Goldies flattened by double Dekker
On the 22nd of this month, IC football seconds produced a stunning second half performance to win a game that Goldsmith’s led by four goals to one at the interval. A strike either side of half time by Dekker, the Dutch Destroyer, and four second half goals ensured that IC took all three points and gave their dim promotion aspirations a flicker of hope.
With goalkeeper Cook making his senior debut and the heart of defence falling victim to flu, captain Fleming had to shuffle the pack and come up with a formation that could thwart a fast and physical Goldsmith’s line-up. The unfamiliarity at the back caused IC problems and in a sweeping move Goldsmiths scored their first. From the centre IC immediately started their usual fluid passing and within five minutes had levelled through Dekker with a clinical shot just inside the post from outside the box.
This perhaps should have precipitated IC’s ascendancy, instead the defence pressed the self-destruct button. Cook was the first culprit - poor handling from a bread-and-butter shot gave the centre forward the ball who finished from a seemingly impossible angle. Next was Fleming - from a lofted, defence-splitting ball he found himself under pressure from the forward and lobbed the advancing Cook from fully twenty-five yards out. A spectacular effort, unfortunately in the wrong goal! Soon afterwards in left-back Siverns found himself in near identical circumstances and, so as not to be outdone by his captain, lobbed Cook again.
The second half was a different story. Goldsmiths hardly touched the ball as it was stroked about the pitch by the reds. The defence was as tight as a vice; the midfield masterful with Ubogu winning everything; the strikers a constant menace to the bewildered Goldsmith’s defence. Soon the patience and pressure produced a goal - a loose ball came to Ferguson on the edge of the area, he dropped a shoulder and floated it beautifully into the top corner.
Minutes later IC were awarded a heavily disputed indirect free-kick from six yards after a back pass. Shanidze touched it to Dekker who rifled it above the heads of the players on the line.
Still the pressure continued unabated and still Goldsmiths found no answer. An high corner from Schroeder was headed down, towards goal by Ubogu. Dunsby, in the thick of the action as he had been throughout, received it; turned and shot all in one motion - doubling his account for the season and squaring the game at four each.
Both teams by now sensed the inevitable and when the ball came to Archbald in the Goldsmith’s area minutes from time he efficiently stuck it away and finished the match. The seconds: first for class, first for entertainment.
IC IIs 5 - 4 Goldsmiths
