A much needed return to winning ways after last week's frustrating draw as the Lions end a good 2012 on a high.
Line-up:
Phil (GK)
Dale (RB), Matt R (CB), Rich (CB), Kyle (LB)
Nathan (CM), JP (CM), Lee (CM)
Gary (RF), Scott (CF), Kev (LF)
It was only three weeks ago that we had thrashed Castle Hill 9-0 but no-one was expecting a repeat as they were bound to be well up for restoring some pride after that result. And so it proved as we struggled badly in the first 25 minutes. We were losing out on 50/50 challenges, we weren't getting shots on target and we weren't closing down their midfield quickly enough to stop their long balls forward. They were having a real go and we simply couldn't deal with it.
That said, although we had to do a lot of defending, we did it very well and they didn't have much in the way of shooting opportunities. The only save I had to make was from Gary booting the ball towards the wrong end in frustration after conceding a free-kick. At the other end, Kev got a couple of shots away which didn't find the target and Gary brought a decent save from the keeper when through on goal.
We weren't playing that well, but we still took the lead when Matt knocked the ball forward for Lee to win the header and put in Scott, who deftly guided a low shot past the keeper. A minute later it was two as the oppo managed play themselves into trouble straight from the restart. Their right back found himself chasing after an errant backpass but Kev beat him to it and this time found the net with his shot.
After that, we settled down and started to play proper football, controlling the game and winning the challenges where we had previously been second best. Kev came close to tapping in a cross from Gary and JP (I think) saw a free-kick come off the bar before half-time came with the two-goal cushion a fair reflection of the way the first 45 had gone.
In the second half, we continued as we'd left off and soon had another goal. Not sure about the build-up to be honest, just remember Scott receiving the ball with his back to goal in the middle of the area, pivoting and sending his shot over the keeper into the back of the net.
The oppo hit the junction of post and bar with a free kick and a low, well-struck, swerving shot had to be scrambled away, but that was the extent of the threat they offered. We wrapped up the points in slightly bizarre fashion when a free kick from JP just inside their half managed to find its way past everybody and end up in the net.
So we end the year with another 3 points, up to fourth in the table with games in hand on most teams around us, only two goals conceded in the last 4 games and in the fourth round of the County Cup. 2012's been pretty good to the Lions, let's hope 2013 is even better. See you next year.
