Following the home fixture against Southwell Colts it was decided that we would play a 4-3-3 style formation utilising 2 wide forwards dropping to fill the wide midfield areas.
We had a great chance in the first half minute, Simon was sent clear but his early shot was charged down by the advancing keeper. This was the only real chance in the early part of an evenly matched 1st half. We had to wait until the 18th minute for the next decent chance. A free-kick from Aiden was floated into the box towards an unmarked Foxy. It just didn’t carry enough for him to get his head to the ball and as he tried to control it, the ball was nicked away from him. Dom and Corie each managed to play a ball through for Simon but both times Southwell’s centre back got a foot in to snuff out the danger.
Southwell’s first real chance came on 26 minutes when they burst through the left channel but the shot grazed the crossbar. Moo didn’t seem to be coping with the 4-3-3 system so Ollie came on to the left with Foxy moving to the right. We gave away the ball on the left side of midfield while Aiden had gone forward on an overlap. The Southwell right winger strode forward; Adam narrowed the angle and forced the forward to shoot just wide. With a minute to the break Corie played a great diagonal ball, right to left. Ollie got to it on the corner of the box but the keeper slid in and whipped the ball away with a great tackle. Then some good short passing down the left involving Wraggy and Ollie sent Corie through to the bye-line. His cross was met by Foxy who made no mistake from 6 yards out to give us a deserved 1-0 lead.
Ryan told us he didn’t feel comfortable at centre back, so we brought Nev on in his place.
Southwell came out stronger in the 2nd half and Adam had to make a good double save to prevent the home team equalising. Then it was our turn to press and we had 3 or 4 minutes good attacking play which was matched with some solid defending.
Southwell forced a corner on 53 minutes, the ball was swung in superbly and Brad had to head clear on the goal line. The clearance went to the wide man who chipped it into the net from the touchline to make it 1-1. We put Cammy on for Foxy and Ryan back on at right back for Elliot. Southwell almost took the lead on the hour mark with a cross that dipped over Ryan’s head but came back off the post for him to clear. Then Nev landed badly twisting his ankle so Jack went on at right back and Ryan moved back to the middle. On 65 Wraggy found Cammy in space but his shot was blocked then Jack sent a great pass to Cammy on the right. His turn left the full back for dead and he fed the ball into the box, we just couldn’t get a shot away. The game ebbed and flowed, with one team pressing then the other. The next big chance came our way on 72 minutes when Wraggy burst into the left side of the area and chipped the ball goalwards. The keeper managed to stretch and catch the ball above his head. Elliot then replaced Adam in goal.
With only 3 minutes to go a long throw from Dom reached the goalmouth, we had two good shots blocked and then a massive scramble in front of net before Southwell cleared.
Then 2 minutes into the 3 added for stoppages a Southwell snap shot was pushed off the post and behind by Elliot. The corner came across and bounced about the 6 yard box before Brad headed away. But the ball hit a Southwell player bounced off him onto the post and trickled in to give them a fortunate victory and us another undeserved defeat.
We had played really well, the different formation seemed to do as was intended. Man of the Match was awarded to Connor, he had a great game and his tackles, interceptions and reading of the game broke down numerous Southwell attacks before they became chances
Well played, lads!
One final comment has to be about the referee. It is such a refreshing change to have a ref that take charge of a game without actually controlling which team comes out on top. Great performance from Stewart Ingleby.....”Can we have you every week...”
