On a very hot sunday morning, after a few cooler days. We once again changed venue, this time to Braypool, small pitch with long grass. But this wouldnt stop us from playing our football.
We started off on the front foot, knocking the ball around the midfield and working it forward. And on only our second move forward, the ball was laid back towards Harry, 25 yards out to the left of the goal, with a well placed low drive we were off to the perfect start. We tried to keep this going straight away again, but kept getting blocked out at the final moment. We still managed to make a few chances with Squibs getting in behind on a regular basis and putting the ball across goal, but it just wouldnt fall for one of our players.
With both Craig and Callum McG running straight at the heart of their defence on a constant basis, and generally getting fouled, without the ref apparantly seeing that way. A possible warning sign that he wasnt on our side, or the side of football. Then we got the ball in from the right hand side, and Squibs put us 2 nil up, with a header! Only for our friendly ref to cancel it out on a dodgy linesmans call. Saying that Ray, who didnt move and did not influence the keeper to be offside and obstructing the keeper. The refs influebce on the game was really winding us up. But we kept trying to play and keeping clear of dodgy decisions, which throughout the game didnt happen.
Just before half time the sun caused absolute havoc with our players trying to header the ball clear, for it to fall perfectly, to their one class player, who chipped Miguel. Half time was 1-1, but we all know it should clearly have been a few goals to nil to us. Great first halfs play going unrewarded, through a little of our own play, but mostly dodgy decisions not in our hands.
The second half started a little more balanced between both teams, them obviously getting a boost from their unlikely goal. But our boys all put in a shift trying to win the ball back, and when we got it trying to move up through the pitch and work the ball around. When we got our one twos going we looked great, we just need to be able to work that yards space and get a shot off against the fatty they had in goal. Unfortunetly we just couldnt find that yard.
At this point I started to feel pretty rough, and so took myself off with Jack comming on as our centre forward. A good move as his hold up play and strength took over from Rays earlier good work.
Craig, Harry and Callum McK were still in charge of a fiercly faught midfield war, with Callum and Harry picking passes and Craig running at all their defence. On the next occaision Craig running straight at their full back and being clatered to the ground, not for the first time, win and then cooly place the pen in the top corner.
We were now back in the driving seat, but just couldnt see it through with the oppositions forward turning our defence in the box before finishing from a tight angle, once again their class player proving the hero of the moment.
Callum McG made way fro Tonks. And with this we had a slight team shuffle, with Matty going centre back and Ray dropping in to cover the left back birth, top work from Ray and showed a great team ethic.
The final twenty minutes played out with us trying to go for the winner and still holding a tight defence and shape. Another couple of dodgy decisions made life hard for our boys to keep their heads, but they did it well. Squibs pulling a hamstring and staying on to keep us at eleven men.
All in all a great performance, with a few bits still to work on. But I loved seeing us walking off the pitch looking like we'd lost. That shows how far we've come as a team.
It was a hard call on man of the match, with special mentions to Harry, Craig, Squibs and Ray.
Lets keep this up boys!
