AS IN PREVIOUS years, Roos were without several key players due to work and the end of the cricket season as they opened their County League Division Three programme in Driffield last week and they crashed to a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Full Measure on a blustery sunny day.
Despite having a squad of 26 players, only 14 made the trip, but on current form, Roos certainly fancied their chances for an opening day success. Both sides found it tough going in the opening stages but with only one recognised striker available, the visitors were unable to make a serious challenge. Then with 17 minutes on the clock the hosts took the lead. A long throw into the box was rolling straight into the arms of Roos keeper Joe Taylor but a Full Measure player got the slightest of touches to divert the ball between the keeper’s legs to make it 1-0.
As the half wore on Roos began to play some attractive football, but they lacked a vital cutting edge at the business end of the field. Roos were then dealt a blow when James Dixon was forced to leave the pitch after 34 minutes and a re-shuffle saw Roos return to a conventional 4-4-2 formation, with Ash Snaith pushed into an unfamiliar strikers role.
The hosts squandered a couple of really good chances as the half neared its end, but the visitors were not really threatening the Full Measure goal despite some promising approach play.
After the break the home side should have doubled their lead on 48 minutes following a bad mistake by Martin Hairsine, but the chance was wasted.
Then on 61 minutes the home side went two up, a midfield player breaking through from deep before rounding Joe Taylor and finding the back of the net.
A goal for Roos looked highly unlikely as the game wore on but they were handed a lifeline on 72 minutes when the home keeper made a clumsy challenge on Jamie Mcfarlane and the referee awarded a penalty. Ash Snaith crashed the ball high into the roof of the net and it was game on.
However, some tame finishing by the visitors in the second half was to prove costly and on 82 minutes the hosts all but wrapped up the points as they converted a penalty after one of their players had been scythed down in the box.
In the tiring conditions, Full Measure were able to breach the Roos defence once more as two players beat the offside trap and worked the ball into the net on 89 minutes to complete a 4-1 success.
This was a disappointing opener for Roos, but with a much larger squad expected to be available for this Saturday’s trip to Brandesburton to meet their reserves, manager Les Sennett will be looking for a positive response from his players.
