The game kicked off with this formation which Balaga have become settled with in the last few weeks. As usual it took a few minutes up warm up into the game. Passes were made and passes were missed, as tackles flew in and Balaga struggled at the beginning to deal with Mortgages formation. But they did deal with it and when they broke forward, looked dangerous! Webz struck a fine daisy cutter from outside the box and it looked to be going in off the post but David W made sure as he swooooped in to make it 1-0, touching the ball in just inside the right post. This gave Balaga a bit of confidence and maybe over confidence as they put pressure on the opposition, but just when Balaga were at their most vulnerable as Broderick lost a contact and had to go off and JD had little time to get on, this was when Chen pounced breaking free down the right channel as O'Calllaghan looked to catch him at the edge of the box he cannoned the ball off Chen or the other way around and the ball went in past Damo. 1-1! Despite this setback the pressure continued on Mortgages goal with Webz, and Parker asserting themselves in midfield, and Hurley coming on in front to link them with ODriscoll . OCallaghan then made an interception in the left back position broke down the line and slipped the ball inside to O'Driscoll who silkily skipped passed the midfield and made space for himself to fire a rocket with his right which was blocked down - but OD kept his poise and placed a left foot shot past the flapping Mortgage stopper. 2-1! HALF TIME.
After catching their breath they lined up once again with one change, Webz coming off for Broderick and JD moving into midfield alongside Parker. More action ensued at both ends and the biggest blunder of the game came as Chen broke free again down the right channel and as he fired his shot across goal a covering OCallaghan swung a blatant arm at the ball to knock it over the bar. Although on retrospect the ball was going to go over anyway and ironically this is probably what kept him on the pitch instead of receiving an expected yellow and sin-binning. Chen put the resulting penalty low under Damo who got his direction right but couldn't get down quick enough. 2-2! Soon after this a Mortgage midfielder struck an unstoppable volley which went through the packed box and past Damo who probably didn't have much of a view. 2-3! Disaster but not the worst as OCallaghan was once again called up by the ref for a fowl, this time a few yards outside the balaga box. The free went low and just to the left of the 3-man wall and into the Cucumbers net. 4-2!
Balaga didn't deserve this scoreline and looked determined to prove it. Pushing forward again, with Broderick making runs from the back frequently to add to Mortgages troubles, the ball was kept in Douglas's half as corner after throw after corner were taken to no avail. But it was the ever instinctive Webz who got the third, the ball coming to him just inside the left side of the Mortgage box he did something un-orthodox with his new yellow left boot and it came off as the ball crept through a balls width between post and keeper. 4-3! More substitutions were made by Balaga as they used their nine men as best they could. Another scramble in the box resulted in the equalizer as the ball flew over Webz'z shoulder facing away from the goal on the top left of the Mortgage box he caught it with a standing overhead kick and the ball looped into the far corner for the equalizing goal. 4-4! A mass pitch invasion followed and the final whistle came soon later but not before Broderick could pull off the greatest cheeky back heel this reporter has ever seen and David W missing a chance of the game rushing an effort and firing it wide after taking defender and goalkeeper out of the picture in a great move. A fair result on the night though, as no winner could be found at second time of trying for these two teams this season.
Unfortunately QEF won their game against the Tigers 5-4 to stay clear at the top by 2 from Ma Dulleas who got a clean 5-0 victory over a sliding Passage Rejects side. In the other game Abtran and Friars Walk played out a 5-5 draw. This leaves Balaga equal on points with Mortgages and in 4th position on goal difference, 4 points off leaders QEF.
With a week off next Wednesday for Patricks day celebrations it gives Balaga a chance to regroup and hopefully nobody will get any drunken or otherwise injuries during the break before they come back to play Friars Walk Celtic on the 24th. With almost as many goals scored as last seasons with only 8 games played and Parker due to break his worst goalscoring form for the club and with David W and Hurley hungry to impress and add to their goal tally's, things are looking good for FC Balaga Tongo in the second half of the season. Hopefully next time they won't get so fla'd by the ref either.
Team bonding at Cork City Foras's first home game in Turners cross on Friday night.
VIVA LA BALAGA.
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