The day in every football fans calendar arrived. The showcase event of the season, the pinnacle of every onlooker and spectators months of anguish, emotion and excitement. The end of season friendlies were upon us....

 

After two recent trips to the land where lawnmowers are a mere pipe dream, Phoenix Juniors were greeted with luxury. One of the travelling players was in ore, quoted as 'its like playing on a golf course'. No his dad hadn't taken the wrong turning off the A58, he just mearly hadn't played football on a proper pitch before.

 

The team line up was sorted minutes before kick off, Joe Hart was in goal with Vincent Kompany and Vidic taking up their duties infront of him. A strong midfield of Scholes, David Silva and Messi was giving support to a lone striker of Kevin Davies. Balotelli, Dirk Kuyt and Wayne Rooney made up the bench to see the Westhoughton Park dream team take a formidable line up. Kevin Davies wore the captains armband to lead the team out over the white line and onto the green. New nets raring to go, fans rammed into the capacity sell out and ball waiting to be kicked, the ref blew the pea in his whistle and the match was underway. The multi-million pound dream team set on their way to conquer...

 

The first half was largely dominated by the home team and either side of relentless pressure and corner after corner, the dead lock broke. A fierce corner was whipped in from the left by Silva, before a (intentional?) dummy by Dirk Kuyt left Balotelli with only one thing in mind in his return to the team. It wasn't long before he was testing out the new nets and a diving goalie could only watch the bullet sail home. Jubilation surrounded as the team celebrated and Balotelli was left making snow angels on the turf - minus the snow!

 

A lonesome Phoenix attack saw them restore parity when a throw in was not defended. Delaying in the box allowed them to score but it was a myth to management as to how the team scored. The team were breaking in numbers and pressuring the defence but the half time scoreline should have favoured the home team more. Corners were whipped in, substitutions were thrown on to strengthen the team but a draw was the result of an entertaining half.

 

The dugout listened to words of advice and encouragement from the gaffer. It was agreed that without the ball we couldn't score, so we'd try hard as a team to get it back. With the ball, the team where guided into passing more to create chances, highlighting moments in the first half. There was the odd chance where a pass would have been the better option, but football is a game about decisions and who are we to question the ones of these budding starlets!

 

Second half saw a change in the man in black/blue & white, with co-pilot Paul Griffin calling the shots from the technical area. Running around refereeing, mixed with words of in-play coaching and encouragement means the game often passes by without remembering much! There's one key thing taken from the seconds half, we had them rattled.

 

Phoenix have by far the 2nd best goalkeeper in the league but give him a run out in the second half. That was until the opposition felt that we were banging on the door harder and harder and forced him to put his recognised shot stopper back in the sticks. A sign that he was panicking, that the mighty Park Rangers could sniff something good was coming.

 

Phoenix played their way into the game and created more than they did in the first half. They had the occasional corner and half chance but nothing Jussi & co. couldn't handle. If there was going to be a winner, which end would it fall too? Only one team.......

 

The door was being banged on that hard it eventually caved in. More corners, more in-box pandemonium and more ooooo's and aaahhhh's from the crowed put The Park on the front foot and it was captain Kevin Davies who scored the crucial goal. His right foot has been on song for large parts of the season, but there isn't many of goals more important than this one. It proved the winner and capped of a good display, but not without a couple of nerves at the end before the game was brought to an end. If only it was The Park's number 9 turning out at The Breezeblock against WBA instead of his idol, might be more inclined to think we'll avoid the drop if he was!

 

The game was filled with excitement from start to finished and a worth result in the end. A tad evident the team has been short of match and training time in recent weeks, but football is like a duck to water with this crop of players. This game at the start of the season would have probably been a completely different result, the players have all developed as footballers and created their very own talented football team. A great showing of the team bond and togetherness by all.

 

Player of the Match went to Vincent Kompany. Another display that was as determined and class as any seen all season. A player that gives every last drop of energy to the team, the award is another recognition of his talents and fight for the cause.

 

Onwards and upwards for the rest of the end of season friendlies! 
Notice how little has been said about the penalties at the end!!! Spot kick practice for the management!

 

Player of The Match: Leighton Norris

Goals: Hayden Skeldon & Blayze Armitage