Managers Notes:
I think complacency cost us in this game today. By far the flattest performance from the whole team, we seemed to lose our way entirely. Credit to Faversham, they wanted to win this one and in all honestly we sat back and watched them, they didn’t need to be good and in the end if hadn’t been for the back four and Lewis Thacker’s second half performance in goal it could have been more. The manner in which we lost the game was very disappointing for me, we can’t afford to go 3 goals down first half.
Well done to Farjad for a very good debut perfomance.
Man of the Match Lewis Thacker.
Sorry for posting up the details so late for this one.
Many thanks to Alex Steine once again for the match report. Enjoy!
Today we lost our way in the fog and with it our unbeaten record. Sad to report but I believe the loss was justified on the balance of play - though it hurts me to say this. It was a very disappointing result for all concerned; we knew we were the better of the two sides involved with every player putting in a sterling performance - we were just not effective enough on the day. How did we lose then?
Well, I think we failed to organise in a way to get the best from the defensive midfield responsibilities. Visually we had a straight back line throughout all performing to the best of their abilities plus an inspired keeper. Casting a look up field, too often we had a static attack with our midfield charging forward to support them. The gap between the front line and defence was, in my opinion, where we lost the game. There were finer aspects too, the forwards didn't always drop deeper when required. Most of the opponents game was 'long ball' stuff, pretty basic and limited, however they had some individual players that could sometimes take advantage of that style of play over the course of a game. That we repelled most attacks speaks volumes for our defence and keeper because we could have suffered a bigger defeat. Tom Skinner was always barking instructions with a constant theme of encouragement. That we soldiered on, dragging back two goals and nearly rescued the game from the fire is a fitting tribute to our resolve, our spirit, and not least our footballing skills-why Tom Skinnerwas still shouting encouragement to the troops as he left the field in a tactical substitution. Unfortunately, our attempts weren't enough. Giving a team a three goal lead ensures that a mountain has to be climbed. We must remove the fixed mentality of, 'we can just outscore' the other team - it didn't happen on Sunday, and is an unhealthy approach if it isn't nipped in the bud. You are probably the best footballing team in the division, but if the discipline and organisation isn't there we will be picked off by other lesser sides, as Sunday's result proves.
Despite the previous paragraph we began confidently. An early shot by Marcus (who had an outstanding game) from a corner went wide; Sam got to a ball which also went wide but the signs were not too good even at this stage as holes were appearing between attack and defence. Just over halfway through the first period a raking pass found their forward, he took the ball on and fired past a helpless Lewis, 1-0, and it was just too easy for them. Michael in defence was winning crunching tackles for fun, but then the lad does have an odd sense of humour. On the 27th minute Charlie Steine, who had tracked a player across field won the ball in our left back position. Admirable work ethic, but it rung alarm bells even louder that a right winger needed to be in a diametrically opposed position on the pitch. In the nineteenth minute Lewis, exposed yet again charged from his line colliding with the forward. A yellow card was offered - this 'taking out' style needs to be guarded against as this is the second time in three games this has happened but beyond this it is proclaiming that the keeper has been exposed once more by the men in front of him. It's last ditch defending. I felt the game, our play, had become entrenched as two separate entities - those attacking and those defending. Did it seem this way to those on the pitch?
The game became bitty and it was a time for us to take control, but we never changed our system and still the likelihood of being caught out was on the cards. In the thirty third minute they obtained a free header from a corner and the ball was planted in the net, 2-0. This was nothing to do with 'cavalier style' attacking, but a simple case of not marking their runners - organisation required! We offered little resistance when three minutes later another long pass found their forward in a dangerous position on the edge of the box, a turn, pass, and the ball whistled past our defenders, and quickly found itself nestling in the back of our goal, 3-0. These hopeful and uninspired long balls put us under pressure when they should have been swept away, as they usually are. At this stage the game was almost up, but within ninety seconds, carrying the ball deep, Charlie Steine gave a great defence splitting pass which found Sam. Sam controlled the ball, looked up and slid the ball past the keeper with a really deft stroke. Sam had at last broken his duck. It was now 3-1 and we had a foothold in the game. The half time whistle blew; what would the second half bring?
Our second half contribution was huge; take heart from the spirit and determination the whole team displayed lads - as well as being perhaps arguably the best footballing side in the division, you are also the pluckiest. Faj had come on and showed great involvement in his debut game. His skill is obvious and our forwards began to function, however this affected the balance in the side somewhat. Callum had another fine game, and one free kick only just cleared the bar with the keeper leaden footed on his line. Great interpassing between Mateusz, Callum, Charlie Steine, Sam, Sean, Delroy and Faj posed a constant threat to the opposition's goal and for long periods they were under the cosh. On one occasion Mateusz linked with Marcus and his through ball found Sam who hit their post with a shot, however once more I must stress our ascendancy came at a price - we were very vulnerable to their rare but decisive counter attacks. Lewis had to make two or three top class saves to keep us in the game and Galin now on in defence was kept busier than we would ideally want to see one of our defenders worked. On that subject Michael and Charlie Howard worked their socks off, however they found it made their feet sore so they put them back on! Great defending though, throughout. Our defence performed as if they were at the 'Alamo', but 'do or die' defending, though exciting, always has spectators on edge.
On the one hour mark Michael under pressure from a forward, passed to his nearest teammate Charlie Howard; he had to release the ball hurriedly with a long kick, but the ball soon came back. The forward brought a really outstanding save from Lewis but the rebound presented another attacker with an open goal, as the ball fell to his feet; somehow Marcus appeared from nowhere scooping the ball off the line - we were still in it . In the sixty fourth minute there was another good take by Lewis, he found Charlie Steine and a trademark run by him carried the ball into the danger zone. A tackle came in and he released the ball sooner than he wanted with a poking pass. This fell to Sam who's instinctive reaction was to stick out a boot and he touched the ball past their helpless keeper, 3-2. So Sam's goals were just like buses, you wait ages for one, then two come along together! Nice repetition, two goals from Sam, and both assists from Charlie Steine - well done on a nice brace Sam.
There followed a lot of intense pressure from us in trying to rescue the game; their isolated long ball attacks relieved the pressure on their defence somewhat - and in this it always presented the likelihood of them scoring. Much of our play still being very gung ho, was cranked up another level in our bid to save the match. In the seventieth minute under pressure from one such skirmishing attack Marcus arrived at the last minute to rescue the situation with a wonderful interception. He played it and the ball cannoned off our post - Marcus has the skill to play a one-two off his own goal post - but the drama wasn't over in this attack. The ball fell to an attacker and Lewis was adjudged to have taken the man before the ball. Our defence protested his innocence, but the decision mattered not as Lewis made a tremendous save from the resulting penalty, 3-2 and still in it! Unfortunately the score remained thus at the final whistle.
A disappointment that we dropped three points, but if it serves as a warning and more emphasis is placed on constructive support of our defence, it may yet be overcome. We still sit in second place, so on to next week and a different outcome please, gentlemen. Thank you for an exhilarating ride, just a pity we came away empty handed, make our next opponents suffer, please.
