News: Blues off to winning start

Mill Street Blues 4 No Eye Deer 3

FOUR goals and a second half clean sheet helped Mill Street Blues to a promising victory in their first game of the season. 

Scheduled opponents Magdalen Old Boys failed to make it to the ground, and a walkover 10-0 victory was automatically awarded to the Blues.

A Magdalen spokesman blamed tyre problems with their team coach and said: "It looks like someone had tampered with the wheels. We've got no idea who. The only evidence we could find was an empty pack of caramel digestives."

No Eye Deer graciously agreed to a friendly and proved to be worthy opponents, leading 3-1 in the first half. However, some well-timed substitutions from manager Nick Pearce turned the tide in favour of the Blues.

Joe Cooke came on and brought some finesse to an otherwise misfiring midfield, while Pearce himself worked his socks off in midfield after his arrival midway through the first half.

After No Eye Deer went 2-0 ahead, Blues skipper Matt Hardy helped his side back into the game after his speculative shot cannoned off two walls and an opponent before crossing the line.

The Deers extended their lead to 3-1, and Hardy was summoned to strike again - this time there was no doubting the intention and class of the finish.

And gaffer Nick Pearce levelled it up just before half time with a left foot strike that shocked the Deers' rearguard. Whether or not it he meant it remains to be seen.

If the first half was all about goals, the second was all about grit. The Blues shut up shop spectacularly and had enough in the tank to take the lead after a well worked goal by Dave Jameson.

The only flashpoint of an otherwise tight second half was winger Simon Perry's theatrics after being fouled, that very nearly saw him spend some time in the cooler.

Perry flung himself to the ground and performed what the referee described as a "magic card trick" to try and get his opponent booked - all he got was a tounge-lashing from the man in the middle.

The 23 year old manager believes that this is a strong start to a promising campaign and said: "The boys were disappointed when they went off, but they shouldn't be. We scored four goals and didn't concede in the second half, that's very solid. If we carry on training and work as a team, who knows where we might end up?"

The Blues play Island Gardens next Thursday at 9.20pm