Keyworth United 11 Beacon FC 2

Sunday Morning Glory!

Some might say that this was expected but after last week’s debacle, which had even this confirmed non-smoker almost reaching for cigarettes and alcohol, I wasn’t taking anything for granted. After every disappointment though there comes a time when you have to stop crying your heart out and get on with things - and that’s precisely what we did, with a thoroughly professional performance to overcome a valiant Beacon side that even had the audacity to take the lead!

Attacking up the slope against a fierce wind in the first half, the name of the game for Keyworth was containment. Never ones to stick to the script, though, we were on the offensive immediately and took an early lead when Sam Clements found himself free on goal and oh so calmly side-footed past the visiting keeper - a glorious finish!

Three minutes later it was 1-1. A fine cross-field ball caught the Keyworth defence napping and the excellent Lindsey pulled Beacon level. Undeterred, the Greens continued to press and twice went close through Sam, attempting to repeat his earlier feat, and Danny. Little by little though, Beacon were gaining confidence and, midway through the half, took an unlikely lead. The nature of the goal was even more surprising and astonished onlookers gasped at witnessing something rarer than Lord Lucan sighting …a mistake by Isaac Brown! Collecting the ball in his own box, the usually immaculate Isaac played a little too much football in the wrong area and only proceeded to nudge the ball straight to Lindsay on the edge of the area who gave the stranded Sam Machin no chance. Such things don’t faze Isaac though - his attitude’s superb, whatever happens he’ll simply roll with it, hold his hand up and learn from any mistake without dwelling on it. Sure enough, he responded magnificently!

Despite the setback, Keyworth remained clearly the better side bit needed an injection of class and creativity. What better time then to introduce Douglas McConachie into the fray? Within ten seconds Keyworth equalised! With his back to goal some twenty-five yards out, Douglas played a wonder-ball over his shoulder into the path Danny who made no mistake from ten yards. 2-2 at the break - we’d done what we set out to do.

All we needed now was an early goal on re-start, we didn’t have to wait long.

Cian Lenihan’s left wing cross found Ben Healey who shot firmly past the unsighted keeper from a tight angle to give the Greens the lead. When Danny lobbed over the goalkeeper to make it four moments later it was clear that the masterplan was working a treat.

Shortly afterwards four became five when more fine work from Cian and Danny put in Douglas who showed some tricky footwork before slotting home. Danny then added a sixth following up his blocked shot to bundle home for a well deserved hat-trick before further excellent work from the hard-working Cian put Douglas in the clear to calmly side foot in a seventh, there was no stopping Keyworth now and suddenly last week’s Calverton shocker seemed half the world away. We were playing football as it should be played, crisp, flowing, moves all on the deck - beautiful stuff!

The luckless Cian then had two sharp shots superbly saved by the Beacon keeper before the move of the game. Winning the ball on the edge of his box, Luke swiftly carried the ball out of defence and fed Ben wide right. Ben skipped past his marker, made his way to the byline and put in a cracking low cross that Danny flashed microns wide with the goalie well beaten. Further goals were inevitable though and in our next attack Harry Stolworthy volleyed home stylishly from a corner. Douglas then crashed in a shot from just inside the box for an exquisite hat-trick before Peter Hennessy got in on the act, dribbling past three defenders and beating the keeper with a deflected cross shot.

There was just enough time for Sam Clements to ghost past two defenders and drag back for Marek Nowicki to smash a beauty high into the far corner before the full time whistle put an end to Beacon’s misery.
Do you know what I mean when I say football’s a strange game? One week you look like you’ve never played before, the next you’re world-beaters.

This week, with Cian inspirational, we were the latter, mastering the conditions well to perform a comprehensive demolition act and turn down the dimmer switch on the Beacon.

So, after consecutive defeats are Keyworth back?

Maybe…definitely maybe!