The first game in British Summer Time is one that Bexley Athletic will want to forget. The first league defeat of 2011 was deserved as Woolwich showed they were no push overs.
Despite the bad pitch and poor referee officiating his first game, Bexley gave themselves unneeded problems from the start with one player deciding not to show, and another unable to get himself out of bed like the rest of the team. As a result, player manager Peter Baulsom was forced to step but Bexley still started the game with ten men. Having said this, Bexley had gone 1-0 up against Woodside Celtic from Division 2 within the first minute last time they started with ten men. This team were nowhere near the standard of Celtic, ten men should have been manageable.
Woolwich attacked from the start forcing an early corner straight down Dan’s throat. James then forced Woolwich keeper into an early save. The man advantage was clear as Woolwich stretched Bexley. With majority of players failing to track back there were enough warnings for Bexley that the opposition were more that capable in attack. Very much with the run of play Bexley conceded as again a ball into the box wasn’t cleared, the second ball wasn’t closed and it was a simple task for the player to role the ball into the corner via the post. Morale in the team was low, only a few appeared to be motivated to win the game. This showed as Bexley’s few chances in the first period were Pete’s well uted shot narrowly over, and when James tried to capitalise on a poor clearance by the goalkeeper but was too far out to make an impression. Also, Adam had a deflected free kick which came very close.
Woolwich did not exactly bombard the goal with shots, had that connected with many air kicks in the box they would have caused Bexley more problems. Without James’s and Steve’s excellent defending and Adam tracking back surely more goals would have been conceded.
Half way through the second half Bexley were restored to 11 men as Laurie turned up and took his position on the left of midfield. 11 vs 11 couldn’t stop a second goal. For Woolwich an excellently uted counter attack, for Bexley terrible defending as a team. James was pulled inside from the right to close down a man, the ball was played wide where the player had the freedom to close into the box and amazingly pick out an unmarked team mate six yards out to head into the roof of the net. The standard of play meant an embarrassing score line was on the cards but Bexley took it in at half time at 2-0.
Stand in coach Mick gave some constructive criticism at half time, stating that only half the team were playing well. Mick was also right in saying that at times Bexley were brilliant, but as a team we were very poor. It was decided to move Pete to the left and push Laurie forward to try to get back into the game.
Despite these efforts, the second half was much the same as the first with Bexley from the off struggling defensively without conceding many shots on goal; with Dan’s one and only save of the game coming when the attacker chased a ball through the middle and volley straight down the middle. A slight improvement defensively with Lee in particular making some crucial interventions curbed Woolwich momentum as Bexley won a penalty as a result of hand ball. Adam cooly stuck the ball into the top right corner. Unfortunately a comeback was too much to ask with Bexley only forcing the goalkeeper into one good save when Matt struck from a tight angle. 2-1could have became 3-1 when Woolwich went 1 vs 1 and rounded Dan only for Kev to track back and clear, showing that if this level of commitment was shown (by every player) for 90 minutes the result would have been different.
Woolwich got their third when Kev missed a header and the striker shrugged off the covering defender to hit a precise low shot in again off the post. Time wasting on Woolwich part, frustration at the referee and tired legs as a result of starting with ten men meant the game as a contest was over. Woolwich could have got more goals if there long range efforts were of better quality as in midfield Bexley could not keep hold of the ball; restricting Laurence and Matt up front to little or no chances. (Pete had also been brutally tackled many times, showing his scares after the game).
Looking back a very poor performance and 3-1 flattered Bexley. Having said this, positives can be drawn. One bad result shouldn’t ruin a strong second half to the season as Bexley have plenty of games in hand to gain promotion. The players Bexley have are much better than the performance today as shown throughout the season. What better way for Bexley to show a backlash to this performance with a win against rivals Junior Red Spartan’s next week.
(Ratings by Peter Baulsom)
