ome nights are better than others. The Revs have more than their fair share of bad ones but last night, despite the result, was a good one all in. A very good one in fact.
All the usuals were injured, Jamie Allen had his basket-weaving class and James Evans was on holiday, but the Revs lined up with Olly in goal, the Pinkstone brothers at the back, Ty and Gaz in midfield and Matty up front. With Lew on the bench ready to come on this was still a strong side but there was no confidence in the warm up due to the opposition being top of the table.
After a nervy first 5 something happened. Despite being on the back foot and having watched the post and bar coming to our rescue, we started putting a few passes together. Top of the league they maybe but we started to fancy it. Even going a sloppy goal down didn't seem to dent the growing confidence and we were playing some nice stuff.
Then it happened. In no particular order the best three things in football are:
1. A goal going in off the underside of the crossbar 2. A dog running onto the pitch 3. A goalkeeper scoring a goal
Olly came out and took the ball from an overhit through ball and wandered forward. The Revs, well up for this now, loaded the box and Olly hit it from his own half looking to cause mayhem up top. A nervous goalkeeper and a load of jostling later and Olly watched the ball dip and drop straight in for the equaliser. It's no exaggeration to say there are bits of the bible that aren't as dramatic or as good as that.
The Revs being the Revs, after a moment that was up there with all our wedding days then we conceded an incredibly sloppy goal and went into halftime 2-1 down. As everyone walked off the Revs devilishly handsome manager for the night called them all together to point out that this lot were leaving acres of space up top and to hit it long. Long ball may not be the Revs way but if it worked for Jack Charlton, it might work for us.
The second half was the best we've played in months. With a tactic that worked and confidence growing throughout we pushed them back and scored a brilliant equaliser as Ty won the ball just outside our box, worked it wide and then hit Gaz long who had the freedom of their half to take the ball on and score.
Then the chances to win the game came and went. Another night and Dave Pinkstone scores the cutback from his brother. Another night and Gaz or Ty's shots don't get blocked by last ditch challenges. Another night and Matty's back heel goes in. Another night and Ty's header nestles into the corner. We were all over the league leaders, even stringing 4 and 5 pass moves together from one end of the pitch to the other. Lovely stuff.
We did get done by a last minute goal but who cares? This game was fun to play in, the Revs genuinely set out second half to win and came ridiculously close to doing so. A game we'd made our minds up we'd lost in the warm up finished with us bitterly disappointed not to have won and reflecting on 5 really good chances to do so.
We won't always get sucker punched like this but if we play that again, we won't be behind either. Onwards and upwards, lets take that into next week.
RTID
