The first game of the 2011/12 pre-season schedule was finally here. 2 months and 2 days after the final game of 2010/11, FC MMIX began their pre-season regime with a friendly fixture against their old friends MKDSAFC.
With Michael Morton unavailable, Aaron Huckle came in to the side and took his place between the sticks, making his first MMIX appearance for well over a year.
Ian Gray and Karl Jones were joined in the defence by Pat Cass, with Daniel Reeb and Greg Austin in the wing-back positions. New signing Chris Harper joined Luke Carey and captain Joe Meddings in midfield, with Darryl ‘Darcy’ Wilson starting up top alongside another new signing in Terry Smith.
Michael Lacey, Callum Moon and a further potential new signing in Mahmoud Ageli made up the substitutes bench and in blazing sunshine and hot, sweaty conditions, the game got underway…
MMIX made the better of the early running with Darcy firing high and wide after good work down the right by Terry, before Ian headed over from a corner and Chris cheekily chipped narrowly over the bar from the edge of the box. At the other end the defence were holding firm with Pat, Ian and Karl all keeping the MKDSAFC attackers at bay.
The scoring was then opened on 15 minutes when Carey’s long throw into the box was flicked on by Darcy, and Terry smashed the ball home from close range at the far post.
A flurry of chances then came and went, including a goalmouth scramble where both Danny and Carey hit the crossbar before the ball was bundled away to safety, before Pat was charged down in a dangerous area. At the other end Aaron pulled off a smart save to deny Ricky Reeve – who was put under good pressure from Karl – before MMIX made it 2-0 on 25 minutes.
Terry’s short corner to Greg saw the latter cross the ball into the box with his weaker foot and Ian, who had ghosted into the box in between 2 defenders, sent a bullet header into the back of the net from 12 yards out.
Danny then had 2 chances – the first with a header and the second with a shot from a tight angle – before Darcy tried his luck with a low drive which was palmed away for a corner, Greg made a series of surging runs down the left, Carey fired wide and Chris had a shot blocked on the edge of the box.
The score then became 3-0 when Darcy beat 3 men and, after exchanging passes with Chris, smashed home a beautiful effort from 25 yards out to give the goalkeeper no chance.
Unfortunately for Danny he was then forced off with a groin injury so Joe reverted to the right wing-back slot and Mikey came on in the centre of midfield, and the ‘home’ side kept things tight going into the interval.
Half-time, 3-0 to FC MMIX.
MMIX made 2 further changes at half-time, replacing Carey and Terry with Callum and Mood. And it was the latter who made it 4-0 with only his 2nd touch of the game when, after Callum’s initial shot was saved, he slotted the ball home from close range with a tidy turn and finish.
MKDSAFC were then dealt a life-line when an unfortunate bounce off of Pat gave Daniel Cheaseman a chance to pull a goal back, and he did just that with a low drive that gave Aaron no chance to bring it back to 4-1.
But just as they had pulled themselves back into it, they then shot themselves in the foot by giving away a needless penalty after a foul on Mood as the big striker was put through on goal. Joe, the usual penalty taker, stepped aside and let Karl take the spot-kick – and the big centre-back made no mistake, sending Colin Berry in the MKDSAFC goal the wrong way to restore MMIX’s 4-goal advantage.
Mikey fired wide after a good team move down the right, before Chris dragged an effort past the post, Mood came close again and Darcy fired well wide of the target from the edge of the box before almost connecting with Joe’s ball over the top of the defence after a sweeping MMIX move across the pitch involving Mikey, Chris and Callum.
And Chris then became the 3rd of the 3 debutants to get on the scoresheet when, after a corner wasn’t properly cleared, he steered a perfectly directed volley just inside the far post from the edge of the penalty area.
Joe then fired over the crossbar after another corner wasn’t properly cleared and Greg was charged down as he looked to pull the trigger, before Carey and Terry re-entered the game at the expense of Pat and Darcy. Terry then dragged an effort wide after he broke the offside trap, before also coming close with an overhead kick after good work down the left from Greg.
Ian diverted a goal-bound effort wide with a good block before Karl marshalled the ball out on several occasions, Aaron pulled off another smart save and Callum cleared a corner as MKDSAFC looked for another goal.
And with the final moments played out without any real chances, MMIX had begun their pre-season campaign with a comprehensive victory in difficult conditions.
Full-time, 6-1 to FC MMIX.
