The Lions and Elm Tree swapped own goals and shared the points as once again, the Lions failed to convert a hatful of clear-cut chances to come out on top in an entertaining game.
Line-up:
Dorian (GK)
Julian (RB), Matt R (CB), Phil (CB), Gary (LB)
Simon (CM), Dave (CM), Lee M (CM)
Kevin (CM/CF)
Kyle (CF), Scott (CF)
Spring is definitely here (at long, long last) as the sun was shining bright and warm and the pitch was rock hard with the ball bouncing high and horribly throughout the game.
The game was fairly even to start with and we created a few half chances. Kevin had a good run on the left which ended with a shot into the side netting. Simon, making a rare appearance in midfield, screwed a shot high and wide. Best of the chances in the first half fell to Scott and Kyle. Scott headed just wide from a few yards out when he went in at the back post to meet a cross from Kevin. Kyle did a wonderful half volley shot on the turn that hit the outside of the post.
At our end, they had a pacy winger on their left, who caused some trouble. Their best chances tended to come from corners and long throw-ins(I would have headed one in, if were not for Dorian punching the ball clear) and they put in a couple of crosses that became goalbound shots. On each occasion, Dorian managed to get the ball away from underneath the cross bar. I can't actually remember them taking a proper shot in the first half.
The one moment of goalmouth panic at our end in the first half, came from a low square ball put in from the byline. It was so close to the byline in fact, that as Dorian tried to take it, it he ended up in the goal He did keep his arms striaght out to keep the ball going over the line with him - but didn't quite manage it. The whole of the ball went over the line before he could push it out again. Their striker who was right there was already celebrating as I played on and whacked the ball away, but he wasn't so happy when he realised the ref hadn't actually given the goal. Actually, he was livid and understandably so, but as the Lions know all to well to their cost, the ref will only give what he sees...
So we could possibly have been ahead given the chances we had: we most definitely should have been behind, but we went in at half time all square.
Second half was more, much more of the same. We created shedloads of chances, some of them that just begged to be buried in the back of the net. Have to say that Scott was the main culprit, but Dave contributed a couple of howlers too, one from inside the area that went into the figurative Row-Z, the other which went out for a throw-in.
Think Dave's efforts actually came after the oppo's first goal whcih continued the Lions' not-so-fine tradition this season of handing out own goals. Quite literally in this case. Corner came in from our left and Dorian came out to meet it with a terrific right-handed punch. However, instead of shooting out of the area to safety, the ball bulged the back of our net. As own goals go, it was up there with Simon's volley from our first season. Almost wish this site allowed opponent's goals to be rated.
Our heads didn't go down though and we continued to battle and play decent football. Everybody was doing their bit and if anything, we were the better team in the second hallf. All the oppo were doing was running after their goalie's massive goal kicks that were bouncing just outside our area, whilst we were actually passing it around.
Our equaliser came from a quality bit of football all round. Simon got the ball on the right side of the pitch and worked his way up past a couple of defenders, looked up and floated a pass to Gary's feet on the left side outside the area. He took a touch and guided a shot over the keeper's dive into the top right corner. An exquisite Gary special to get our goal tally up and running again, but we were once again undone by a cormer soon afterwards. Corner from our left, their defender stooped to get in a header unchallenged and the shot evaded Julian on the back post.
Several seriously wayward shots later - thinking about it now, don't think their keeper actually made a save all match - and it was looking like the same old story until another run from Simon down the right got our second equaliser. He put in a low cross, which Scott almost put away, but the ball ended up being bundled in by their big centre back a yard or two from the goal line. Looked like he just couldn't get his legs out of the way, but by this stage we were grateful for anything.
There was time for another moment of desperation in our otherwise solid defence when another long ball from the keeper was run onto by their pacy guy up front, who slipped it past Dorian on our left and it was just creeping in at the near post. Matt did fantastically well to stop it going over the line by basically sitting on the ball and I managed to get it away. They did have a follow-up shot but in general I think their shooting was as bad as ours and it went wide.
So it ended honours even. A good match, but our play, especially in the second half, merited all three points. Two games left for us to reach 30 points and on the basis that anybody can beat anybody in this division (Surrey Wanderers beat The New Prince today), we're not certain to hold on to fourth spot with that points tally. We need to finish this season on a high, though. And score some ******* goals!
