It had been hammering down all week after last weeks game against Silhill was postponed but the sun was shining at the Mackadown today despite it being extremely cold. Smithswood were able to name an extremely strong side and their bench was phenomenal with some real firepower waiting to come on if needed. They lined up as follows
Grogan
Mayers, Rooke, Wilkins, Thompson
Thomas, Else, Short, Harris
Anderson, Evans
Subs
Harber, Keene, Hession, Wall, Sayer, Glenn
Wake Green currently sit in the bottom two of the table and they really looked up for having a go at the League leaders
Smithswood had an early chance as Thomas whipped in a cross, which the keeper smothered ahead of the outstretched Anderson
GOAL 1-0 Six minutes in Thomas has his corner cleared for the second time in succession but it landed straight back to him. He controlled it first time and shifted inside the defender and hit a bullet in the bottom corner.
Fantasy Update Scorer Thomas Assist
GOAL 1-1 Two minutes later a high ball from Wake Green caught Smithswood napping at the back and a free header is looped over the keeper
12 mins GOAL 1-2 Wake Green attacked down the right and hit a great shot which was saved down low by Grogan but the only player alert to the rebound was their striker who buried it. Grogan was unlucky
15 mins GOAL 1-3 A high ball in from Wake Green is won by their striker and the knock on is met by his strike partner ahead of the defence who slots home easily.
Shortly after Smithswood suffer from more shocking defending which let's Wake Green in again and they drill a shot over the bar. Watching the game you would think Smithswood were the team in relegation trouble as they were losing all the second balls from knock ons all over the pitch.
Evans has a half chance from Anderson's flick on but the keeper dives on the ball at his fee. As Ryder sends all the subs out to warm up as a warning Else gets past two defenders and tees up Harris who hits a pile driver from 25 yards just skimming the top of the bar. Much better from Smithswood but they are soon undone again, this time by the referees assistant.
24 mins GOAL 1-4 a through ball sends the striker through one on one with Grogan and he calmly slots home. The crowd isn’t happy as they are convinced he was off side.
Smithswood are restricted to long shots as Evans chips just wide from outside the area
30 mins GOAL 2-4 Thomas cuts inside from the wing and lines up Evans who drills it in top corner. Another fight back from Smitswood, they just need to make sure they don’t concede again so quickly like last time
Fantasy Update Scorer Evans Assist Thomas
31 mins Goal 2-5 The unthinkable happens as Smithswood give a goal up again within a minute of getting one back. Wake Green go straight down the other end and Smithswood fail to clear their lines and they lob the keeper
36 mins Harris plays Short wide and his cross is cleared. Evans then goes close from a corner but the keeper saves.
41 mins Good work from Thomas who sets up a chance for Short, which is saved well, and Wilkins goes close with a header from the resulting corner. Evans also goes close shortly after with another header from a corner.
Half Time: Smithswood 2 Wake Green 5
Ryder went berserk at his team at half time saying his team was like a bunch of strangers. There was no talking and it was like they weren't used to playing with each other. He made two changes at half time.
45 mins SUB Keen for Mayers and Wall for Wilkins
With the subs Thompson dropped into the center of the defence and Else went back to right back with Harris moving into the center of midfield with Anderson going wide left
48 mins GOAL 3-5 Smithswood came out firing. Keen was lively up front and the midfield dominated early play. Thomas slots Else in on an overlap who drills a low cross to Keen who at full stretch directs it in the net with his outstretched foot. A great team goal
Fantasy Update Scorer Keen Assist Else
A great corner from Thomas is headed just high by Evans as Smithswood have a real go at Wake Green. It’s all Smithswood over the next ten minutes as they create lots of chances down the wings with Thomas, Harris and Anderson having chances. Harris feeds Keen down the wing who crossed to Evans who volleys over the bar getting cramp in the process. Smithswood keep knocking on the door
Thomas and Else work hard to stop attacks down the right and Else feeds Keene wide right. His cross is just too high for Evans but another promising attack for Smithswood. Thomas then feeds Keene wide right and he steps in and fires over with his left foot.
61 mins Keene turns the left back inside out and fires low across the box. Evans gets ahead of the defender but just wide of the post
62 mins SUB Hession on for Anderson
62 mins GOAL 3-6 All Smithswoods battling and great attacking play is undone as Wake Green get through the defence again and hammer a shot past the keeper who has no chance. An uphill struggle for Smithwood now, they look deflated but with 30 minutes left they set about continuing to attack and create chances and hopefully be a little more clinical.
69 mins BOOKING Short is booked for a mistimed challenge but is showing some fight like the rest of the team
70 mins GOAL 4-6 Thomas and Short play an excellent one two and feed Keen who crosses in for Hession to score. You have to give SMithswood credit for not dropping their heads, they have 20 minutes to turn this game around
Fantasy Update Scorer Hession Assist Keen
73 mins Harris knocks a cross down from Else and drills hard and low but the keeper saves it
78 mins Keene gets in wide again from Thomas and his cross is blocked for a corner
79 mins GOAL 5-6 Thompson plays an inch perfect ball wide to Thomas who drives at the keeper. His shot bounces back to him and he squares it to Evans who calmly taps it in. The fight back is almost complete and Wake Green looked really tired as Smithswood dominated possession and chances in the second half
Fantasy Update Scorer Evans Assist Thomas
81 mins GOAL 6-6 Keen with a great run down the wing. He gave the full back nightmares in the second half. Keen lifts his cross to Thomas who slots home. It really was a great goal and an amazing comeback from Smithswood. There looked like only one winner in the game so it was now a case of Wake Green trying to hold out for the draw.
Fantasy Update Scorer Thomas Assist Keen
85 mins Another corner fired in and Evana gets up above everyone and unleashes a bullet header straight at the keeper. It hit him in the face, and bounced up and over the bar. An unbelievable save even if he didn’t know much about it. Thomas whips the next corner in and Keens header is saved as Smithswood go after the win.
Despite having more chances Wake Green held out for the draw and at the final whistle the score was Smithswood 6 Wake Green 6. A truly amazing game and a privilege to watch. It was a great advert for the Premier Division. It was a game of two halves for Smithswood. They simply were at their worst in the first half, but at their sublime attacking best in the second. They had just given themselves too much to try and make up, losing goals at crucial stages to constantly set themselves back.
