The Revs record vs Pathetic is not a good one, going right back to the 5aside days, but the gap between the sides on the pitch was definitely narrowing after recent slim losses.
The last few performances had also given the team renewed enthusiasm and belief.
The event started with a bit of laughter when P. Pinkstone slipped in warm up much to the amusement of the group, but once game time come everyone was focused.
Games against Pathetic are always good, honest affairs. Both teams are hardworking throughout and so it was no surprise this one played out like an arm wrestle in the early stages.
Pathetic struck first though after a deflected shot off J. Evans beat Steane at the near post to make it 1-0.
However, The Revs had played too well to be out of this and struck back almost straight away with L. Evans charging forward and sliding the ball into Beardall’s path for him to finely finish in off the far post to make it all square.
From this point it was all The Revs. Never have they dominated against a top team like this for such a long period of time. They pinned Pathetic in and crosses and shots reined in.
P. Pinkstone arrowing a ball in on the angle that J. Evans just couldn’t get a toe to. Hartrick playing a one two with J. Evans but his final shot lifted over the bar.
The breakthrough did eventually come though. J.Evans striding towards goal in a one on one situation drawing the keeper and passing to Hartrick who wasn’t going to miss such an invitation for his 17th of the season.
The Revs had upped it a gear and Pathetic could not handle it. The only negative is that The Revs should have killed the game in this period.
Alas though, moments later, in a rare attack from Pathetic, a long range effort ricocheted off Tyman and beat Steane once again at the near post.
It’s fair to say this was going against the performance and fairer still to say that Steane did not have a save to make during the game, no real chance anyway. Anything Pathetic threw at The Revs was snuffed out by the hardworking P. Pinkstone and the brute strength of L. Evans.
Beardall too was ploughing a furrow up and down the pitch, everyone stretching every sinew to win that ball back.
Well into the second half and the dominance continued. Some of the play was divine, I cannot stress that enough. Tyman was beginning to get more space in the middle of the park as he acted as an outlet from defence to attack. D.Pinkstone was running freely with the ball and whipping in dangerous crosses. In fact D. Pinkstone still feels aggrieved after been on the receiving end of a perfectly timed tackle from the opposition.
But it was a tackle of a different nature that changed the game.
With 6 minutes remaining, J. Evans put Hartrick through one on one with the keeper.
There was only ever going to be one winner as Hartrick feigned and then moved to his right to round the keeper who had committed. This would have left the goal wide open.
The keeper had other ideas though and launched himself through the air and clattering Hartrick, nowhere near the ball. The ref only seeing fit to sinbin the keeper for 2 minutes! Hartrick was unable to continue, in fact out of the game for at least the next 6 weeks.
Poor refereeing had robbed The Revs of a third goal and surely what would have been the winner.
And to add insult to quite literally injury, the opposition, with a minute to go, struck a third after J. Evans dived in vein to win the ball but was beat.
With less than a minute to go there was frenzied action as pressure from The Revs looking for the equaliser led to several corners. Pathetic did break away at one point, but the ever reliable P. Pinkstone intercepted and launched the ball up field.
That last minute seemed an age.
Beardall whipped in further kick ins and yet another corner, but the breakthrough did not come.
Then out of nowhere the opposition managed a counter attack and finished the game off on the full time whistle with a 4th to take them into 2nd spot… Heart break at the end.
No way did The Revs deserve a 4-2 loss, in fact they would have been disappointed by a draw after the way they had played.
It’s the last game next week as the curtain falls on a terrific 2nd season.
It would certainly be good to cap it with a victory!
