Saturday 27 July 2013
AC UNION 06 BERLIN 4-8 OLD BOYS CLAPHAM
At Poststadion, Berlin, Germany
OBC goals: Atkinson 3, Breen 11, 44, 67, Dundas 54, 59, 64, Sommer 79
AC06B goals: (53, 57, 72, 82)
Line up: Harman, Hann, Dundas, McGuire, Henderson, Sommer, Pascal, Brunning, Kibble, Breen, Atkinson - subs Joicey, Lewis, Kadir
Old Boys Clapham (“OBC”) were victorious in Berlin as we hit eight goals in scorching 35°C heat in what was effectively the Andy Dundas show. Dundas was imperious in the first half whilst defending on the left wing and marauding in the second down the right wing as his goal drought ended in spectacular style with a quick-fire second half hat-trick to steal Mike Breen’s thunder. Breen also scored his first hat-trick for the club as he used his pace and power to good effect. Earlier, Peter Atkinson opened the scoring in the third minute and Mike Breen added two first half goals to give us a 3-0 half-time lead despite OBC losing Cian McGuire within the opening thirty seconds to a recurrence of his knee injury that he picked up in the cup final at the end of the last season. In the second half Berlin’s most dangerous player was switched over to our right wing as he got no change out of a miserly Dundas and Ian Kibble on the left. Dundas was moved out to right-back and the defence shuffled across as OBC old boys Ally Hann went centre back and manager Peter Joicey went to left back. The effect was to free Dundas down the right hand side of the pitch but the back four were now more vulnerable to aerial balls into the box and we conceded three headed goals as a result. Breen completed his hat-trick and local German turned OBC man Philippe Sommer scored the final OBC goal in front of his delighted and very proud parents.
Old Boys Clapham were invited by Philippe Sommer’s old club SC Union 06 Berlin to the Poststadium complex in central Berlin to play this season’s international friendly. After beating Dutch side FC Dosr in Amsterdam 3-1 the year before OBC were confident that we could apply a pressing game to knock our German hosts out of their stride. The squad was joined by Philippe’s friends’, winger Kadir, and central midfielder Pascal. The line-up was Steve Harman in goal. Ally Hann, making his first start for OBC since August 2009, at right back. Cian McGuire hoped to shrug off a knee injury to partner skipper Marc Henderson. Across midfield Philippe Sommer went right wing, Chris Brunning was partnered by Pascal and Ian Kibble went out wide left. Up front were Peter Atkinson and Mike Breen. On the bench was Kadir, Peter Joicey and Paul Lewis. Chairman Mel Kenny refereed.
Within thirty seconds of the start Cian felt awkward when jumping and so asked to be immediately replaced by Peter Joicey at centre back. Despite the setback OBC were quickly in front when Mike Breen broke down the left wing with Andy Dundas making an overlapping run Breen rolled the ball to Dundas to cross to the back post where Peter Atkinson evaded his marker to roll the ball into the net in the third minute.
Berlin nearly got themselves an equaliser when Joicey and Hendo got turned and the ball across the box was stabbed just wide of Harman’s post when a goal appeared certain. It was a fortunate let off especially as Berlin then gifted us a goal when their keeper could not control a back pass from the centre back and Breen was on hand to round the keeper and slot the ball into the net for 2-0.
Berlin tried to go more direct but found Henderson in fine form as he repelled headers and Joicey tried to pressurise the players on the ball as Dundas and Hann provided excellent cover.
Ian Kibble and Dundas were able to snuff out the Berlin attacks down our left side whilst Brunning and Pascal did a fine job in controlling the centre of the park.
Philippe Sommer headed a Dundas corner over and both Breen and Atkinson had decent chances to extend the lead further. A third goal did come just before the break when Pascal threaded a lovely through ball for Breen to chase and finish smartly past the keeper for 3-0.
At half time Joicey asked the lads to keep going despite the oppressive heat. Kadir and Lewis were introduced to give Breen and Sommer a rest. The opposition switched their right winger to the left and as a result Joicey had to shuffle the back four to make sure Dundas followed him. Joicey went to left back and Hann to centre back.
Philippe swapped with Joicey at left back. A ball down the left saw the Berlin forward come back from an offside position but the offside flag was ignored and play continued with the ball was moved around the box well for a well taken Berlin goal to make it 1-3.
The lead was very short lived as Dundas scored his first goal since September last year when German winger Kadir floated a dinked through ball for Dundas to smash on the half-volley which cannoned off the left-hand post and in. 1-4 57 minutes gone.
Dundas’ second goal of the game came moments later from a Harman seventy yard ball down field. Dundas controlled the ball superbly and did a one-two with Peter Atkinson. Dundas crossed it to Breen on the left who retrieved the ball to return a cross back to Dundas who smashed the ball home on the volley to make it 1-5.
But back came Berlin as they picked up two headed goals as balls were swung in from their right wing as OBC tired. 3-5.
Ian Kibble then helped put the tie beyond doubt by playing a neat through ball for Dundas to run onto and smash onto the post and in for his hat-trick and make it 3-6. Dundas is the first OBC defender to score a hat-trick in a game.
Mike Breen then completed his hat-trick as Peter Atkinson rolled the ball into Breen’s path as OBC moved the ball around the German penalty area well with intricate passing and eventually Breen rolled the ball into the bottom corner. 3-7. Breen moves into pole position as International Top Scorer with 4 goals.
Peter Atkinson somehow contrived to miss an open goal after beating and rounding the keeper but a heavy touch took him wide of the goal instead of towards the open net and to the German keeper’s credit he dived back across the six yard box at Atkinson’s feet to put the OBC striker off as Atkinson could only fire from a tight angle into the side netting.
Philippe Sommer made his home coming ever so sweet when he was fed by Kadir and whereupon Philippe hit a decent effort hard and low past the keeper to make is 3-8.
Berlin did manage to get one late headed consolation goal with ten minutes to go but OBC held out for another alcohol fuelled win of foreign soil. The man of the match was hat-trick hero Andy Dundas.
Well done lads another international win and great trip too full of drinking and laughs along the way. Ideas for International Tour 2014 are welcome.
Great thanks also to SC Union 06 Berlin who showed amazing hospitality by putting on an excellent feast of a barbeque after the game in the club house and thanks also to Philippe’s parents who welcomed us into their home for a great meal on our first night. Berlin is a great city full of fantastic, bohemian, friendly people. One day OBC will return.
Peter Joicey
29 July 2013
