Let’s start on a positive. The performance was 100 times better than the previous week. The Revs used the space, really piled on the pressure and P. Pinkstone was superb at the back, clearly his best game yet as he slowly gets to grips with the 6aside format.
However, it still ended in heart break as Echipa ran out unworthy winners, but took their chances – which were few and far between – much better than The Revs. Because let’s be honest, The Revs should have and could have been out of sight had Evans not squandered chance after chance.
So when Echipa took the lead from a corner, Pinkstone losing his man (his only mistake), it was totally against the run of play. However it wasn’t long before The Revs were right back in and once again hit back almost instantly. Beardall pressured their last man and then whipped in a delightful low ball from the resulting corner to the near post. Evans lost his man and met the ball with a flick goal bound where Steane pounced and smashed it in from close range for his first of the season.
Evans had plenty of chances to add to that team tally but something is not quite right in front of goal for him. When he did get the break the opposition tactically fouled or were un-sportsman-like – like kicking the spare ball in Evans’ direction when about to shoot on target. This led to a mild temper flare up, which was to be expected as these two teams knew each other well from their 5aside days.
There was some wonderful play and link up football played throughout though. Tyman working tirelessly up and down the pitch and Allen stroking the ball into space. Evans did all the right things, running, supporting, holding up play, but his final product was wasteful to say the least.
Beardall started to find his range also, whipping balls into dangerous areas. It really was all The Revs going into and coming out of half time. However, against the run of play, the opposition had a rare break leaving Pinkstone with a two on one situation. The ball was played out wide for their main moaner to score between a despairing Myers’ legs. And proceeded to brag about it.
This only served to wind The Revs up, with Tyman imposing himself in the middle and Pinkstone sweeping up all before him. At one point being left with another two on one situation but expertly dealt with it on this occasion. Steane was absolute pest to the opposition and the ref, with several hand balls designed to stop the opposition breaking, one of which could have seen him spend time in the sin bin.
With time ticking away Allen slotted a ball through to Evans, who successfully turned his man and sprinted away with only the keeper to beat, but agonisingly scuffed his shot allowing the keeper to extend a leg to deny the equaliser. Soon after Tyman had a close range effort, after turning his man from a Beardall corner, go just wide also.
With seconds left on the clock The Revs dominated, camped in the opposition half, but could not find the breakthrough. Evans once again on target but with a weak header after Beardall had chipped a ball into the danger zone. Echipa had left a man forward hoping for a half break which duly came, Tyman had run out of legs after running himself into the ground and their man skipped through to slot home a 3rd and with that the final whistle drew the game to a close.
Echipa relieved as essentially they did not deserve to win and The Revs gutted that it was 3 points lost. It was almost the perfect game with everyone at it for the full 40 minutes but a host of chances went begging and Echipa not punished as a result. Yes it was the best game The Revs had played so far, but that made it even more heart breaking.
There’s a break now for Bank Holiday, before the cup run starts again – and Echipa are faced once again. The second half of the season now looms and The Revs need to find their killer touch in front of goal sharpish!
