Holy Trinity ghost past Balliol resistance
A lofted Liverpool-style long ball tests the Trinity defence
Trinity.............3 Balliol...............2
Grudges, rivalry and high emotion were all unravelled during the fight for survival at the bottom of the First Division. The two contenders, Trinity and Balliol, have long been feuding neighbours and the historic Broad Street battle was translated into an intense on-pitch struggle.
The entertaining college rivalry reached a climax last term when Balliol students allegedly stole the ear of a Trinity griffin and the mutual feelings of animosity and high-spirited competition manifested themselves on the frosty Trinity sports ground. Pride and local patriotism for their respective colleges resurfaced today and both teams faced each other as challengers with not only relegation but honour at stake.
Going into the match Trinity were eighth in the league standings and Balliol trailed them by one point in ninth. However, Trinity were also in the position of worst goal difference, a crushing 13 conceded goals, after losing 4-1 to league leaders LMH last week. The only comfort afforded to both teams was their proven superiority over the lagging St Peter’s.
Balliol scored a triumphant 5-3 victory over the struggling team last week and Trinity mirrored this performance with a 3-1 win which anchored St Peter’s at the bottom of the division. Trinity were the dominant force in the first half of the match and they were a consistent presence in the Balliol half, keeping the Balliol keeper, Chris Skillicorn, on his toes.
Balliol were suffering from the absence of several injured players, and the captain, Julian Rose, admitted that the team members were not all familiar with playing with each other. Rose himself was constrained to the sidelines, having broken his wrist during the Christmas vacation. Trinity players Dennis Kuchinin and Denys Wahl made some good attempts at goal and responded well to the instructions of their captain, Mike Pearson, who described the match as ‘crucial’.
The flow of the game was briefly interrupted by a clash between Trinity striker Chris Wright and Balliol’s Andy James. Wright recovered swiftly, however, and within a few minutes successfully executed a clear shot which landed neatly in the back of the net. Trinity continued to perform confidently and Mark Warren was effective on the wing, displaying some deft footwork and good speed, which allowed the his side to break decisively from midfield.
A second goal arrived when Skillicorn left the goal unprotected to come forward to the ball. Wright skirted around the keeper and managed to keep the ball in play, tapping it into the net with just a few minutes to go until half time. The second half invited Balliol to ‘pull the trigger’ and the game became much more physical, resulting first in a yellow card for Balliol’s Martin Kelly and then in a penalty awarded to Balliol.
This presented a golden opportunity for striker Giles Deacon, but he fired his shot wide of the right upright, failing to trouble Trinity keeper, David Smith. The excitement and tension continued when a close scrap in the Trinity half saw Balliol kick the ball into what appeared to be the side-netting. Desperate furious cries of protest from the Trinity fans, the referee consulted his linesman and awarded a dubious goal.
This goal spurred Balliol on and a corner taken by Dan Lennon set the ball up perfectly for Giles Deacon, who scored the vital equaliser. Trinity initially struggled to respond and lapsed back into their own half; failing to execute the swift passing moves which had served them so well in the first 45 minutes. Increased frustration at the manner in which Balliol had drawn level upset their composure eventually culminated in a yellow card for Chris Wright.
However, with all to play for and full time approaching, Wright and Charlie Hill worked well together to descend on goal. Wright rounded the keeper, tapping it in for a deserved victory goal. Balliol raised plaintive complaints about a hand ball, but the goal stood and with the conclusion of the match Balliol’s Paul Sagar kicked the ground and every nearby water bottle in frustration.
Unfortunately this merely served to confirm his lack of touch as an inherent quality, rather than one confined to 90 minutes of match play. In fairness, his passion made up for it and if this enthusiasm and commitment can be translated into an overall team performance then Balliol will be able to improve their position in the league. Trinity, of course, will be doing everything they can to prevent that.
2nd Feb 2006