Magnificent is not a word you expect a manager to come out with when he’s watched his team let a 2-0 lead slip, quite literally, in the Jenkins Park mud on the worst of winter/spring days.

 

But Millbrook boss Macca Brown was full of praise for his players – and indeed for Clevedon’s – after witnessing a Quagmire Classic which produced four goals and so much more.

Brown said: “It was a great game, both sets of players were a credit to their clubs, in really difficult conditions they played out a superb game, albeit one of two contrasting 45 minutes in terms of the type of football but that was thanks to the conditions.

 

“I’m absolutely delighted with the performance to be honest and I said that to the lads afterwards, I thought they were magnificent for so many different reasons.

 

“It would be really easy to say we threw away a 2-0 lead, but that would be a lazy assessment, football isn’t always as straightforward as that, and of course it would have been great to hold on, but you have to give Clevedon credit they were superb for the whole game and deserved something from the game, as did we.

 

“The first 45 minutes was thrilling, end to end, great saves from both keepers, and some good football played. The two Jakes combined for the first goal, Crebbs (new goalkeeper Jake Mead-Crebbin) kicked long and it was an emphatic finish from Foz (Foster).

 

“We then had some great chances, all one on one but we couldn’t quite get that yard needed to find the shot, but to go in at half time with a two-goal cushion was invaluable really with what was to come. It was a great piece of play and Josh finished neatly at the front post.”

 

“The first 20 minutes or so of the second half was something that I’ve never really seen before to be honest.

 

“Crebbs saved brilliantly from long range in the first 30 seconds which led to a corner and from that point onwards it just felt like it was backs to the wall, defending nothing but long throws and corner kicks.

 

“There wasn’t really any football played, a corner would come in and we’d defend it brilliantly and it would lead to another, and then a clearance would go for throw in, which then came flying back into our box with the most ridiculous long throw I’ve ever seen.

 

“It was relentless, it was like Stoke City and Rory Delap back in the day, but we weathered it, and defended unbelievably in that first 15 minutes.

 

“We thought we may have just got through it and then we gave away a really silly free kick on the edge of the box which was punished by the direct strike and that gave Clevedon all the motivation needed to come again, and it was more of the same.

 

“To be fair their equaliser was a touch of quality from their wide man who beat Tylor (Love-Holmes) and crossed across goal for a tap in.

 

“At that point we changed shape and the dynamic of the game changed slightly as Clevedon didn’t have a game to chase, and it turned a bit more into a football match again, in terrible conditions.

 

“The rock hard ground now had a soft surface, so everyone was slipping. Both teams had chances to win it, Kieran had a great strike well saved in the last 10, and Caleb (Summerfield) cleared one off the line in injury time when a goal seemed the only outcome, but overall it was just a great game and everyone played their part in that.

 

“Crebbs got man of the match and deservedly so but I thought Youlds (Dave Youlden) and (Ben) Goulty in front of him were superb as well especially in the barrage of corners and throw ins in the second half, every one landed on Dave’s head and he really stood up to that challenge.

 

“So I don’t really think of it as three points that could have been, because it could have quite easily been a defeat, so I’m pleased with the end result and we hope to string some results together now to the end of the season.”

MIllbrook are in Cornwall Senior Cup semi-fina action