Robo knocks and crocks in hot-shot docs shock
IC versus a constituent college - this was a large one! Both teams needed all three points to keep promotion hopes alive; Ubogu, IC’s early season signing was facing his old team for the first time and for Mary’s...well, as much as anything, it was their cup final.
The game started at a ferocious pace, Mary’s making the early running, their brash, bruising style unsettling IC at first and earning them an early lead.
This spurred "The Slags" into action. Playing slightly deeper IC found the space to pass the ball neatly about and carve holes in the Mary’s rearguard. Imperial had held the upper hand for a rosy fifteen minute spell when Reed lofted a searching ball towards the fiesty Archbald. The defender made a good interception but tenacious tackling from the twinkle-toed terrier forced the error - the defender could only clear as far as Fleming just inside the Mary’s half. With the luxury of a little space he controlled the ball on his chest. It fell to the ground and bounced once. Seeing the Mary’s keeper was off his line, he struck it from thirty-five yards. Immediately the keeper was struggling and despite his six foot two frame couldn’t get a hand to it. The ball bounced just before the goal-line and hit the roof of the net. 1-1 and a goal of the season contender. IC came close again through Reed with a blistering shot going narrowly wide after strong run and a tidy one-two with Schroeder.
On thirty-six minutes the complexion of the game changed again. Big Vern made a timely challenges on the marauding Mary’s attackers and the ball became loose in midfield. It was immediately contested between the Mary’s centre half and the galloping Ubogu. This Mary’s man came off worse and the medics had an assignment for the week as he was stretchered off the pitch.
The delay, however, served Mary’s better than Imperial as it had come in the middle of a purple patch for "The Slags," and they found it difficult to get back in their stride.
The second half was a case of swashbuckling defending and in this respect Finn and Shanidze excelled. Their lunges, lurches, leching, lingering and lovely linking looked like...ace-brill, and with keeper Keane cool as a cat kicking cold cabbages we deserved to hold the fort. Malheuresement with ten minutes to go Mary’s grabbed a late winner and the points.
IC II 1 - 2 St Mary’s
