A thoroughly unfamiliar Veras side brushed aside an under-strength Submarine 11 at Regents Park last Sunday.
Two debut goals from the Veras’ fearsome left wing partnership — full back Christopher and winger Alex — and a penalty rebound from Oli settled a match that never seemed far from the Veras’ control.
Submarine will have been buoyed before the match by the absence of half-a-dozen first team regulars, sourcing diamonds in Antwerp and molesting gap year students in Argentina respectively, the Veras starting side was hardly recognisable.
But Submarines’ hope was short-lived as it became apparent early-on that despite not having played together before the Veras shared an innate understanding that saw them dominate the first half.
The midfield three of Tom, Eddie and Dave bossed the match as they spread the ball well to the pacey Veras wings, as both Alex and Andre found early success on their flanks.
And despite a variety of chances it took till the 40th minute for the Veras to make the breakthrough they so richly deserved.
Jones’ monster throws had been wreaking havoc in the Submarine defensive ranks all afternoon and it was from a long throw that a goal mouth scramble saw the ball break to Veras’ left winger Alex who dispatched his chance with clinical low drive.
The Veras started brightly in the second half as Oli was put through time and again by Andre, Tom and Alex, but failed to capitalise on his opportunities.
But it was from a corner that Jones forced Submarine to concede, that a superb delivery from Andre found Christopher at the back post who dispatched a venomous volley back across the keeper and into the bottom corner.
Submarine were dealt a farcical life-line when the ball bounced up and hit Veras right back on the hand and a penalty was awarded.
Someone scored and it lead to a brief period of Submarine pressure during which time Ben was called upon to make a string of solid saves.
Mike and Edu quickly regained control of their territory and the pressure was short-lived as the Veras were awarded their own hand-ball pen.
Dave Romain stepped up and with more than a whiff of Cruyff’s famous pass-pen he stroked the ball cunningly against the post sending the keeper the wrong way and giving the on-rushing Oli an empty net to slot into.
The Veras were denied a clear cut pen when Andre flicked a shot goal ward only to have it groped away from the goal, but despite the sheepish defender’s scant denials the ref refused to award the peg.
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