Yorkshire Amateur League Division 1 – Saturday 5th May 2018
Full-time: Idle FC 4 – 0 Collegians FC
Goals: A. Irving (x2), C. Dawson, T. Simonett
MOTM: C. Halligan
And so the final game of the season is upon us as Idle welcomed Collegians to Goals Bradford in the baking May sunshine!
Despite a run of poor results at the back end of the season, there’s still a chance for Idle to secure promotion if other results go in our favour. Only 3 points would do against Collegians who looked to have brought a severely depleted side over from Huddersfield.
Idle had a relatively strong side available with the only notable absences in Lee Cookson and Luke Chandler who was unavailable. Apparently courses on how to do war are more important than Saturday football? #SAFTB
Idle started the game on the front foot this time, pressing as a team and looking much more like the side we all know and love. The attack and midfield were linking up well with Tom Simonett and Carl Dawson able to push forward from central areas to support Aaron Irving and co. And it was Ide’s top scorer who broke the deadlock with a superb finish past the Collegians goalkeeper.
The lead was then quickly doubled by Carl Dawson who, as space opened up in front of him, dropped a shoulder just inside the area and struck the ball with his left-foot past the goalkeeper. Incidentally, the midfielder doubled his goal tally for the season with that strike.
Unfortunately, Jamie Allen had to be subbed after 25 minutes due to injury. Some say he simply couldn’t be arsed playing centre-back again after a consistent run at full-back? Others say he should probably have been subbed after 25 minutes in most games this season? Also, it wouldn’t be right for Allen to go through a full-season without a phantom injury, it’s just unheard of!
However, this wasn’t to adversely affect the defence who were relatively untroubled for the majority of the game. It gave Rob Brook the opportunity to try a back three for the first time with Luke Gray, Conor Halligan and Tom Holmes forming the 3 and Danny Rosconie coming on to play right-wing back.
We all know Rosco loves some banter and it wouldn’t be an Idle game without him getting it from the side-line! He had the audacity to try the infamous rainbow flick over the head of the left-back when he came on. After this almost came off, I don’t think he let go of L2 for the majority of the game… Put the trick stick away eh lad?!
Here’s some footage of Rosco trying a Rabona earlier in the season…
Idle were playing some lovely stuff, stroking the ball around at a canter and enjoying plenty of possession. Collegians were certainly not putting any sort of fight anyway. The first-half ended 2-0 with Stephen Kelsey having very little to do in the Idle goal and the lads getting comfortable in the game.
The message was clear at half-time, keep doing what you’re doing and more goals will come!
The second continued in much the same vein as the first with Idle dominating proceedings and cutting the Collegians defence apart almost every time they went forward. Irving managed to secure his brace with another goal for the season and Simonett concluded the scoring with another goal in what has been a successful, goal-scoring season for the midfielder.
In truth, Idle could have had 7 or 8 goals over the 90 minutes but had to settle for 4. Danny Parkinson had a few chances to get himself on the score sheet too!
It was another successful defensive display too with a clean sheet for Kelsey and the rest of the defence including Halligan who got yet another Man of the Match award for his performance marshalling a back 3.
The full-time whistle arrived and it was a convincing 4-0 victory for Idle to end what has overall been another solid season. The final positions in the Division 1 table are out of Idle’s hands now but a minimum of third place is guaranteed with the lads able to finish no higher than second.
Despite a run of disappointing defeats at the back end of the campaign, the lads can take pride in their achievements this year. Yes, we did didn’t manage to win a trophy this year but the club is still only 4 years old and there’s still plenty of opportunity for us to learn and grow as a team moving forward with many more seasons to come!
It’s all about the summer break now with a footgolf session to come and York Races in late May!
By Jamie Allen
The Playmaker 
Posted on May 7, 2018
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