BLG FC 2 v 2 Norton Rose
Hillier 15 A.N.Other 70
Chapman 25 Sod's law 86
A much improved display from a revitalised and new look Barlows earned a well earned point last night, against the same opposition that dealt us a 0-5 whooping the week before. Indeed, it was really a case of two points lost as a late goal denied us a win we actually deserved.
For large parts of the first half it actually looked as though the scoreline from last week might be reversed entirely, such was our dominance. Bar one hopeful ball into the box which found a NR man with enough space to head against the bar, it was one way traffic. The re-modelled midfield, with debutants Robbie Chapman and James dovetailing nicely with the advanced Greeny, gave NR all sorts of problems, and they were left chasing shadows for most of the first 45 minutes, as we fizzed the ball about pleasingly.
It did not take long for us to open our account, with yet another debutant, Johnny Hillier, sending a dipping 20 yard volley over the visiting keeper to make it 1-0. It was not the kind of goal you expect to see a man, shorn of confidence and belief following his own horror-show start to the season net, but nevertheless, it was a welcome start to our night. The inevitable second followed mid way through the first half, after more good work by Greeny and Johnny saw the ball spin across the 6 yard box for Robbie to follow in and make it 2-0.
We were struck by an unfortunate injury blow on the stroke of half time, which incapacitated the ever-reliable Sam Rampling and turned him, in truth, into a hop-a-long. A swift "tactical" decision was made by the skipper to swap Sam with Piers in goal and try to hide the injury sustained. Unfortunately, the ploy did not work. We sat back on our lead and invited NR on, which in truth was an error. After one soft goal was conceded half way into the second half, the equaliser followed right at the death from a bloke who, arguably, should not have been on the pitch. Getting their admin all wrong, NR had not named their fat ginger sub as an official sub, thereby ruling him out of participating. After some wrangling with the officials, the red haired tub of lard was allowed onto the pitch, and lo and behold, he got his overweight frame behind one of his flabby shots, and the ball, through weight of saturated fats, slipped through Sam's fingers to make it 2-2.
There was still time for Johnny to revert to type and miss a guilt edged one on one chance which surely would have won us the game, and for the heart attack man from NR to somehow miss with a free header from 4 yards. Overall then, with last weeks result in mind, a draw was not a bad result - but, having been two up, it still felt like 2 dropped rather than 1 gained.
Team: Piers; Chris Getty, Tom G-S, Eccles, Hogey; Sam Rampling, Robbie Chapman, Sealo, James; Greeny; Johnny Hillier
