Another Sunday morning where we didn’t have a keeper but Rooney’s brother did a favour for us and went between the posts but unfortunately he was beaten FOUR times.
The only plus side before the game is that we were privileged to have two subs that we could call upon.
Phil came back into the team after a while out and there was some shuffling in the pack due to other players coming into the team and others missing!
We anticipated a tough game against a team that was well established in the met league but as the first half went on we were by far the better team looking more of a threat and most likely to score and it was us that broke the deadlock when the keeper spilled a shot from Ben T and Phil was on hand to drive home from the edge of the box. In truth we could have two or three by this time but we couldn’t take any of our early chances. The fact that we was only one up with 2 minutes to go till half time ended up costly because after a couple of ricochets between players on the edge of the box and Sean lying in a heap after a crack on his toe the ball broke to their striker who had time to slide the ball past Adam in goal to equalise, to be fair the keeper got a hand to it but it just wasn’t enough and it was a half the stand-in keeper wasn’t really troubled.
Half time 1-1
With Sean having to go off at half time Lynchy was brought on and there was some reshuffling in the team with Wayne dropping back to partner Rhys in the centre of defence.
The second half started with Caribb starting to get a foot in the game and the half was barely 5 minutes old when a shot from the edge of the box went through a crowd into the bottom corner to give the home team a lead for the first time in the match.
Even though the keeper said he could have done better there was no blame put at his door.
After this goal the boys heads did start to drop and in all honestly it was hard for us to see how we could get back into this game but with some of the players we have they never give up and that is what happened 10 minutes later when Rooney got to the by line and crossed for Phil to score his second with a glancing header. Not bad for someone on their return to the side!
We had the belief now that we could go on and get something but everything we tried to do to go forward the Caribb defence stopped us in our tracks and they made us pay with a flowing move forward which ended them beating the offside trap and being one on one with our keeper and slipped it under him to go 3-2 up, with only 15 minutes to go Wayne asked if he could go up and try and get a leveller and I said yes.
Looking back that probably wasn’t the best decision ever because the team was looking tired and fitness was staring to show and the fact it left Kav, Rhys and Terry on there own against a now rampant Caribb who were looking for more and they did get their fourth with a goal which was similar to the third when they all managed to stay onside and come bearing down on goal with only the keeper to beat and did easily.
We now just wanted the final whistle and when it came the boys looked shattered but also knew that this team wasn’t great but without the right personnel it was never going to be easy.
On another day that could easily have been 4-2 the other way but it wasn’t to be and must now look forward to this Sunday and start thinking about climbing up the division 1 table.
