CHIPPER NIPPERS PIPPED BY PUPS
Some words from Chief Nipper's Nipper Simon Groom with help from Engin Fehim
BIGGER AND BETTER
Hopes were higher then ever in the Nippers camp this year with the Nippers boasting their biggest ever squad. Not only was the squad large but it was also packed with talent, such as the majority of the McWilliam party and the boys from the defunct London team. After last years poor showing the Nippers were desperate to prove the doubters wrong and take the tournament by storm: there was not going to be a repeat of last years Wooden spoon play-off. Instead Supremo Keith Groom was determined to emulate or better the Nippers' showing in Prague, where they rampaged through to the quarter-finals only to fall to the Lags.
YOUTH AND EXPERIENCE
GROUP B: ESSEX 0-3 ENGLAND NIPPERS
Scorers: Donnelly, Walker, Waldron
First up for the Nippers were the Essex boys, who had only qualified once before and that was back in Manchester 2000. They had a slightly depleted squad and were being bolstered by some of the local Dutch boys.
It was imperative for the Nippers to get off to a flyer and they did just that. First up to set them on their way was Steve Donnelly. A classy move was executed and Donnelly unleashed a great right-foot strike on the turn to put the Nippers a goal to the good. The second wasn’t long in coming and was slotted home by Neil Walker. The rout was then completed by Kenrick Waldron, who made it 3-0 after out-powering two defenders and slotting past a helpless keeper at the near post.
The Nippers had done exactly what the Gaffer had instructed and got the three points. Essex were totally out-classed and out-played by a mix of youth and experience, speed, precision and composure, in a match where the scoreline could have resembled a cricket score for the Nippers.
DOMINATION AND MISSES
GROUP B: ENGLAND NIPPERS 0-0 MANCHESTER ‘B’
Scorers: None
Next up for the Nippers were Manchester ‘B’. Victory for the Nippers would almost guarantee them a place in the quarter finals proper. The match (much like the game against the Essex boys) was totally dominated from start to finish by the Nippers. In fact Adcock in goal didn’t have to make a single save. A combination of woeful finishing (such as Waldron missing an open goal) and resolute Mancunian defending (including a last ditch goal line clearance) meant the game finished even and goalless. Still it was another point and it allowed the Nippers to start dreaming of realising their quarter final dream.
FETCH AND CARRY
GROUP B: ITALY 3-0 ENGLAND NIPPERS
Scorers: None
The final group game saw the Nippers pitted against the World Champions, Italy. The Italians were fortunate to have had the advantage of a two hour rest whilst the Nippers had had only a ten minute break. Despite this setback the Nippers went into the game in a buoyant mood determined to give the Italians a game. And for the most part they did just that and could actually have nicked a goal if luck had been on their side.
The most controversial incident in the game came when one of the Italian strikers kicked the ball away after being pulled up for diving. The ref promptly booked the dissenting striker and then made him retrieve the ball for Adcock every time a goal kick needed to be taken by the Nippers. This was all very amusing for supporters and players alike. A 3-0 defeat by the Italians however meant that the Nippers record was identical in all respects to Manchester ‘B’ so it was decided that the runner up in the group would be decided by an early morning penalty shootout. The Nippers could feel proud of their day’s work, however, as they were at least in the quarter final pot.
JOY AND DESPAIR
Penalty Shoot-out Decider: ENGLAND NIPPERS 7-6 MANCHESTER ‘B’
Thus it was that 22 sleep-deprived and nerve-wracked footballers arrived early at the World Cup stadium on Sunday morning eager to get the footballing lottery over and done with. But still the two English teams could not be separated, as five kicks each saw both Manchester and the Nippers bag 4 goals apiece. Unbeknownst to an enthralled crowd packed into the stands, referee van Vliet decided sudden death would represent unbearable further pressure, so three more kicks per side were to be taken. All this meant that when the Nippers scored and their opponents missed, the crowd started celebrating a Nippers victory. But the ref was having none of it and the kicks continued, but still the teams were inseparable at 5-5 after six more kicks.
This left the three least enthusiastic spot-kickers on each side to step forward. The Mancunian keeper slotted home coolly whilst the Number One Nipper Gavin Adcock skied high. After a further English miss, a Mancunian strike would clinch a quarter-final place, but a truly remarkable save from the smiling Adcock saved the Nippers as he brilliantly deflected the ball over the bar with a trailing leg. A Nipper strike and another Mancunian miss incredibly left the two sides again level after all 11 kickers had faced their demons. So it was time for an encore, but this time van Vliet opted for sudden death or we might have been there all day. Nipper skipper Holden reliably stroked home before Adcock once more pulled a save out of the bag to the delight of his team-mates. The reward for the Nippers was a mouth-watering quarter-final against the Pups.
HEAD AND TAILS
QUARTER-FINAL: ENGLAND PUPS 1-0 ENGLAND NIPPERS
Scorers: None
Whatever happened, the Nippers were fired up for this game and it marked their second quarter final appearance, the first coming in Prague 2002 which ended in a 5-0 spanking by the Lags. This time however it was the Pups and not the Lags who stood in their way of a coveted semi-final place.
The game quickly became a defensive game with both sides being scared to over-commit. As a result most of the play was in the midfield, with tackles flying in everywhere. The first real move of note ended with the Nippers conceding a free kick about 30 yards out. The kick was put over and met by Badeshia who headed the Pups into the lead.
The Nippers refused to lie down and their tails were still up. And when a sloppy back pass by Nat was played straight to Waldron, the Nippers were suddenly through on goal. Unfortunately for the Nippers, however, Waldron fired well wide when he had a lot more time than he realised. As it was, a nervous Pup team eventually ran out 1-0 winners but by the end they knew they’d been in a game.
HISTORY AND TRAGEDY
5th-6th Place Play-Off: MANCHESTER ‘A’ 0-2 ENGLAND NIPPERS
Scorers: Walker, Anglin
It was the case that the Nippers were saving the best till last in a match shortened due to a fixture pile up resulting from an injury to a Dutch ‘A’ player that needed an ambulance. This didn’t deter the Nippers however and their minds were firmly focused on this one as victory would be rewarded with fifth place, the best finish in Nipper World Cup history. All that stood in their way was last year's losing finalists Manchester ‘A’.
The Nippers were slightly revamped in this game by the now fit again Ewok and the Turk, and neither player disappointed. The Nippers repeatedly ripped the Mancunians apart and it wasn’t long before Neil Walker fired the Nippers a goal up. A great run culminated with Walker rounding the keeper to slot home. If you thought the Nippers would sit back now and take the 1-0 you were mistaken as they raced forward without any thought to defending their lead. The tactic paid off as Dale Anglin scored the second for the Nippers and put the game beyond Manchester.
The one casualty in the game was a tray of beers which were knocked over after a ball landed on them. It was tragic, but these things happen in life.
PRIDE AND PRIZES
In summary the Nippers had put in a great performance and they could feel proud of what they had achieved. They even vowed to come back stronger next year and mount a serious challenge at claiming the ultimate prize.