After last week’s good result we were expecting to build on this and gain another 3 points.
BUT WE FELL SHORT!!
The pitch couldn’t have been in any better condition when we turned up in West Wickham on Coney Hall Rec. The opposition of Palace Athletic were a new team to The Met League so we never knew what to expect at kick off.
From kick off we went at Palace all gun blazing. I know I weren’t the only player for us thinking that this should be a walk over!
Within the 1st 10 minutes we created two golden opportunities which on ANY other day we would have converted. The 1st one saw Barry go through on goal only to see his effort go wind of the far post. Straight after that Darren broke their off-side trap to gallop clear down the left. He done brilliantly to look up and pick out Ben T UNMARKED 4 yards out from goal. Ben must have thought (like the rest of us) that he had scored. His effort sliced off his studs and trickled towards goal but their covering defended got back to clear.
WE DIDN’T REALISE AT THE TIME HOW COSTLY THESE WOULD TURN OUT TO BE!!!
We struggled to keep the ball under control, maybe this was down to us missing Stocky in the middle who normally controls the game for us. This game would have been made for him! Even though the football wasn’t a good spectacle we were always in control. Palace never really threatened, Ben was just spectator for the 1st 45.
The half time team talk was a positive one and we were SURE the goals were to come!!
From kick-off again like the 1st 45 we were controlling the passage of play. THEN the inevitable happened!! From a catalogue of mistakes, Little Ben rushed his kick, their Midfielder headed unchallenged again, and our covering defender wasn’t GOALSIDE. Silly mistakes which gifted Palace a lucky goal.
Our heads dropped dramatically from the goal. We couldn’t take control of the game, but with Palace’s lack of ability we created chances. Taxi made a change on the left bringing on Phil for Darren L which made the difference.
Phil became a thorn in the Palace defenders back side. After some good creative play between Brad and Phil on the left they gave Darren B and golden opportunity to get us level. The ball bounced up in front of Darren B 1 YARD out, with the goal gasping he managed to fire miles wide. Darren would score 10 out of 10 in those positions!!
After persistent pressure we got a deserved leveller from another substitute. Taxi swapped Adrian for Nick and it was just what we needed, a fresh set of legs up top. We were awarded a free kick on the right about 25 yards out which Wayne took responsibility of. With everyone expecting him to shot, he chipped a delightful ball over across the box to the back post. Adrian who we knew is good in the air proved us right. He rose highest and nodded the ball back across goal into the far corner. GREAT HEADER AND JUST WHAT WE NEEDED!! Adrian’s celebration left something to be desired!!!!
With 8 minutes to go we knew we had the game in our hands. We did create one more CLEAR opening and it fell to Phil and Darren B. from some great wing play from Barry down the right, he managed to square the ball across goal to the back post. Phil was waiting patiently at back post to swing his trusty left foot through the ball. His effort annoyingly was straight down the keepers throat, but the rebound fell to Darren B who effort hit the defender on the line!
IT WASN’T GONA B OUR DAY AND SO IT PROVED!!
Final Score 1 – 1
Maybe next week with the likes of Stocky, Rhys and Rooney we can prove that we our a good team and deserve to be in the Metropolitan Division 1
