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LE QUARTIER v 2ND XI 1st FEBRUARY 2009
We started off today as we had last night - with a miinute's silence for the player who had died following a match last weekend. The Puy-de-Dôme Football Federation had insisted on all of the member clubs observing this prior to the kick-off this weekend.
It was a good opportunity for me to take a pic of the two teams, seeing as this is a local derby, a grudge match between two hated local rivals. There was quite an impressive crowd here too - a real crowd for once.
Bill, the librarian of the Anglo-French group is a big fan of Le Quartier, although he freely admits that they don't offer too much. And this is their 1st XI, playing at the level of Pionsat's 2nd XI, who are pretty good going forward but somewhat fragile at the back. This could be an interesting match.
The action started in favour of Pionsat who attacked down the hill. Roman, the centre-forward who plays mostly for the 1st XI but was playing no8 here today, was quite a handful for the Quartier defence and was brought down by two players.
The free kick from down the right wing was driven in to the centre but the shot hit on the volley went well wide of the post.
But Pionsat weren't having it all their own way at the start of the game and Le Quartier were putting some pressure on the Pionsat defence.
On one occasion Pionsat's only recourse was to scythe down a Quartier attacker. The free kick somehow scrambled its way into the centre of the Quartier defence and Michael, the Pionsat keeper, only just made it to that one.
I made a note that Michael certainly earned his money in the first 25 minutes of this game. He can be pleased with his performance today.
Pionsat continued going forward and were playing some lovely football in attack. On this occasion we were treated to some some beautiful play in the centre that finished with a good ball out to the angle of the penalty area. The shot in had the keeper diving full-length to smother it
As I have said before, the Pionsat 2nd XI is really good going forward and although the changes in the side seemed to slow them down, it led to a much more technical approach.
The second half started with all one-way traffic towards the Quartier goal.
Sébastien, the Pionsat no11 and not the tallest guy on the pitch won the ball in the air and nodded it wide to Roman the centre forward. He cut two paces in and let fly from the edge of the area but the Quartier keeper was equal to it and took it cleanly.
He was qute a useful keeper, this guy.
Once Pionsat had weathered the openng flurry it was clear to everyone that they were in a class above whatever it was that Le Quartier might have on offer. With the second half well under way, everyone on the ground was wondering when it might be that Pionsat would score. It wouldn't be possible that ths match would finish without a Pionsat goal, or (heaven help us) that Le Quartier would win it.
It was halfway through the second half that Pionsat finally broke through and opened the scoring. And it had all the elements of luck about it. It was another beautiful move flowing down the right wing and on the edge of the penalty area the winger tried his luck ... and totally miscued his shot.
The ball screwed across the penalty area right to the feet of the surprised centre forward who quickly gathered his wits and slammed it home. 1-0 to Pionsat and thoroughly deserved it was, too.
Pionsat's quick forward line was creating havoc in the Quartier defence and I reckon that they were tiring quite quickly as the match wore on and the temperature started to plummet.
One again a quick move forward by Pionsat ended with an almighty scramble in the Quartier defence and the keeper only just hung on to that one. And it's just as well that he did, with the Pionsat no7 hovering for any loose ball.
And if you thought that the opening goal had an element of luck about it, and the following scramble was something of a comedy, what happened next had all the elements of farce.
and just 2 minutes after the opening goal, Pionsat's forwards found themselves with a 2-on-1 with what remained of the Quartier defence. Despite this, it took four, yes FOUR attempts to force the ball into the back of the net.
Miskicks, despairing blocks by the defender, desperate dives by the keeper, we had them all. I'm not sure who was the more relieved when the ball finally croissed the line - the crowd, the Pionsat players, or the Quartier defence.
"All's well that ends well" say I.
And it's round about here that we were "treated" to the "use of the elbow". Last night we had seen a Pionsat attacker extract himself from the loving embrace of a St Angel defender by the "use of the elbow" but that was mere handbags "I didn't even see fit to record it" compared to the full-blooded elbow that was driven into the head of Pionsat's no11
He was out for a good half-minute and once he'd gathered his wits he staggered off to the sidelines. And not a yellow card, let alone a red one, for his assailant.
Le Quartier were not out of this game yet, and they managed to pull back an unlikely goal - well, unlikely given the run of play over the last 20 minutes anyway.
A good build-up through the centre involving about half the Quartier side, and a little hesitation in the Pionsat defence gave them the Quartier attack that little half a yard extra that they needed to score. We might have a game on here again if they carry on lke this.
And just look at the slope here on this pitch. This would have put Yeovil's old ground to shame.
Luckily, Le Quartier's goal was nothing but a temporary blip and the action returned up the hill towards the Quartier goal.
Some good work through the middle with some lovely movement that totally undid the Le Quarter defence. The keeper had no chance with the shot, which really was struck so well. 3-1 to Pionsat and they were in a different league to Le Quartier. Pionsat could have won this game 5-0 without any difficulty if thay had been able to concentrate for the full 90 minutes.
What price promotion now?
But right now I was freezing. The temperature had suddenly dropped 10 degrees so I wasn't going to be hanging about, that's for sure.
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