Internet Millers Programme Article- Donny Rovers

On a freezing morning we kicked up in to the wind first half and acquitted ourselves well. We showed a desire and commitment that has sometimes been lacking and although having a few hairy moments at the back, we controlled the game. JV had the best chance but after a fine move he drove just wide and Hull soon took the lead against the run of play. A long ball was not dealt with and the Hull striker was allowed a shot on goal. Sharky parried the ball away and their winger was first to react as he slammed the ball high in to the net as we conceded our first goal in the 4-5-1 formation all season.

It didn’t take long for us to hit back though and this was a sweet move. We worked the ball over to the right and Gaz crossed the ball to Burnsy who turned the ball in to the corner of the net. We were playing some really good stuff and took the lead with another well worked goal. Lee bagged his second of the season when he was on hand to put the ball home. We were flying and with ten minutes remaining of the first half we scored another. Burnsy raced on to a through ball, he rounded the keeper with a ‘dummy’ that was actually as miss kick before whacking the ball home.

We were very buoyant at half time and would have liked to stick to the way we had lined up so well in the first half. However, such is the nature of the IFA, we made changes to get everyone time on the pitch and it disrupted us. We were soon pegged back to 3-2 when from a corner, we didn’t clear our lines and the ball was played in and it skimmed the head of Gaz and flew in to the net.

We had stopped everything we were doing well and it wasn’t long before Hull drew level. More mayhem in our box was caused by a corner and eventually Gilby committed a rash challenge and gave away a penalty, which was duly slotted home despite Sharky going the right way. Our second half capitulation went from ridiculous to downright spectacular as a buoyant Hull soon scored their fourth and took the lead. Once again from a corner our defence were all over the place and after we had cleared the initial ball, the Hull striker was left inexplicably unmarked and he nodded home.

We were all over the place but managed to get organised and stopped conceding. The Hull keeper had barely anything to do in the second half so he must have been surprised as anyone when he was picking the ball out of the back of the net with the score at 4-4. JV won the ball and fed Burnsy down the left hand side where after beating three men he got to the byline and pulled back for Lee to fire home! With ten minutes to go, this game could have gone either way but it was now us that was more likely to get it. We knocked on the door but just couldn’t get through and were only denied by some fine defending in a last second goal mouth scramble.

So our 100% record is gone but we remain unbeaten and go in to 2006 with hopes of sustaining our challenge on the league and hope for glory in the IFA Cup. We have played Donny this morning in an IFA League game, let’s hope we have won and the main team follow suit this afternoon!

Up The Millers

JV, Steve and Denti