ORANGEFIELD CROCKS VS BLOOMFIELD OVER 35’s – MATCH REPORT
Orangefield Crocks and Bloomfield Over 35’s again met in another Belclassico today at the Cregagh Community Pitch.
The game was played in blistering hot and humid weather on a dry and difficult pitch with both goalmouths resembling a dust bowl in the middle states of the USA in the great depression.
Behind one goal there was a display of cultural expression as a large JCB built a bonfire whilst the firebrigade watched on from the flats, distracted by the fine footballing display on the pitch, in a game that certainly eclipsed last night’s boring Champions League Final.
A more youthful Bloomfield team were fast out of the blocks and after a few close calls it was only a matter of time until the lightning quick Eddie Ritchie slotted home nonchalantly into the bottom right hand corner past our debutant ‘keeper Jason Townsley.
Soon after it was 2-0 with Sammy Devine executing a fine lob into the back of the net when put through lovely by one of our players.
Minutes later it was 3-0 to Bloomfield with player manager/coach/captain Clinton McCreery keeping his goal a game statistics and proving he is equally deadly in the dust as the grass .
At this stage it was beginning to look like the Orangefield Crocks were in for a drubbing from a well organised and talented Bloomfield side.
It was harder keeping track of who was refereeing as Craig Burns and Stephen McAleish took the novel approach of playing rolling refs – we have all heard of rolling subs but this was certainly a first!
Fair play to both lads for stepping up and agreeing to the thankless task.
When Orangefield did break, we seemed to trouble another Cregagh cultural icon, the George Best family home turned Airbnb, more than the Bloomfield goal with our wayward shooting.
HT: Orangefield Crocks 0- 3 Bloomfield Over 35’s
Harsh words at halftime from director of football and master tactician Gary Blackstock was soon to turn things around though, and a change in formation and a bit more heart from Orangefield Crocks soon began to turn the tide.
As the game ebbed and flowed, Bloomfield were thwarted on a number of occasions by Townsley making some fine saves whilst at the other end the newly introduced Gary Patton and David Tittensor were causing problems with their strong running, and the two were soon to combine to pull a goal back, Patton crossing well for Tit to slot home. 3-1.
Almost immediately though Bloomfield hit a fourth with a Chris Cowan shot taking a deflection, wrong-footing our keeper to make it 4-1.
The game was end to end now with Orangefield Crocks finishing strongly and with Tit , Patton and the stong running of Gary Boyd causing constant problems to the Bloomfield defence, it was no surprise that Tit added a second. 4-2. Very quickly after Gary Patton made it 4-3 with a composed finish. Game on!
With around 5 minutes remaining, super-sub Stephen Watson hit a fantastic equaliser with his shot taking a deflection up and over the Bloomfield keeper. 4-4. What looked impossible at half-time was now certainly happening.
The game was now end-to-end and both sides had chances to win it, with Bloomfield upping their game again. No doubt frustrated at letting what looked like an unassailable lead slip.
The game was to have one final twist though and just like the fantastic West Ham team on Wednesday night (had to slip that in somewhere!), Gary Lamont proved to be Bloomfield’s own Jared Bowen with a last minute winner to take the bragging rights in the East Belfast derby back to Bloomfield.
Orangefield Crocks 4-5 Bloomfield Over 35’s
Full credit to both teams and our twin referees in playing a great game in hot and difficult circumstances – at times it felt like the Cregagh bonfire was already lit.
As always it’s all about the charity and today’s game was played in memory of Chantelle Perkins with £360 raised for Belfast City Hospital Ward 2B Cancer Centre.
Well done to Bloomfield for the win. Well done to Orangefield for a mighty fightback and well done to Craig Burns and Clinton McCreery for making it all happen. They both deserve great credit as without their organisation these games wouldn’t happen.
The beautiful game indeed, enjoy the summer break and we will all resume pre-season training in August.
Written by Jim Larmour
