20/08/2009 Corinthian match report 3-2 Victory

There are grudge matches like Spurs – West ham, deep vitriolic rivalries like the early millennia Man United – Arsenal running midfield battles and then there is the deep undercurrent of disdain that characterizes an early evening crowd less game of 5aside between the Corinthians and Brewin. It’s the type of pitch battle that is spoken of decades later with protagonists being elevated to the status of leg hacker, raging beasts and bile spitting filthy animals.



Last nights clash was simmering, not quite the Vesuvius eruption that it could have been but certainly the earthquake that pre-empts a tsunami, wiping out homes and ruining lives.



A slow start for the Corinthians allowed Brewin to gain confidence and find their feet. Before the cobwebs could be blown from the closets of the blues, Brewin had grabbed a soft 2 goal lead. It was the type of atmosphere and sense of dread that but a season ago would have lead to a capitulation and ultimate defeat. These days though Corinthians are a different proposition, battle hardened and intelligent on the field.



A process of rebuild began, more possession, keep ball regardless of progression toward the opposition goal. A few diagonal runs began to surface, the occasional one-two all building pressure on the Brewin defensive line.



The first goal was forced through a crack, the slightest of openings and there was no going back. Brewin began dropping their shoulder into players making runs off the ball, shoving players in the chest and the psychological warfare that is constant complaining and appealing. Inevitably the Corinthians reacted in kind.



Deian nearly killed a man in the corner of the park. A fair challenge but against a wall, resulting in the victim clutching at his wounds like he’d just emerged from a napalm attack. Brown standing firm toward the end to see a much smaller challenger crunch into the floor with the force of a man who’d just fallen 10,000 feet from above. The clips, niggles and shoves were constant and unrelenting.



It wasn’t long before the Corinthian equalizer emerged and after one great stop from Gomez there was no looking back.



At the last, a sharp passing movement left Cenamor with not a little to do as he pushed past the defender and slotted home to a roar of satisfaction from the team.



Worthy of mention was the Brewin secret weapon. In goal they kept a rabid salivating beast of man as if someone had enraged a panther by shaving it, putting it on a chained leash and making it wear a pair of adidas tracksuit bottoms.



The final 5 minutes saw him tear out from between the sticks bearing down on Brown, Finnegan and Lewis, chops flapping in the wind, teeth bare and snarl eminent.



Brown trapped him in the corner, Lewis turned him and Finnegan coaxed him into what looked more like a case of GBH warranting several years in jail than a tackle.



But it was to no end. 3 more points, 6 in 6 and the championship in sight. The television rights for next season will be quite the windfall.