14/08/11: Kings Arms FC (6) v (5) New Derby
Scorers: Gourlay (pen), Scott, Young 2, Thompson
Starting Team: Udale (GK), Stothard, Horn (c), Scott, Bunyan, Mather (Young), Binks, Gourlay, Dodsworth, Thompson, Calvert (Boiston)
Subs (Unused): Cruddace, Fullard
Yellows: None
Reds: None
The New Derby started life in Division Two with a narrow 6-5 defeat to Kings Arms FC following a pulsating second half. The Derby were left to rue a lacklustre first half display whilst they were also guilty of allowing their opposition to score some extremely soft goals.
Derby manager, Scott Linton was faced with a tricky team selection as he was missing at least five of his squad due to a number of reasons ranging from work to injury. Steve Udale got the nod in goal with last season’s number one keeper, Jordan Stothard, starting at right back such was the shortage of defenders. Paul Bunyan made his New Derby competitive debut at left back.
The New Derby started nervously and seemed slightly overawed but their opponents. They were guilty of giving Kings Arms FC too much time in possession and struggled to put together any moves of note themselves.
Kings Arms won a succession of corners but the Derby defended stoutly and as the first half reached its midway point the scores were still level.
Steve Udale came to the Derby’s rescue just before the half hour mark when he made a brilliant reaction save, throwing up his right hand to divert a point blank range header wide of the post.
That reprieve didn’t last long for the boys in blue though as a couple of minutes later, Kings Arms FC took the lead. The Derby defence were at sixes and sevens and last season’s Divison Two leading scorer, Jon Nicholson, picked up the ball just inside the box and guided a left foot shot into the bottom left hand corner.
The Derby tried to respond and a surprisingly subdued, Rob Calvert, drilled a left footed effort wide whilst Martin Thompson was also denied by a fine last ditch challenge following his clever turn inside the area.
Kings Arms almost doubled their advantage just before the break but the referee rightly chalked off a headed goal for offside.
Scott Linton voiced his disappointment with his side’s first half performance at the break and asked everyone to raise their game. Linton also made a sub withdrawing the clearly under the weather, Calvert and bringing on Dec Boiston.
Linton’s request was immediately responded to by his players as moments after the restart they levelled proceedings. Following some good play down the Derby left a Dodsworth pass into Thompson saw the forward cleaned out from behind by a Kings Arms defender. Referee, Michael Crowe, had no hesitation in pointing to spot despite the vehement protests from Kings Arms defenders that their player had actually played the ball. Replays showed that although the centre half won the ball he steamrollered through the back of Thompson to do so. With usual spot kick taker, Calvert, off the pitch Dave Gourlay took on the responsibility and he coolly slotted home his penalty sending the keeper the wrong way in the process.
The Derby were not level for long as they conceded three times within a crazy twelve minute period. All three goals were as a result of long balls downfield which were not dealt with by the Derby defenders. For each goal, a Kings Arms player was allowed an easy tap in and Steve Udale in goal had absolutely no chance with any of the goals.
The Derby didn’t give up though and a skilful volleyed effort from Sam Scott made the score 4-2. After Dave Gourlay’s corner was headed out to him just inside the box he fired an acrobatic volleyed effort into the bottom left hand corner, the ball taken out of the keeper’s reach thanks to a slight nick off a Kings Arms defender. The goal was not too dissimilar in ution to that scored by Sunderland player, Sebastian Larsson, a day earlier.
A couple of minutes later and it was a case of game on again as the Derby reduced the gap to one. After some good interplay between Bunyan and Dodsworth down the left, Bunyan swung over a left footed cross which, via a slight flick on by a Kings Arms player, found its way to substitute Adam Young at the back post and he cleverly re-directed the ball first time just inside the far post.
Kings Arms were now rocking and the Derby very much in the ascendancy. The away side were knocking the ball around well and were enjoying considerable joy down their left flank.
With around twenty minutes remaining though, and arguably against the run of play, Kings Arms pulled two goals clear again at 5-3. The Derby won a corner but once that was headed away, Kings Arms counter attacked at pace. With the Derby short of numbers defensively, Kings Arms neatly manoeuvred the ball around until a pass was slid in to the small striker and he rounded Udale before tapping the ball into the empty net from an acute angle.
The Derby refused to throw the towel in though and a couple of minutes later they reduced their arrears to one once more. Another good move down the Derby left saw Dodsworth skip past his marker and square the ball across the six yard box where Young was well placed to slide in his second of the game.
Shortly afterwards and the game was all level again. A perfectly weighted through ball from Graham Binks put Thompson through on goal. He did really well to hold off a Kings Arms defender before drilling a right foot shot past the keeper and into the bottom corner.
It was no more than the Derby deserved for a much improved attacking performance in the second period.
Just when it seemed like the Derby had done enough to secure a share of spoils they were hit by a sucker punch. Ben Horn stood off his opponent on the right wing and he delivered a cross into the box which saw a Kings Arms midfielder show more desire to attack the ball than his marker and he headed the ball in from close range.
The Derby tried everything possible in the dying stages to nick another equaliser including throwing Stothard forward as a makeshift striker but Kings Arms FC held on to pick up the three points.
The Derby must attempt to take the positives out of today’s game into their next fixture away at Ashbrooke on Tuesday evening.
