Every so often in football you get a game that is so aesthetically pleasing it realigns your love for the game. For Vista F.C this was the game. With the injury list below which you could excuse for our first team we were faced with the potential of having another early exit without getting a chance to display our best team. Last season at the same time we were faced with the same unluckiness but this time round we were determined to not let it defeat us.
Luke Milner, Ciro Donadio, Kwarbena Osei, Jordan Brooks, Stefan Wright, Danny Doyle, Jordan Taylor, Andrew Thompson
We were forced to produce a makeshift backline, which included Kyle Morgan and Andrew Dalhouse as the center backs. The opening minutes probably appeared shaky as we tried to find stability and create passages of play while also trying to disguise injuries to players within the field.
Hammersmith had some decent players and on roughly the 20th minute they found a breakthrough using their speedster Amaia Jade who once getting in behind the defense was probably greeted with a simple decision with goalkeeper Steve Hanley rushing out. Amaia took it round the goalkeeper and from an acute angle managed to find the back of the net.
Impressively Vista never showed any doubt or worry and constantly the midfield players made themselves available. Despite the goal Steve Hanley had been immense and a corner against us resulted in a lightning break and goal when Steve punched a cross into the path of Siao Blackwood, who ran the length of the pitch with the ball. Victor Okisor’s movement was 1st class as he stepped backwards to get himself onside and then ran in behind to be faced with a perfectly weighted pass by Siao Blackwood, which with precision and cleanliness opened up and produced his trademark finish.
The whole of the 1st half the strike force had threatened especially Omari Hibbert and the second half we really pushed up the pressure levels. Omari must be kicking himself because it seems the harder he works he doesn’t seem to get the rub of the green with some of his finishes. He created some awesome attacks but you have to praise the man because his link up with Aaron Southard may not be getting him the individual plaudits but the team recognizes his selflessness. A direct attack from the left wing and a precise drilled pass into the path of Aaron Southard put Vista 2-1 up and we knew given the right disciplines we could see this game out.
We probably gave the ball away a few more times than we had liked but still we managed the game well with the back 5 including Steve Hanley denying attack after attack from the on-going Hammersmith frontline. Hammersmith also attempted to place 2/3 of their 6ft plus players into the box for long throws but we continued to defend resiliently and it showed with their players spending more time complaining to the referee than playing football.
Our final goal came from a step out of defense from Andrew Dalhouse who played the ball into Aaron Southard and with a Bergkampesque touch he flicked it round the defender before running to retrieve the ball. Smartly he got his body in front of the ball and the rushing defender managed to catch him quite clumsily. Siao Blackwood full of confidence took the penalty after disputing it with fellow attackers but completely wrong-footed the goalkeeper to put us 3-1 up.
At this point the game wasn’t won but substitutes Ashley Josephs, Josh Bonnet and Carlton Murray Price came on to add extra levels of quality and assurance and Hammersmith seemed to accept defeat.
This game was a real pleasure and slowly and steadily Vista are beginning to answer the critics who possibly doubted that we still held the credentials.
Goals: Victor Okisor, Aaron Southard, and Siao Blackwood
Assists: Siao Blackwood, Omari Hibbert
M.O.M – Omari Hibbert