F.C. Lions of Wycombe were left wondering how they had not left the game with the 3 points they deserved after a tight and tense 90 minutes of football. The boys in blue had spent all week preparing to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, but the late withdrawal of midfielder Jake Sherwin meant a change of shape was necessary and Carter reverted to the 4-4-2 formation which has served the team well of late. Alan Davies came into the starting XI to replace Will Carter who decided to drop himself to the bench despite finding form over the last two games, netting in both. Andy Harris dropped into central midfield to partner skipper Scott Sharples and defenders Michael Jocelyn and Danny Stacey returned to their usual full back positions. Striker John Tilbury made the starting XI as an emergency central defender, having only arrived back in the UK at 4.00GMT from a holiday in North Africa.
The game kicked off and F.C. Lions flew out of the traps, looking to play the crisp, passing football that they've been instructed to play where possible this season. Keegan Casey, playing with a point to prove after his dismissal the previous week, was immediately in the thick of the action, battling impressively on the right flank and winning several free kicks with sheer perseverance to win the ball. Unfortunately the Lions weren't able to capitalise on the following inch perfect balls Tilbury was dropping onto the penalty spot time and time again.
A couple of moments later, Casey again won a free kick, which he took himself, and this time saw his fizzing effort deflected off the wall and inches past the far post.
The Lions had the best of the play in the first 10 minutes, but it was Penfold who came closest to taking the lead, when top scorer Reece Rutley saw his snapshot from 20 yards smash against the Lions crossbar, replays showed 'keeper Tom Stevens may have got the faintest of fingertips to the effort.
A couple of successive Penfold corners afterwards were adequately dealt with by a Lions back four that have been growing in resilience of late, before Scott Sharples wriggled free and proceeded on a run down the left channel before seeing his effort hit the outside of the near post and away to safety, much to the relief of the Penfold manager who was growing increasingly frustrated with his sides inability to get a foothold in the game, such was the Lions dominance.
With about 25 minutes on the clock Alan Davies was put through one on one with the Penfold keeper and when it looked as though for all the world, Davies would open his Lions account that had now stretched to 9 games including pre-season friendlies, he delayed showing his hand for a fraction too long and the keeper dived at his feet and ushered away the danger. It was head in the hands stuff for gaffer and acting linesman Carter, who couldn't quite believe the Lions weren't 1-0 up.
Penfold eventually clicked into gear and had had a fair share of possession, but ultimately the Lions rear guard stood up to the challenge and prevented any serious attempts on Stevens' goal. Michael Jocelyn and then John Tilbury providing last ditch tackles to aid the cause.
With 5 minutes before the end of the half, Keegan Casey's direct running committed an array of challenges from some desperate Penfold defenders, but Casey worked his way through them all and bore down on goal, from an acute angle he was presented with a similar one-on-one chance as what Davies has previously spurned, but this time he shot wide with the outside of his foot from the edge of the 6 yard box, It was again, head in your hands stuff and Carter's expletives could be heard from one side of the pitch to the other.
Just before the half time whistle blew, Lions keeper Tom Stevens produced an unbelievable save low down to his right as Rutley managed to get free of the Lions defence for the first time in the half.
Half Time F.C. Lions 0-0 Penfold
Manager Carter produced his half time team talk, and not quite believing how the score was still level, proceeded to instruct his troops to carry on the way they were going and eventually the goal would come. This was a feeling echoed by the majority of the team, as it was felt the Lions were on top and had caused the bigger problems in the game. No changes were made and it was "as you were" at the start of the second period of play.
With little of note in the opening 10 minutes of play, the only talking point was Carter calling an offside decision against Penfold forward Reece Rutley, that prompted a furious response from the wobbly frame of the Penfold manager, Carter took exception to this, and a fiery exchange of words followed between the two before referee Neeson intervened.
As Carter took himself off for a pre-appearance wee and a quick warm up, things on the pitch took a turn for the worst and the game almost descended into a farce, as Lions striker Ben Phippen appeared to be on the receiving end of an attempted head butt by an ageing Penfold Centre Half. Somehow the referee failed to see this and the alleged perpetrator escaped any punishment. This incident was still simmering for the rest of the game.
With 55 minutes gone, Carter rung the first and only change of the game as far as the Lions were concerned, and brought himself on for Alan Davies who hadn't found much joy during the game. This change prompted a now customary negative reaction from Davies and words were exchanged between the pair during the crossover, with Carter making his feelings on the reaction known, as Davies left the field. In truth either striker could've been replaced as Ben Phippen, apart from the occasional glimpse of quality, also struggled to make an impact up front up to this point.
With 65 minutes on the clock, the same player that had headbutted Phippen, received a dose of karma, when suffering a suspected torn hamstring, stretching for a challenge, and had to be replaced immediately.
On 72 minutes, the game eventually saw it's first goal and against the run of play the Home side took the lead when a mix up between Phippen and Tilbury allowed Rutley all the time in the world to clip an effort over the onrushing Stevens and into the net, to give Penfold a fortunate lead. It was frustrating stuff, but the boys in blue had been issued instructions to play for 95 minutes whatever the score before the game, and soon showed their strength of character when first Keegan Casey, atoning for his dismal display last game, beat the keeper at the near post following a Scott Sharples' delightful pass down the wing (77min) and then Ben Phippen (86) lashed home from the edge of the box, following an incisive run from and clever lay-off by Carter. All of a sudden the pendulum had swung and it looked as though the Lions would hold on to record their second successive League victory. However this was not to be. As the game entered the 90th minute, a sloppy pass forward from winger Royan Collins was intercepted and pumped forward into the Lions box, Tilbury headed the danger away for a corner, and from the resulting corner, Penfold's number 5, Tom Brown, capitalised on some slack defending to head home at the near post to earn his side a last minute share of the spoils.
All in all, an entertaining match that the Lions deserved to win, but as has been the case with the majority of games this season, that wasn't to be. Lessons learned, things to improve on and experiences gained that will only serve to better the Lions in the future.
Man of the Match - Michael Jocelyn. Another steady, consistent performance that finally gets him the credit he deserves.
