Cameron Road’s Fall Debuit Ruined by a Massive 2nd Half Attack

To say the final 4-1 scoreline was harsh on Cameron Road would be a fair statement. What started out so promisingly for CRU ended in a frustrating defeat at the hands of Massive Attack. Once again, CRU finds itself in a start-of-the-season hole and forced to make up some points.

An unusually low turnout for the opening game of the season saw Cameron Road field only 13 players, but everyone was eager to work hard in the muggy conditions to start off the season with a bang. With so many defenders missing, midfield magician BT was called into right back duties instead of pulling the strings from the center of the pitch. He joined Cuyler, Crosley and Bob in the back. Leif and freshly mohawked Chris Peterson took up the slack in the middle of the field, while Way, Vestre, Chappy, Willis, Mckenna and Stripey rotated around the attacking midfield/forward spots.

Massive Attack had the better of the opening minutes, testing the defense with several attacks. Cameron Road seemed to have better luck with some quick counter attacks rather than building up play.

Cameron Road finally broke the ice midway through the first half. BT whipped in a corner, and Captain Chappy rose to thump in a powerful header. The drunken, nomadic band of Struggle players cheered with approval. 1-0 CRU.

The rest of the half played out and neither team gained any ground. Cameron Road’s best chance came when Steve McKenna turned on a ball in the box and got a shot off while Massive Attack hit the crossbar and then Jay made a fingertip save in the span of 20 seconds.

Going in to halftime with a lead, Cameron Road was feeling pretty good about their chances.

Unfortunately, the lead didn’t last very long. Massive Attack was able to pull back 2 goals in about 5 minutes in the opening part of the second half to turn the game around. What was looking like a scrappy win turned into a dogfight for the final 30 minutes.

Cameron Road tried to up the tempo and get back into the game with several attacks. Leif found himself deep in the box a few times, and Chappy came close to notching a double with another headed corner.

The real turning point of the game came with about 10 minutes to go. Willis latched onto a long ball and was clear in on goal with only the keeper to beat. Ryan skipped past the keeper to his left, and was hauled down with a two-handed ATM swipe as his shot went just wide. Clear cut penalty (and possible a red card for the keeper) but unbelievably, no call was given. Converting that PK would have put CRU back on level terms and gone a long way to securing an opening point, but instead it gave some momentum back to Massive Attack who won a penalty claim of their own soon after to go up 3-1.

With only minutes to go, Leif broke down the right hand channel and unleashed a powerful volley that just cleared the crossbar, and to add insult to injury, with everyone pushed up to grab a goal, Massive Attack got the final goal at the final whistle on a break away.

Frustrating loss, but if not for a brief 2nd half lapse and a few unlucky breaks, things could have been much different.

Man-of-the-Match: In a break from the author’s nepotistic rule of spreading the MOTM award around and not getting wrapped up in some sort of 1st person / 3rd person literary paradox, this week’s honors go out to Chappy – who scored the opening goal of the season, brought the post-game beer and lugged three stinky team mates and their buckets home after the game. Well done Chap! (why thanks Chap!)