Wild Catz inflict more Magdalen misery
If you’re looking for blood, sweat, and insulting jeers, then look no further than this fi xture, for derby games don’t come much bigger than this. With a bitter rivalry dating back for as long as anyone cares to remember, you could be sure there would be no love lost in this mid-season encounter. From the off, no one was given an inch of space, as both sides tried to stamp their authority on the game.
With neither team creating any noteworthy chances, Magdalen were having most of their success on the right side. At least, that is, until 25 minutes in, when they lost infl uential right-winger James Hopkins to an ankle injury. The remaining strikers were left facing an uphill battle against Catz centre-backs Will Johnson and Andy Wright, who were impenetrable throughout.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the pitch, Catz were getting more joy, as the pace of striker Ramsay Jourdan helped to split apart the Magdalen defence on numerous occasions. Yet both sides appeared nervous and tentative, and it wasn’t until the fi rst Catz goal that some of that tension was released and the game opened up. After 35 minutes, with tackles fl ying in midfi eld, the ball was fi nally dispatched to Nick Troen on the right, whose fast pace helped him advance into the box.
His fi erce shot to the opposite corner left the Magdalen keeper grasping thin air, and from that moment on the Claret and Blues were in the ascendancy - unlucky, in fact, to go in at half-time just one goal to the good. The high tempo resumed in the second half, and every time Catz won a corner the sense of threat was apparent.
It eventually produced their second goal on 55 minutes, as Nick Troen spotted an excellent Steven Attree run to the front post, who then fl icked it across the face of goal. ‘Powerhouse’ Johnson headed the ball into the back of the net, doubling his side’s advantage and sending players and fans alike into hysteria. Soon after, on 60 minutes, failure to clear a corner led to more misery for Magdalen.
Catz midfi elder Owen Price scrambled the ball home, though how much he knew about it was anyone’s guess. As Magdalen struggled to save face, Catz’ fourth goal was an exemplary team effort. Ollie Carr and others linked up nicely on the right, freeing Ben Isaacs in open territory. On reaching the by-line he delivered a pinpoint cross to the penalty spot which Chris Bargate, under pressure from a Magdalen defender, pivoted and volleyed with masterly precision past the keeper.
The score, like the performance, was convincing, and Catz captain Ben Isaacs had these words to offer: “Going into the derby we knew that form wouldn’t count for much. After our bad run this win will give us the confi dence to start rising back up the league, where Catz belong.” Isaacs awarded his man-ofthe match to central midfi elder David Mitchell, though it will be a sterling team performance that the fans will remember, in this hard-fought and uncompromising grudge match.
Whilst elated Catz can be justifi ably content to have maintained pressure on the leading pack, any chance Magdalen had of catching Queens is quickly slipping away. St Catz will not close in on league-leaders Worcester, nor will they be sucked in towards the relegation trap-door. This victory, however, is their fi fth in an uneventful season that has so far seen them fl uctuate loosely in mid-table.
More importantly, it darkens Magdalen’s fears of being dragged into a spiral towards the First Division along with basement side Pembroke.
2nd Feb 2006