CRU 1 – Black Star Austin 3
On a day where you could fry an egg on my forehead, Cameron Road fought hard, but ended up just short against Mike’s Hard Lemonade drinking Black Star Austin. The scoreline might not have shown it, but this was a very close game and we had plenty of chances to get some points.
Black Star Austin had been breezing through the summer season without a loss, so everyone knew that this would be a tough game, especially after they embarrassed us by 4 goals in the fall. Sporting a full compliment of subs for the first time in several weeks, the Cameron Road crew appeared ready for the challenge.
But as what has become all too customary, Cameron Road went down to an early goal that Jay tried to push wide but just ended up sneaking in. As if that wasn’t enough of a wake up call, we let in another first half goal after letting Black Star roam freely deep in our half.
It wasn’t all one way traffic though, unable to mount many serious attacks through build-ups, we relied on the fast moving counter attack, and several times came close to getting back in the game. Steve nearly headed one in from a BT cross, Scott had several long range pops at goal, and Chris Peterson sent in a worm burner (must have been a tribute to my play at the golf game on Saturday) that both nearly took my feet off at the ankles and just went a whisker wide of the net. Still, we were a little deflated a half time down 2 goals.
The second half was more of the same from both teams, Black Star controlled the middle of the field and seemed to pass at will, while Cameron Road relied on physical play and hustle to carve out some scoring chances. Steve was being marked pretty tightly up front, but he still did his best with the ball at his feet and his head down to try and create something positive. His brake came when he was taken down in the box and awarded a penalty. He immediately placed the ball at the spot, but was very unlucky, just pushing the ball wide and hitting the post. That missed chance would have made lesser teams pack up and play out the rest of the game knowing that it just wasn’t their day, but the blood oath that all Cameron Roaders are sworn to says you fight to the finish, so the boys in red kept coming. Just before the water break, Willis carved out a long range effort that was just off target, and Scott and BT continued to spray long range shots on goal.
Our break finally came when I found myself unmarked out wide with plenty of space and screamed for a cross from Willis, who was holding up shop in the middle of the field. Ryan zinged a perfect 20 yard ball that I latched onto at the edge of the box, took a few dribbles and somehow managed to neatly finish in the top right hand corner with my left foot. So we were back in the game and only a goal down.
We pressed hard for the second, with Bob coming close in a mad scramble in the box, and Jay managed to keep us in the game for as long as he could with a spectacular save, but in the end we were deflated by a very late Black Star goal and the referee called time on the game.
Still, we gave another really good effort and deserved to get at least a point. Probably the toughest thing to handle was the lack of post game beer in the searing Texas heat. We won’t let that happen again.
