a scrappy game on a coldish wet easter sunday against a team near the bottom and also overshadowed by the 2 semi-finals on nearby pitches (quarry green getting beat in extra time they must have been playing for penalties tee hee!) this was never going to be a classic ,but even so our 1st half performance was still way under par for what we expect this season. we had to make a change with john out kev colfar started up front and doffo dropping back to right mid. the start was slower than we usually are used to with the passing sloppy and the movement lethargic. it took us 15 minutes to have our first shot,but on 22 minutes a bit of class when craig ran at them beat a man played it to rolos feet on the edge of the area who turned his man and smashed it in to the bottom corner for 1-0 a really good goal out of keeping with the rest of the game. robbo then made a good save tipping a long range shot round the post but other than that they offered little or nothing in attack,so it was somewhat of a shock when A they forced acorner just before half time and B actually equalised the ball coming off one of our players though no-one was sure who touched it(dothey alan ,think hes making a late run for top scorer!) robbo looked like he had palmed it out but the ref gave the goal.
so for only the 2nd time this season i had to have a go at the lads for the way they were playing but to be fair most of them didnt need telling.but for whatever reason we started the 2nd half looking a bit more kike our usual selves and the lead was restored within 2 minutes,after pressure from the kick off it ended in a scramble that was half cleared ended up with rolo on the edge of the area he beat a couple of men looked to be tripped nut the penalty was given for a handball when a defender on the ground palmed it away from his feet. craig then stepped up and placed it perfectly in the corner. unfortunately the game reverted back but this time with us well on top but playing better with in most cases just the final pass or finish letting us down as with a bit more composure or better decision making with the final pass we would have made the game safe a lot earlier. it took a shock to our system to wake us up and make the game safe, as on 65 minutes one of their players hit one with venim from around 25 yards which robbo did brilliantly to dive full length and tip onto the post and the ball flew back out. we then regained possession went up the other end forced a corner which paul hilton came across to take for a change he hung it up on the back post for ross to rise highest and nod home from close range.talking about it after the game was the first time i have ever heard the word salmonesque used in sunday league football!
so with the game safe and their heads down we played the rest of the game out at our leisure managing to miss a couple more decent chances,we were able to give viney a decent runout at right back switching paul hilton to left mid and putting kav out of his misery as he endured one of those games where nothing goes right weve all had at one time or another. which now leaves us to concentrate on thursday and pumptec lose and it will virtually give them the title get revenge for an undeserved win against a depleted team earlier in the season the pressure will be all on them as they won the other semi yesterday they will have a lot of game to make up and we no from last season how that can take its toll. so niuce and early thursday and play to form we know we are more than capable of beating them so just up to you.
