Hi Ladies / Gents
Please find below the match report for the 60s League game away to Ethelbert Wanderers on Monday 6 January.
With a few of the usual players unavailable this was an opportunity to bring in some new players and we were forced into playing people out of their normal positions.
The game started with Ethelberts on the front foot. They pushed forward and were getting some good possession down their right hand side. We struggled to match their initial intensity and were guilty of being slow out of the blocks. That said we kept the opposition at bey and limited them to a few longer range and speculative shots which went either high or wide or were easily handled by Jan.
We were not overawed and grew into the game. We got things moving forward with Mike seeing plenty of the ball in the midfield and Andy, playing as the lone striker, was getting the ball and working their defence. He managed to get a few quick strikes away but didn't really work their keeper. Steve P was finding space down our left but he could not make a telling ball count.
With the game finely balanced and being played out in the middle third, we were guilty of trying too many flicks and tricks rather than playing the ball to feet and giving possession away cheaply. On one such occasion a sloppy pass in the middle of the pitch went straight to the opposition who moved it quickly up to their forward. He got the ball out of his feet and hit a vicious low strike passed Jan and into the corner of the net.
Within a few quick minutes they had doubled their lead. They broke down their right and we didn't track our players and following a quick interchange with their forward ended with him sending another ferocious shot high into our net.
This woke us up and we started to play better football. The ball was moved around and possession kept by all and Ethelberts found themselves pinned back in their own half. Some quick interplay between Steve E, Mike and Andy saw Andy put through on goal. His deft finish in lifting the ball over the keeper unfortunately was quickly pulled back and chalked off with Andy having been deemed to have run.
We remained in the ascendancy and continued to push hard but despite our efforts we could not score and at half time we went in two down.
The discussion was to stop panicking on the ball and try and get rid of it as soon as it came to a player but to use the time we were getting in possession. A change up front saw Paul C come on and Andy moving to the left.
Mike was able to push higher up and we held the ball better. We were getting better penetration and getting some joy down both flanks. Paul held the ball up well with Mike and Andy able to take the ball from him and get some strikes away. Colin and Peter were able to also get higher up the pitch but were, at times, guilty of hanging back when there was no opposition player within 10m of them.
We were now working openings at will and getting plenty of shots away and Ethelberts had all of the players behind the ball to prevent us moving forward. The issue both teams now had, however, was that indiscipline had put both sides on 3 running offences. As we pushed to get back into the game, we were caught for the fourth time and Ethelberts benefitted from the resulting penalty which was duly converted.
With very little time left we were awarded a corner after a shot from Paul C was parried by their keeper. Cedric picked a pass to Mike and his swift turn and low hard shot flew passed their keeper and nestled into the corner of the net. This proved to be the very last kick of the game.
Despite the disappointing 3 - 1 score line we gave our best performance of the season and deserved much more from the game. We were certainly the better team in the second half and had there been more time we could have easily turned it around.
My thanks to the effort of all of the players who gave their all.
Equally, my thanks to the supporters who showed up on a bitterly cold evening to give their usual vocal encouragement to the team on the pitch.
Congratulations to Paul C who was selected as the Player Of The Match for the way he held the ball up as a lone striker and distributed it well to create chances for those around him.
Paul
