The Onion Bag Section D, Chester and District Sunday Football League

After the spirited cup performance the week previous, it was back to league action for the ISA, and that meant the long trek to Frodsham for the game against the Bull's Head. There were several injury problems for the blues as once again James Green was unable to play in goal giving Mark Howcroft another run out in the goalkeeping jersey. Player/manager Paul Brazier was still suffering from an injury inflicted on him in the late stages of the College Lions game, and he was forced to take the Managers position on the sidelines for the first time this season. Brazier took a gamble by playing a half fit Craig Phillips who was suffering from some kind of Virus.

From the very first whistle it was evident that Brazier's gamble of bringing the team to Frodsham on the morning of the game, and not putting them up in a local hotel the night before had severly backfired as the ISA put in without doubt their worst half of the season. Only 10 minutes had elapsed and the Bull's Head had raced into a 3-0 lead. Keeper Howcroft was lucky to still be on the field after a professional foul on the Bull's forward. Howcroft for the second week running had to offer the 10% discount at JJB, a ploy which amazingly earned him a Yellow card rather than a red. Things went from bad to worse for the ISA as the first half went on, losing another 3 goals and also in form striker Stuart Musgrave through a hamstring injury. Paul Brazier went against the cries of the travelling ISA supporters who were calling for Miller to replace Musgrave, by giving a debut to striker Steve Evans up front. Neither Evans or striking partner Mark Howell got a sight of the ball in the first half as it was the Bull's Head who did most of the attacking, and went into the break 6-0 up.

Paul Brazier's half time team talk sent the air of Frodsham blue, though to the locals that was a welcome change as they normally suffer the gathering smoke from Shell and ICI poluting the air. Brazier made two more changes at half time bringing off keeper Howcroft and putting Alex Vile in goal instead. Miller came on for Howcroft and slotted into the wide right position. The half fit Craig Phillips had to be replaced also, with Alun Griffith brought on to growl at the opposition.

The ISA started brighter in the second half and although still not a vintage performance by them, it was a vast improvement on the first half. About 5 minutes into the second half a huge thud could be heard all around the area. Both the Ring O Bells F.C and the Ermine F.C - who were playing on a nearby pitch - immediately looked across to the nearby M56 motorway expecting to see a a huge pile up. The thud however came as a result of a late tackle by the silent Assassin Tom Kennedy who nearly broke the Bull's Head right back in two. A huge brawl nearly erupted as a result, and had it not been for the intervention of Manager Paul Brazier and the Referee, things may have got slightly more out of hand. As the time wore on, for the first time in the game the ISA managed to create chances, and a cross come shot from Assassin Kennedy managed to find it's way into the top corner leaving the Bull's keeper stranded. The Bulls themselves still created several openings and their next goal left stand in keeper Alex Vile looking like a jilted lover - as he was very vunerable on the rebound.

After the Half time dressing down from manager Brazier the ISA dare not give up, and some more attacking play led to the ISA being given a penalty from which Mark Howell slotted home his first of the season sending the keeper the wrong way to make the score 7-2. Five minutes from the end of the game saw a moment of complete madness from keeper Vile as he went and took a throw in, and with an ISA player nowhere to be seen Vile threw the ball straight to the opposition who had the easy task of rolling it into an empty net for a final score of 8-2, in a game the ISA will truly want to forget.