FIFA Regulations & Directives Law 10- The Method of Scoring “A goal is scored when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, between the goal posts and under the cross bar.” Lee Baulsom achieved this for the first time (or be it in an uncompetitive match) after over 1700 minutes of play. More on this sensational occurrence later in the report.
Pre Season 3 was Woolwich Spartans Vs Bexley Atheltic. A brief debut for Michael Bozier, a lesson learned for Bexley in a game they will want to forget. Only 11 players managed to turn up, discipline had slipped and no individual managed to put a performance on the pitch. This was summed up as within a few minutes Woolwich were in on goal with their first opportunity as a splendid ball played behind the defence left the attacked to fire at goal but hitting the near post.
Despite this early warning, Bexley were almost immediately behind with the usual frailty of the high ball over the centre backs costing Bexley yet again to let the player one Vs one with Dan to rifle home after the keeper committed himself. A tactical move to swap Laurie and Michael failed to prevent further problems.
Two minutes later Bexley feared they would be on the end of a landslide defeat when Woolwich doubled their lead. The ball played down the right beyond the full back left the defence at sixes and sevens. The attacker drew the goalkeeper and probably couldn’t believe his luck when he picked out a team mate completely unmarked to head home into the far corner. Cue the minor response.
After winning a free kick, the ball was whipped in by Mark for Lee to rise at the far post to head the ball back over the goalkeeper to score his first goal. Incredibly, he almost replicated his goal a few minutes later when he headed another cross but this time hit the post with the defence clearing the rebound. However this was the extent of the Bexley fight back. A lack of leadership, commitment and overall team effort meant Woolwich soon regained control and never let it go for the rest of the game. A speedy attack let them in again, with Bexley standing and watching it was a poor finish wide. Then, inconsistent instructions by Dan to Laurie almost resulted in disaster with the keeper stranded on the edge of the box. On they came again with Lee this time managing to get a foot on the ball to clear.
A third goal never seemed far away as a poor clearance straight up into the air was struck across the goal and scrambled away. On 39 minutes Michael’s lack of match practice told and had to be replaced by the model athlete of Peter Baulsom who came on to use his pace at right wing.
At half time Kev would return to the fray and play at left back replacing Pete. Within 60 seconds, Bexley conceded another poor goal again. Tame ball played across appeared to be going harmlessly to Lee’s path but the defender miss controlled the ball into the attacker’s feet who was composed enough to pick the right time to slot home beyond the recovering defender. In a rare Bexley attack, Aaron came close on 55 minutes just over the bar.
Just after this, Bexley did manage a second goal with a good ball worked up the field and having missed a few earlier in the game Dan slotted this one away well.
The closest Bexley came to being level came in this period. Lee headed wide from a corner and then Kev passed the ball up to Dan who hit over with a long shot. The attacks didn’t last long as a ball through the middle left the player again one Vs one this time choosing to round Dan and score, showing the difference in quality between the teams today. They almost scored again as they were through on goal this time Dan managed to react quickly to push the ball over the bar.
On 72 minutes Aaron came off and Michael returned. Just after, Dan managed to stay onside to cross for Laurie who failed to make contact. The final minutes Woolwich were rarely troubled and spent most of their time in the Bexley half.
If Bexley are being honest, they got what they deserved and it could have been a lot worse. A worry with two weeks until the start of the new season were expectations are high. Playing like this, mid table finish is the best that can be expected. The worst game Bexley Athletic have ever played.
