It your stereotypical "game of two halves" this morning, on a cold and frosty January morning at Holmers Farm Recreation Ground, as F.C. Lions of Wycombe came from 3 goals behind to avenge the 6-3 defeat they suffered against the same opposition in the opening day fixture, back in September, to salvage a point with a 3-3 draw. A scintillating second half performance meant that both sides leave with a share of the spoils.
Manager Will Carter was forced into a number of changes for this game, from the team that took to the field last time out against Hithercroft Reserves. Out went top scorer Ben Phippen, who was serving the first match of an additional two game ban after pleading guilty to a misconduct charge relating to the game against H-Town back in November. Also absent for this game was striker John Tilbury. The big frontman missing the game through prior arrangements, and Carter himself, ruled out through the same reason. Whilst Alan Davies and Luke Bond were left out for tactical reasons this week.
With these 5 players omitted, there was room and recalls for Andy Harris at right back, Marcus Cook who pulled on a blue and white shirt for the first time since September, David Grabe came back into the fold to partner midfielder Sam Jordan up front, in a new look strike force. Whilst there was also places for midfield maestro Jake Sherwin, included for the first time in 6 weeks, and Scott West, taking over part managerial duties in Carter's absence.
With the build up coming to a close, and last minute tactical instructions being issued, the game was kicked off by the Lions, playing from left to right.
Unlike the previous game, the Lions started very sloppy and the fact of not playing a game of football for over a month really started to show. Old Oak were able to get a foothold in the game early on, and as expected playmaker Jonny Piercey was pulling the strings in the middle of the park for the away side, being allowed the time and space to spray the ball around at free-will.
The Lions looked all over the place at times, and it was hardly suprising when Old Oak took the lead on 21 minutes through right winger Tom Wilkinson. The ball was fed down the left channel for Old Oak's big target man, Ryan Coker to chase, Andy Harris was caught out of position at full back and Simon Thomas only succeeded in deflecting Coker's cross into the path of Wilkinson, who arrived on the penalty spot to flick the ball unchallenged into the far left hand corner. Lions stopper Tom Stevens' expressed his thoughts on the goal when ripping down the net from the crossbar, and subsequently having the match delayed by a number of minutes while it was attended to and rectified.
This act of unkindness should've given the Lions the impetus to grab the game by the scruff off the neck and respond, but all the pre match talk went out the window and the home side looked a shadow of the team who had gone 5 matches unbeaten before this game. The centre half pairing of Fletcher and Thomas were at sixes and sevens and were picking up the wrong men despite pre match instructions, the strike force of Grabe and Jordan looked nervy at times and chances were snatched at when a bit of quality in the final third was needed. It was clear something needed to be changed up. However, while the changes were being thought out, Old Oak doubled their advantage when Coker was allowed to run through a number of weak challenges upon entering the penalty area, where he was eventually brought down by Stevens, diving at his feet. Referee John Hurst had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and Jonny Piercey gratefully slotted home his 12th goal of the season, sending the keeper the wrong way to fire low into the bottom left hand corner. 2-0
The scoreline was not flattering in the slightest, and Old Oak were good value for their lead. At times it looked like the Lions were simply thrown together 5 minutes before the game kicked off. Only the partnership on the left hand side of Casey and Cook could hold their heads high, with the two linking up and communicating well together. Cook making his first Lions appearance since a cup game against Totteridge Albion in September, and repaying the Lions managers faith with an impressive performance.
After the second goal, the Lions management team decided on a tactical reshuffle and striker David Grabe was pulled back into a right full back position, which allowed Jake Sherwin to play alongside Jordan up front. Grabe moments earlier had seen a first time piledriver flash agonizingly over the Oak crossbar. Andy Harris moved to cover Sherwin in his more preferred central midfield position.
The change almost immediately paid dividends as Sherwin battled well to win the ball on the right hand side of the box before seeing his acute cut back ushered out of play for a Lions corner. However no sooner had the Lions changed their hand of cards, Ryan Coker swept home a delicious Shadbolt cross from the left hand side. It was a goal worthy of a round of applause, such was the quality of the move and finish. 3-0 and the Lions looked dead and buried, and there was STILL 10 minutes of the first half to play.
The half finished with little talking point and the scores remained the same at the half time whistle.
During the break the Lions management team of Carter, Tilbury and West all gave their points individually, and ensured they were driven home in time. Old Oak went back out onto the pitch within minutes, and ended up waiting a further few minutes until the Lions had got the message. Eventually referee Hurst approached the Lions to usher them onto the pitch. Who knows whether these extra few minutes played a part in the Lions subsequent revival, but it was a make or break team-talk.
The whistle went for the second period, and straight away Lions centre half Ed Fletcher set the tone of what was to come for the following 45 minutes when he proceeded to time a crunching tackle to perfection on Ryan Coker, before getting up and brushing off the second challenge and playing a lovely ball down the left hand side for Keegan Casey to chase. With Fletcher having to endure a personal one-on-one team talk from Assistant Manager Tilbury at the break, he emerged a different player and began the second half entirely up for the battle that laid ahead.
Casey and Cook had switched around with each other and it was from the two of the winning the ball on the left hand side that the ball eventually found itself to the Lions right wing where Royan Collins picked up the ball and carried it into the Oak box, before being felled by a mistimed tackle. It was incredibly difficult to ascertain exactly what had occurred from way over on the opposite side of the pitch but the referee blew, he was certain, and the Lions were handed a lifeline. Jake Sherwin, placed the ball on the spot and duly rolled the ball into the bottom right hand corner on 49 minutes.
With a goal early on, the task no longer looked impossible, and the Lions grew in confidence with every touch of the ball, Casey battled well in his new position and minutes later he sent a long ball down the channel for Sherwin to chase, Sherwin refusing to give up on the ball, entered the area and took a touch to divert the ball around the oncoming Summers. The keepers momentum carried him forward and into Sherwin, sweeping the forwards legs from beneath him. It appeared a stone-wall penalty, and referee Hurst blew again for a Lions spot kick. The visitors clearly disagreed with this decision and protested that the keeper played the ball before the man but the decision stood, and despite successfully converting minutes before, Sherwin gave up the chance to add to his tally, and skipper Scott Sharples stepped up to fire an unstoppable shot high into the roof of the net. 3-2.
Moments before the penalty, Scott West, stepping in for Carter and Tilbury, rung the first of the Lions 3 changes, replacing winger Royan Collins in a like-for-like change for Romario Farquharson.
It was at this time that the match report has to be concluded. The Lions management duo of Carter and Tilbury left the game on the hour mark to attend prior arrangements, and subsequently missed the last half hour of the game.
What was ascertained though, is on 70 minutes, the Lions pressed forward again, and Keegan Casey, who was enjoying a fine game, fed the man of the moment Sherwin, who composed himself and placed an effort from the outside of the box into the far bottom corner to complete a stunning comeback inside 25 minutes.
Full back Danny Stacey came on with 73 minutes on the clock to replace midfielder Sam Jordan who had battled well up front with little joy on the day, and then Scott West came on with a few minutes left for Andy Harris just to shore up the backline. At the final whistle, referee Hurst had to contend with several Oak players surrounding him and questioning several decisions. From the Lions point of view, there were indeed several decisions that could be questioned, in both sides favour. Such as the refusal to book either goalkeeper when conceding a penalty. However referee's are only human and make mistakes. Both sides need to remember this.
By the sounds of it, either side could've won the game in the last half an hour - and the battle between Fletcher and Coker was a sight to behold as neither played gave the other an inch. It was a proper old fashioned football tear-up.
All in all, the Lions can be extremely proud of their gutsy display to drag themselves back into the game and leave with a point, but will be disappointed to have not taken all three. Old Oak are clearly a talented side, who had started the season in scintillating form with a good manager at the Helm, who they clearly respect and play for - and once again the two sides put on a spectacle for the neutral.
Man of the Match - Keegan Casey. Never stopped working. Never stopped running. Refused to give up on anything. He epitomised everything that F.C. Lions of Wycombe stand for.
