ACCRINGTON STANLEY BOWLES 3 - 3 CYBURY GOONERS
Regents Park, Saturday 27 November 1999
 Jason Somebody                     Jamie Samuel
 Don't know                         Des Kelly
 Don't know                         Kev McCarthy


Cybury teamsheet:
Tilbury; King, Richmond, Chung, M.Melis;
Dyer, Kelly, McCarthy, Dick; Adebowale, Samuel.
Sub : Powell

Report by Mel Melis...

A controversially disallowed goal was almost the difference between the two sides which have dominated Internet football in the last few years, in a game which was understandably billed as a title decider - and it's not even Christmas.

Cybury soaked up the early pressure from ASB, and responded with a goal on the counter-attack as Jamie Samuel muscled out the fullback, and slotted into the corner of the net. Soon after it was 2-0 when Des Kelly's head met a Kevin McCarthy corner.

Alex Chung and Bryan Richmond were having a great physical battle with the equally imposing QPR forwards at this stage, and the pace and aggression of Chung got Cybury out of trouble on more than one occasion.

Towards the end of the half ASB fought back strongly, Jason hitting a crisp shot first time from the edge of the box, beating Jack Tilbury in goal. In the last couple of minutes, Bryan Richmond clipped the centre forward's ankles (twice!) and a penalty was given, which was well hit by the ASB centre back to tie the game going into half-time.

The second half nearly started with a goal for ASB, their first attack was cleared off the line by an acrobatic stretch from Richmond. But a few minutes later sustained pressure from ASB gave them a 3-2 lead, when their forward nipped in between the defenders to guide past the goalie.

The injured Malcolm Dick was replaced by Matt Powell, and for a few minutes it looked like ASB would run away with the game. However, Cybury fought back with renewed energy and pegged the hoops back. Cybury missed or had a succession of chances well saved. There were also two good shouts for a penalty. One could have been ball to hand, but the second incident looked pretty clear when Des Kelly was brought down by Jason. Neither was given.

Greg Dyer was by this stage running the defenders ragged on the right and Matt Powell was holding the ball up well and was unlucky not to score when a 1 on 1 was well saved. A corner midway through the half from McCarthy hit with the outside of his right boot from the opposite end was curled into the net with a surprised defence watching to make it 3-3. That now makes it 4 goals direct from corners from Kev McCarthy in Cybury matches. ASB weren't finished though and a run and shot from Zack was screwed wide.

Cybury could have won it in the final minutes when a goal mouth scramble somehow didn't go in, a toe poke from Kelly going wide. Then in what seemed like the dying moments of the game a penalty was given for ASB, Cybury players didn't contest the validity of the decision as it looked obvious, but contested why they hadn't been given a penalty for a similar incident earlier in the game, and also because frustrations had boiled over as it looked like the game was lost after such effort.

The penalty taker took a long run up, and - once Mel Melis had pedantically shifted the ball on to its spot - blasted the ball against the bar... and headed it in from the rebound. Decision? A goal-kick, as no one else had touched the ball.

ASB spokesman Justin Pieris was surprisingly (?) magnanimous in his match report. 'Refs from both sides did sterling jobs in the face of fierce criticism,' he wrote. 'I think the dodgy decisions probably evened themselves out over the whole game. Just shows what a tough job it is to be a ref.'

Both sides seemed happy with the three-all draw. A fitting result, said Mel. 'Yet another high scoring draw against top drawer opposition,' said Juzza.