At the end of what has been a stifling week, a depleted Rovers took to the field on a muggy Sunday morning at GOALS Beckenham. They faced a rugged, new 3rd division outfit in Legends who also had late difficulty throwing a team together. Disappointingly the Blues were let down by too many people who shall remain nameless (Jake, Jo, Lewis & Ant...oops!) and were without the more reliable Terry (meta tarsal) and Chris (holiday).
The Blues should have heeded the warnings when in the very first minute the defence was shambolic and Luca cleared the ball off the line with the help of the post!
Responding well, but to what would turn out to also be their Achilles heal, Rovers passed the ball about and after 4 minutes Francis’ superb cross was spanked home by Lakey for 1-0.
10 minutes had passed when the effervescent Francis slipped the ball eloquently through to TJ who rounded the keeper to tap home for 2-0. Lakey should have made it 3 after only 15 minutes but shamefully headed wide with a free header.
3-0 soon came after 25 minutes with TJ slotting the ball through to his striking partner Dario who smashed the ball home for the first goal of his Rovers career. It all seemed too easy and this caused the foot to come off the pedal.
Young Daniel Robert Murray was brought on to add some much needed bite & experience to the team in a very unfamiliar fornt line role. He was tenacious but unable to add to the scoresheet. Better luck next time Minty (back in defence!).
Rovers still made in roads in to the Legend half but worryingly the defence was shaking. Captain for the day, George, had his usual shooting boots with him today and blasted a number over from distance. Then the lifeline the orange men were looking for. Keeper Sam chased a suicidal ball in to the right back corner and never made it. Scurrying back to deal with the resulting cross, the Legends striker rose, worryingly unchallenged, to head in to the bottom corner for 3-1 at half time.
Half time change were made and young debutant Ross Foreman was brought on to shore up the defence. His short ‘cameo’ was quite breathtaking, with the young 15 year old showing the ‘adults’ how it’s done.
Not long in to the 2nd half, the Blues were further in front. Man of the match and ‘assist king’ Francis setting up Lakey for his second as he poked the ball under the advancing keeper.
Then, like a cheap tent, a mini collapse. The ref, unassisted by linesmen today to be fair, missed the ball going out for a Rovers goal kick in a goal mouth melee. Legends making it 4-2 whilst the defence appealed in vain. Sam then had to pull off a magnificent save from close range, punching the ball to safety when another goal looked on the cards. Soon after tough it was 4-3! Sloppy defensive work again left a man open who did not miss.
On the hour Rovers thought that the game was safe when Rich latched on to another wayward Wootten shot to re direct the ball home for his first Rovers effort. But back came Legends to make it 5-4 as their player rose unchallenged to head home from a corner.
Manager Steve decided it was time for a change and brought himself on to bring that ‘older head’ to bear. His influence was instant and showed the younger boys how to cope with what they will have to deal with week in, week out when the season starts.
65 gone and a Francis cross hit the bar as Rovers woke up. Lakey was guilty again of a shocking miss on 75, yet again with the head.
Then the game was finally put to bed on 78. Robbie crossed to TJ, he controlled well, rounded 2 defenders before smashing the ball home for his 2nd of the game.
Eventual deserved, yet fortunate winners, a tired and jaded G&S left the ‘battlefield’, hopefully with some lessons learned. Despite racking up their 5th consecutive friendly victory, they must go in to the 2 week break with these thoughts. WE ARE NOT INVINCIBLE. WE SHOULD THINK OF OUR TEAM MATES BEFORE HITTING THE TILES THE NIGHT BEFORE A GAME. POOR EXCUSES FOR NOT SHOWING UP ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE. AND FINALLY WE AIN’T FIT ENOUGH SO BEST GET BUSY DURING THE BREAK OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
