With a depleated side and in tough conditions, Crossblades fought back from 2 goals down to earn a 3-2 win that moved the Blades to 6th in the table.
Playing against a Spartans side that had been thumped 17-0 the previous week by a Swindon side in the Cup, Crossblades wanted to bounce back from their 7-0 loss to Fortune Inn and record their 2nd win of the season.
With Squire, Webb, Cook, Rees and Neate unavailable, Crossblades opted for a 3-5-2 formation deploying Walker, Matthews and Lowe as 3 centre backs.
Chilton lost the toss, and Crossblades played against the wind for the first half. Crossblades failed to settle quickly in this game, with the midfield failing to get their foot on the ball and the defence somewhat panicky in their clearances. Despite being 2nd best for the first 15 minutes, Spartans failed to trouble John Hampshire's goal. Both North and Wright covered well down each flank and manged to get forward to provide support to Jacobi and Gilbert. The strikers runs were always going to cause Spartans defence problems, but it was a run from the energetic Mike Booth that spilt the oppositions defence in half, with Chilton floating the ball over and Booth not quite managing to connect with a goalward effort.
After some intense pressure down the right hand side, Spartans forced a corner. Crossblades always have difficulties with set pieces, and this proved a weakness again with a Spartans player rising and sending a header past Hampshire, off the underside of the bar and in to the net.
Some neat footwork by Gilbert nearly produced an effort on goal, and this seemed to inspire Crossblades in to more purposeful action. Jacobi continued to trouble the oppositions defence with his strength and Ben Owers started to gain control of the midfield. With a few half chances created, Crossblades eased their way back in to the game only to have to wind knocked out of them with a carbon copy of Spartans first goal happening again.
Visibly dissapointed with their inability to clear from set pieces, Crossblades immediatley showed more bit in the tackle, and Owers dropped a little deeper to protect the back 4. Chilton was able to get hold of the ball more often in midfield, and on beating his man, forced a corner. Hitting the corner low and hard away from the keeper, the ball eventually found its way to Jacobi who hit the half volley first time through a sea of players and in to the net. A GREAT finish!!
With Spartans players at a loss as to how they had allowd this to happen, Crossblades had scored just at the right time with half time coming shortly after. An energetic team talk at half time by all players brought Crossblades out in to the 2nd half desperate for a win, but still very quiet on the pitch. Expecting to have the lions share of the ball, Crossblades were a little surprised to be under some pressure in the 2nd half. Like the first half, Spartans were unable to convert this pressure in to attempts on target. With Lowe, Matthews and Walker all playing well at the back, it gave a platform for the Blades to attack. North ran tirelesly down the right hand side, defending very well, and also playing many good balls forward, but it was Will Wright, whose trickery lead to Gilbert nearly bringing the scores level.
Another foraging run from Will Wright lead to a corner on the left hand side, Chilton lofted the ball in, and Jack Lowe rose majestically, his header just missing the target.
Using the wind, Hampshire made a lengthy clearance, which Gilbert was able to run on to, and using his strength, he was able to hold of the challenge from 2 centre backs and slot the ball past the keeper to draw Crossblades level. A great return to the starting line-up for Gilbert!
Shortly after this, good work from Owers enabled Chilton to have space in the middle of the park, with the ball bouncing, Chilton hit a 40yard half volley fly, which flew past the post, missing by just an inch. Sensing victory, Crossblades began to show more and more fight, with players talking and communicating it felt more like the Blades we have gotten used to.
After Matthews collected the ball he fed North, after beating his man, North crossed in to the box, Chilton headed goalwards, only for it to be cleared from the line, the ball came back to Chilton in the air and again he headed goal wards only for the keeper to save at his near post.
Good defensive work on the left from Chris Walker, fed Wright who expertley flicked the ball to Chilton, Chilton ran at his man, and using strength was able to offload the ball to Jacobi. Jacobi remained calm and slotted the ball well past the our rushing keeper and gave Crossblades a 3-2 lead.
Crossblades held on for the remaining 10 minutes and recorded a 3-2 win.
In the circumstances, this was a very good victory. The windy conditions were extremley tough to manage, and with several players out Crossblades were forced to play an unfamiliar formation with several players playing out of position. Considering this, Crossblades adapted well, and showed a never say die attitude that I hope we can take forward in to out next match. Walker, Lowe and Matthews all were solid as a back 3, and both Wright and North showed their willingness to defend aswell as attack. Owers, playing as a defensive midfielder, had a great game out of position and Booth continues to get back to his usual self each game.
Despite being only 3-2, Crossblades limited the opposition to only 2 chances really, and we maybe have to look at out finishing and attacking play. Do we take enough chances? Do we get enough players forward? This is all positive food for thought for out next match, a cup game VS GRFC next Sunday
Well played lads :)
