Sils Soupa Heroes Fire & Inspire M4 to Victory

A hugely satisfying away day for M4 as, despite the absence of key players such as Steve Aylin, Shaun Bates, Simon Russell but supported by the return of Murray Creed, and a cameo appearance from Tim Emerety (apparently Keith's third cousin & Yogi's next door neighbour), a re-organised but galvanised team saw off Bromsgrove in a gritty, and at times, ill-tempered game in Redditch.
Shorn of Shaun (#bettridgepunsuk) Sils decided that the Wizard of Oz, Andy Jackman, would replace Mr Bates in the centre of defence, and this was to prove a highly successful move with the Australian Silhillian turning in a talismanic performance in the middle of the Sils XI.
"I'm not phoning him to tell him that we've lost" was just one of the motivational phrases used by JH in the pre-match team-talk, and this "start as you mean go to go on" spirit was reflected in M4's opening attacks, with the away team immediately putting Bromsgrove on the back foot. Rush & Willetts went close in the early exchanges before Sils took the lead with a breathtaking counter-attack started by Dwyer, who passed to Rush then Lyons before the ever-dangerous Harrison crossed the ball into the D for Keith Willetts to net from close range after ten minutes.
Sils pushed on from this, creating further chances before doubling their lead after twenty minutes when Matt Lyons dribbled down the right side of the pitch, feeding John Harrison who weaved past three Bromsgrove defenders before sending an inch-perfect cross into the D to Dave Higgins, who skilfully deflected the ball past the keeper for his third goal of the season.
Half-time arrived quickly and the wise words of Yoda Bates echoed around the Sils goal as the team reflected on the job that lay ahead. "Two nil the score is, but play well must you if the game to be won is. Hungry is Jedi Rush, but fed must he be, as the fours is strong with this one."
The second half tested Sils, as their opponents stepped up their efforts (literally) to find a way back into the game, which they did after five minutes when Bromsgrove pulled a goal back somewhat fortuitously when their centre-forward fired home after an assist from the left half's right foot.
That M4 recovered from this unfair setback was to their credit, and from this point much of the game was end to end, with Willetts & Rush testing the home team's defence, before Mssrs Bettridge, Lane, Jackman & Ffitch stepped in to ensure that the Sils defence remained intact.
As the game moved on, Sils kept their composure, but Bromsgrove forced a couple of chances, one of which earned Yogi the save of the season, with an incredible but instinctive one handed save to ensure that a goal bound shot ended up outside the M4 25.
Within seconds Sils were on the offensive with a neatly-worked move that saw Matt Lyons almost deflect a Keith Willetts special past an outstretched keeper. Andy Rush continued to threaten, and at times terrorise, the home defence and was denied a goal on three occasions in the last five minutes. However, as the clock ticked down, Andy kept going, and it was befitting that he scored his eighteenth goal of the season from the final phase of the game when he converted a penalty corner.
In the post-match warm down, several interesting points emerged :
1/ Keith is warming to Tony. After the recent "pink/purple" fashion faux-pas, Keith has nicknamed Tony "UV" (ultraviolet). Expecting more acerbic banter as they returned to the Sils, Tony was surprised in the bar when Keith congratulated him on a sterling performance before finishing with the words, "and in the second half UV you had a purple patch!"
2/ John Harrison and commitment go hand in hand on any day, but particularly today. We were all getting worried in the second half when John started to question almost every decision the umpires made, with some thinking that he would be adding to his card collection and spending the final quarter of the match sharing Pat Lane's flask of soup at the side of the pitch. "Why on earth would you think that?" asked John, when concerns were aired in the bar after the match. "I can't stand cream of tomato", he finished.
3/ Having made clear (last week) that I am stepping down from match report writing duties next season, it was pleasing and worrying to hear some of the "stuff" that Mssrs Bettridge & Willetts were coming out with, in the bar. So, Shaun if you feel that your work is almost done on the pitch (and you'd be right to think so), I believe that my work off the pitch is almost done also.
Onwards to our last home game against Edgbaston, and a welcome return to Simon, Shaun & Steve.