ANOTHER SUNDAY MORNING THAT ENDED IN DISAPPOINTMENT!!!
At the beginning of the season we had 17 players turning up week in, week out. Today we had 10 players till 5 minutes before kick-off, when Bradley who had parted company with us a month ago showed up to watch. We kitted him up and that made the starting 11.
Two of the most noticeable absentees were Captain Stocky, who instigates every team move and Darren who has just got his scoring boots on. MAYBE WITH THE TWO OF THEM THE RESULT WOULD OF BEEN VERY DIFFERENT?
From kick off we knew Groundhoppers were a totally new team from last year. They were passing and moving and were leaving us for dead.
Hoppers got the deserved lead from some slick passing down their right side, which saw a great cross into the heart of our area. The smallest player on the pitch was Groundhoppers Captain and he run onto the ball unmarked and volleyed into the top left corner. GREAT TEAM MOVE AND THEY WERE TOTTALLY ON TOP!
This gave us the kick we needed and we responded well. We started to play the ball on the deck and got our more creative players on the ball. Rooney up top was very secluded, when the ball was played up to him there weren’t players busting a gut to help him like in previous weeks. This was the 1st time 4–5-1 didnt work!!
We got our break out of nothing. Wayne picked out the pass of the game. In a blink of an eye Wayne looked up and spotted Barry’s run. The 30 yard pass landed in front of Barry who just lobbed it over the advancing keeper with his 1st touch. GREAT FINISH BUT CREDIT TO WAYNE FOR THE BALL!!
We finished the half well on top but couldn’t get the break-through, the most memorable chance fell to Phil. The chance was instigated by some awesome creative work by Nick in the centre midfield, Phil smashed the ball and it was heading for the far corner but the keeper was more than equal to it.
HALF TIME 1 – 1 AND WE THOUGHT THAT THE GAME WAS THERE TO BE WON!!
To some the second half up in one word it would be “RUBBISH” we didn’t play any type of football and were lucky to finish the game only losing by a goal.
The only chances we created throughout the half were from free-kicks around Groundhoppers penalty area. We had 5 direct free-kick attempts from different angles around the box and fail to hit the target once!? ON A NORMAL DAY WE WOULD OF TROUBLED THE KEEPER WITH EVERY CHANCE!!!
Like I said earlier Hoppers were in total control all the way through the half, if it wasn’t for Little Ben as usual in goal we could have been on the wrong side of a hefty defeat.
Hoppers had a goal disallowed half way through the half. Their striker blatantly knocked the ball out of Ben’s safe hands and tapped in into the goal. THE REF GAVE THE GOAL TO OUR DISBELIEF!! After some protests we managed to get the Ref to talk to the lines man who had a clear view, luckily the Ref done the right thing and gave us the free-kick. JUSTICE DONE!
Hoppers did take the lead, but it was boarder line offside in my opinion. Their winger broke in from our left unchallenged and brought a good save from Ben but luckily slotted home the rebound.
THAT ENDED UP AS THEIR DESERVED WINNER!!
WE WASNT GOOD ENOUGH FROM START TO FINISH, HOPEFULLY NEXT WEEK WE HAVE A FULL TEAM SO WE CAN GET REVENGE WHEN WE PLAY GROUNDHOPPERS AT HOME!!
