After some sterling work behind the scenes by the management team to ensure that Icarus complied with all things COVID, the game against the AGC was confirmed and one of the strongest Vets squads in memory descended on a damp RAF Halton.

Icarus took to the pitch fielding an unfamiliar 3-5-2 formation and with Taff’s pre-match team talk still ringing in our ears there was encouraging early promise shown, with good build up play through midfield creating early chances for the hosts. However, an AGC team fielding a bare eleven, still showed they had enough quality to cause Icarus problems, with a well taken goal after Icarus were slow to react to an AGC throw-in.

Rather than licking their wounds and feeling sorry for themselves, Icarus responded well to the early setback and were soon back on level terms. A cross into the AGC box was flapped at by the keeper, under pressure from Tonks, and Sam Taylor swept home the loose ball. In the face of vociferous protests from the keeper, the referee remained undeterred and the goal rightly stood. Despite Icarus having large periods of possession for the majority of the first half, chances were created at both ends, with Stonesy saving well on debut for Icarus and John Hetherington missing a glorious chance to put the hosts ahead – glancing a header wide of the post with the goal at his mercy. But it was Icarus that broke the deadlock and went into the break ahead. A cross was swung in from the right and with the AGC keeper thinking he had thwarted the latest Icarus attack with a strong punched clearance, then watched as the ball sailed back over his head and into the net, following a sweetly struck left foot volley from Baz Laws.

Half-time: Icarus Vets 2-1 AGC Vets

Following a safely delivered social distanced team talk from the gaffer, the team emerged for the second half full of confidence after turning the first half around. It wasn’t long before Icarus started to dominate, with MotM skipper Arnie at the heart of everything. The AGC defence started to creak and a well delivered cross fired in from the left wing was haplessly turned in by an AGC defender, gifting Icarus a 3-1 lead.

The goal of the match was to follow, with player-manager Taff Evans starting a typical run from deep, played a couple of 1-2’s to get in behind the AGC defensive line, before finishing with aplomb. 4-1 and the flood gates were now well and truly open. This comfortable lead and a resolute Icarus defence provided the platform for Icarus to keep pushing forward. Tonks was unfortunate to see a header come back off the crossbar, before a typically clinical finish by Sam Taylor made it 5-1. The hat-trick followed shortly after, with a nicely weighted pass by Deli playing Sam in down the left of the penalty area and despite the angle being against him, calmly slid the ball under an advancing AGC keeper. 6-1 but Icarus weren’t finished there, and another fumbled cross by the AGC keeper presented Tonks with a tap in to round off the scoring and ensure Icarus bounced back emphatically from the disappointment of the Didcot result.

Full-time Icarus Vets 7-1 AGC Vets (and Arnie no-look passes completed 4).