The game started off with a lot of end-to-end play, but DUSC soon came to dominate possession and show much more attacking flair than Asphalt, getting off eight shots on target before Asphalt troubled our goalie at all.
The attacking was a good ensemble effort revolving around Evan and Eyob in the midfield, Alex and Leo on the wings and Teo up front. Several nice give and go moves between that cast created most of the chances with the strongest being a shot of Alexʼs.
Twenty five minutes in, Asphalt were awarded the softest of free kicks in a dangerous spot, just outside the DUSC penalty area. The kicker arced it in to make it one-nil to Asphalt.
That goal inaugurated a wobbly period for DUSC. First they got caught out on a counter-attack but Max deflected it out. Then bad distribution from the back and a lack of consistency in passing allowed Asphalt to start hanging around the edges of our final third and a few minutes of that led to Asphaltʼs second shot on target and second goal.
In the final minute of the half DUSC returned to their attacking ways. Teo dribbled through the centre and set up Evan with a chance to snatch one back but the goalie got to it.
The second half started with DUSC again demonstrating a lot of good approach play, often stringing five or six good forward-moving passes together, but again with no end result.
Ten minutes in Asphalt won a free kick on almost their first foray into the DUSC final third. Henry had his pocket picked but won the ball back, right on the edge of the penalty arc. It may or may not have been a foul but it was definitely another set piece and another goal for Asphalt. The ball sailed in just under the crossbar to make it three-nil.
The fight back got going in earnest a few minutes later. Henry got a strong shot off that the goalie spilled at the feet of Alex, who jabbed it in for DUSCʼs first goal.
A short while later, completely against the run of play, DUSC got caught on a counterattack up the left wing. Their winger cut in and got a shot off to the near post and Iʼm not quite sure how that got in but in it was to make it four-one. A few seconds later they almost got another. A defensive screw-up allowed Asphalt in on goal but Max came far out and covered it.
Within five minutes Alex made it four-two. He sped up the left wing, dribbled past two and then shot from the outside edge of the penalty area into the side-netting. Two minutes later Alex had his hat trick. This time Eyob centred to him, Alex then dodged one player and shot to make it four-three.
Alex had had such fun with speeding up the wing earlier that he tried the same trick a few more times. He eventually got tackled on the first attempt, but cracked one off the crossbar with the latter.
The ref was very whistle-happy, blowing for free kicks anytime anyone fell down, no matter what the circumstances, and he saw fit to award Asphalt yet another free kick. This time it was one third into DUSCʼs half, too far to score directly but the ball fell to an Asphalt player on the edge of the penalty box and he angled it in by the far post to put Asphalt two goals ahead again.
Three minutes from the end everyone on DUSC came up for a corner. Ivan attempted to chip the goalie and the rebound fell to Alex, who poked it in for his fourth goal of the half to make it five-four.
Iʼm afraid that was it. Asphalt were on the offensive for the last few minutes without generating any real shots, so DUSC lost by one goal. If that ref hadnʼt been so in love with his whistle DUSC would have won this one.