The Brooklands MU Men’s 1st XI had a tough day at the office this week at home against a strong Beeston side, rife with senior international experience. Having convincingly beaten Canterbury (a) last week and East Grinstead at home the week before the Manchester side went into the game full of confidence that they could pull off an upset. However Beeston’s clinical finishing and strong structured defending would prove too much in the end.

The game started extremely open and end-to-end with both teams creating good goal scoring opportunities within minutes of the 2pm push back. Beeston’s GB striker, the ever dangerous Sam Ward found space deep in Brooklands territory down the the right hand side, dinking the ball over a couple of Brooklands sticks before playing the ball into teammate Mark Gleghorne who found himself in the circle just in front of keeper Chris Scott. The Beeston no. 9 attempted to then lay off the ball back to Ward who seemingly had an open goal to finish into, a passage of which in many FIFA players would refer to as ‘sweaty’ and would argue that it was justice that defender James ‘Sutty’ Sutcliffe was alert to the danger and quick to intercept and deny Beeston an early lead. From this resulting interception Brooklands mounted a swift counter attack. Link up down the right hand side between Clarke, Khares and D. Flanagan caught the Beeston defenders napping but unfortunately Clarke’s cross went straight across the face of goal without a Brooklands stick being able to turn it in.

It would eventually be a Beeston counter attack, which would break the deadlock mid way through the first half. Sutcliffe who had enjoyed a great deal of success carrying through from left full back during the game was unfortunately robbed by Ward and Blackwell on the half way line and despite the desperate efforts of Ray-Hills and Clarke the ball fell to Robbie Gleeson on the top of the D and the Beeston man rifled home a reverse into the bottom corner. 1-0 Beeston. The remainder of the half continued in a similar vane with both sides creating chances – the better of which it must be said fell to Beeston but Scott was in top form and denied the Bees a number of times. However he could do little to prevent Beeston’s second on the stroke of half time. A potentially dubious corner was awarded to Beeston just before the whistle went and Ward sent a drag flick flying into the top right hand corner of the net. 2-0. Half time.

This goal would prove to be decisive as the game continued into the second half. Brooklands struggled to take control of the game or create any clear-cut chances to get back into contention. David and Peter Flanagan both drew saves from the Beeston keeper, however it would be Beeston who would get the goal that killed off the game. Brooklands struggled to prevent a hard hit ball being played into the circle from the right hand side and Gleeson was too quick for the defenders, jumping in front of Ray-Hills to deflect the ball into the net past a despairing Scott dive. 3-0. Final score.

The Georges Road boys return to Kent next week to face newly promoted Seven Oaks in pursuit of points which would allow them to continue their best start to a Premiership season in the last 4 years despite this defeat. As ever the men remain confident of their own ability and despite being beaten by a well organised and quality Beeston side, remain full of confidence that they can cause a stir in the league this year.