TC/1382

Eight-goal Chelsea 'go with the flo'

AN impeccably observed minute's silence in memory of the victims of last August's bombing atrocity was followed by 30 minutes of slow motion replay action, before Chelsea got down to the real business at hand in the first of Omagh Town's three match challenge series in aid of the Omagh Fund on Wednesday evening last at St. Julian's Road.
Then 6'4" Norwegian striker, Tor Andre Flo, led the charge with four of the best as an outclassed Town were routed 8-0. The nimble footwork of such a big man was a joy to behold as he made several dazzling runs into the box in the course of a highly entertaining last hour.
And he was scintillatingly supported by 18-year-old Finnish 'wunderkid' Mikael Forsell, a Milk Cup protege, and Jody Morris, whose virtuoso performances carved out a succession of openings, while overlapping fullbacks, Luca Percassi and John Harley, never again let the momentum slip. Roberto DiMatteo was also deeply involved in orchestrating play for an experimental Premiership side, which left more than £50m worth of talent adorning the stands, fair game for the many autograph hunters in the 7,000 crowd.
Among those sitting out the encounter were skipper, Dennis Wise, French stars Marcel Desailly, Frank Leboeuf and Didier Deschamps, £10m striker, Chris Sutton, and player manager Gianluca Vialli.
Vialli said he was delighted and proud to be able to bring his side to play in the fundraising event.
He went on: "I hope you can all take heart from Chelsea FC. Long before I joined it was famous for acts of hooliganism and racism by its fans. Now we are not only famous for our football, but for the cosmopolitan nature of our team.
Celebrate
"I believe our fans could not love us more. They are wonderful, they love us being from different countries and different cultures. It is something to celebrate. I hope this can come to your home, too."
Flo opened the scoring on 32 minutes after Eamon Gallagher failed to deal with Harley's cross from the left, and DiMatteo added the second three minutes later when the strong running Percassi floated the ball in from the right, and it broke kindly for the Swiss-born Italian off an Omagh defender.
Town had their moments with Frankie Wilson and the guesting Michael McHugh prominent. Indeed visiting keeper, Carlo Cudicini, came off worst in an aerial tussle with the Town midfielder for Eamonn Kavanagh's tantalising free kick, and had to be substituted by Kevin Hitchcock, six minutes from the interval.
Flo was narrowly off target with a back stick header, and might have had a spot kick when hauled down by veteran central defender, Stuart Gauld, who Town chief, Roy McCreadie, is attempting to lure away from Derry City. But referee, John Ferry, waved play on.
The goals came thick and fast after the break, with Flo grabbing his second (51), courtesy of the creativity of Forsell. His hat trick was delayed by a stunning stop from Gallagher six minutes later.
Forsell then set up Mark Nichols for number four just short of the hour, and half-time replacement, Gustavo Poyet, hit the fifth midway through the half, following a flurry of other substitutions. An exquisite chip by Morris made it six, Flo went around Gauld and put Chelsea seven up eight minutes from time, and the big man headed the eighth, and his own fourth, in the final minute.
"The scoreline was not important," argued McCreadie. "It was all about the occasion and the people of the local community having the chance to watch their heroes play on the own back yard. It was a morale boosting exercise."
Teams: Omagh Town Gallagher (Early 61), Johnsion, Kavanagh, Gauld, Kelly (Curran 65), McGill (Boyle 51), Mohan (Moore 65) Wilson, Donnelly (capt.), Crilly and McHugh (Doherty61).
Chelsea Cudicini (Hitchcock 39), Percassi, Harley, DiMatteo, Hoegh, Terry (Poyet 46), Morris, Petrescu (Clement 46), Flo, Forsell, Nichols.
Referee: Mr. John Ferry (Londonderry).