal-kick. The power of the shot had removed the pegs holding down the back of the net; the ball had rolled behind the goal and in the fading light, the referee believed that the shot had gone wide. Despite examination of the net, referee would not change his mind and Wyrley went into the half-time interval feeling cheated of a well-deserved two-goal lead.

Half-time: Jubilee 1 - Wyrley 2

The "goal that never was" seemed to be preying on the minds of the Wyrley players and they returned to the fray mentally unprepared for the onslaught that greeted them in the opening fifteen minutes of the second half.

Within three minutes of the restart, Jubilee drew themselves level with a goal that sailed over everyone's heads into the top corner of the net direct from a corner. Then within ten minutes, Jubilee had established a two-goal lead from a shot low into the corner of the goal from inside the area following a corner; and then a chance poked home at the far post from a ball across the face of the goal.

Within fifteen minutes of the restart, Wyrley had gone from being 2-1 in the lead to trailing 4-2. Jubilee were playing like a team possessed with every attack threatening to breach Wyrley's defences.

Slowly but surely, Wyrley managed to regain their composure. Jaffa Mayer held the ball up well to provide the defence with sufficient respite to regain their equilibrium. Then Matthew Anstey tested the Jubilee keeper who tipped a long-range shot over the bar.

Wyrley then reduced the deficit to a single goal on 55 minutes with a goal from Luke Brown whose shot from the middle a melee of players into the bottom left-hand corner of the Jubilee goal.

Five minutes later, Wyrley drew themselves level. Richard Bullock was in possession close to the half-way line. Luckily, an Alsatian dog had entered the field of play and started sniffing around the ankles of the Jubilee defender near to him. Everyone stood still expecting the referee to blow his whistle; everyone that is except for Matthew Anstey who started a run into space into which Richard Bullock obligingly placed a pass. Matthew continued his run towards the goal and finished the move with a neatly weighted lob over the advancing Jubilee keeper.

Wyrley were now firmly in control, but had to wait until the 65th minute for their winning goal - which came from the feet of the player who had opened the scoring on the third minute. Jordan Clarke crossed the ball from the left to Richard Bullock who evaded the close attentions of the Jubilee goalkeeper for Wyrley's fifth goal.

The final minutes saw Jubilee throwing everyone forward to re-establish parity. The game ended with chances at each end - including the Jubilee keeper almost scoring with a header from a corner; and enough chances for Shaun Nicholls to have grabbed a hat-trick.

During the course of this game, Wyrley had established a two-goal advantage; only to let it slip away. They had then allowed Jubilee to gain a two goal advantage, before winning the game by a single goal. The ability to win this game after such a monumental reverse was born of a refusal to blame either circumstances or one another, and showed huge character by each member of the team.

Full-time: Jubilee 4 - Wyrley 5

Back To Top

Match Stats

Goals

Man of the Match

Other Information

Back To Top