Match report: Idle FC 4 – 3 Beeston Juniors. Carlos Valderama’s perm…

Yorkshire Amateur League Division 1 – Saturday 24th November 2018

Full-time: Idle FC 4 – 3 Beeston Juniors

Goals: T. Simonett (x2), T. Holmes, C. Halligan

MOTM: T. Simonett

After a hard fought draw at Golcar last week, Idle were keen to get back to winning ways when they faced Beeston Juniors at fortress Sutton Avenue. Idle took confidence from the fact that key players such as Tom Holmes, Jonny Dearing and Tom Simonett were returning from absences and went into the Division 1 clash with a strong squad to face their mid table opponents.

Despite the vast outfield talent for gaffer Rob Brook to choose from, Idle faced more problems concerning Goalkeeper availability just days before kick-off and after failing to secure a stand in shot stopper through the Idle FC Messenger group, Marcus Strudwick stepped up to the plate.
Strudwick Senior, who’d been boozing into the early hours at his works Christmas Party in Manchester arrived just half an hour before kick off with a sore head and a perm that Carlos Valderrama would have been proud of.

For those who are too young to remember the Colombian God that is Valderrama, please see below…

Idle, who seem to go behind more than take the lead in games, knew that a good start was necessary, particularly with their opponents arriving at the ground even later than M. Strudwick and having no time to prepare for the encounter.
Idle dominated the opening ten minutes with some good link up play in midfield. Conor Swales, Carl Dawson and Dearing were all pivotal in closing down and pressing their opposition into early mistakes and releasing the pacy Adam Medley on the right.

After a few wayward crosses, Medley eventually found his feet and a long, looping ball towards the box was misjudged by the Beeston centre-half, allowing Tom Simonett to take one assured, velvet touch and tuck his effort past the flailing goalkeeper from inside the area. 1-0.
Idle were full of confidence after that and just a few minutes later scored what has to be considered one of the great team goals of the season thus far. Some creative interchanges between Dearing, Jack Strudwick and Simonett eventually released Medley on the right, whose low driving cross was met by Holmes at the back post who made no mistake with the finish. 2-0.
At this point Beeston looked like they were on the verge of crumbling. Idles front two were causing their defence a number of problems and nearly made it 3-0 on the half hour mark. Simonett drove a low, venomous effort at the post before the rebound was fired just inches over from J. Strudwick.
To everyone’s surprise however, Beeston managed to carve out some half-chances and force several corners before getting themselves back into the game. A routine ball into the box caused a defensive melée before finding an unmarked Beeston striker who netted from close range. 2-1.
Idle heads seemed to drop at this point and just a few minutes later found themselves conceding a free-kick on the edge of the area. The free-kick was hit with some tenacity and was well saved by M. Strudwick but the Idle keeper could only parry it into the grateful path of the Beeston target man who smashed home the rebound. 2-2.
Idle knew they were in for the hairdryer treatment at half-time and knew they needed to get back to basics and play the way they had in the first 20 minutes. Moments before the whistle, Idle found themselves with a corner. Holmes accurate cross found the head of centre-back, Conor Halligan, whose darting header found the corner of the Beeston goal to regain a deserved lead. HT-3-2.
Idle played out the second half in a much more professional manner. Clever link up play again from the midfield found spaces on both flanks for the Idle front line to drive into.
J. Strudwick was unlucky when his 40-yard thunderbolt free-kick crashed against the bar but Idle were soon two goals to good again when Tom Simonett made the most of a defensive scramble to tap home within the 6-yard box and cap off what was a Man of the Match display from the target man. 4-2.

With Idle seemingly coasting to victory, Brook decided to freshen things up and made a triple substitution, allowing Lee Cookson, Callum Churm and George Collins to play out the last 20 minutes.
Idle controlled the game well and continued to push forward but were caught out on the left-hand side when the Beeston winger found himself in space to set-up fellow a midfielder who smashed it underneath the helpless Strudwick from inside the box to make it 4-3.
Idle managed to see out the game for a well deserved victory and despite making it hard for themselves again on several occasions, can take a lot of confidence from the fact they remain unbeaten in the League and just 1 point behind leaders Amaranth.

We go again!

By George Collins