The Lions' frankly dismal third season came to an end with another heavy defeat to a team that has now leapfrogged us to finish fourth.
Line-up:
Dorian (GK)
Julian (RB), Simon (CB), Matt R (CB), Gary (LB)
Brett (CM), Danny (CM), Dale (CM)
Dave (In the hole...)
Lee (CF), Phil (CF??WTF??!!)
Just to explain the novel strike partnership: after keeping goal in Dorian's absence last time out and for the better part of the first two seasons, I was getting a nose bleed at the other end of the pitch as an act of generosity from Dave in his last outing as the Lions' manager. So thanks Dave, and sorry I didn't quite manage the hat-trick in the first five minutes as you'd demanded...
Anyway, we made a good start to the game and for the first 10 minutes or so we were on top. We put their back line under decent pressure but without really creating too many clear-cut chances. The tide then swung against us and for a long spells in the game, we were the ones having difficulty clearing our lines. Dorian had to make a smart stop low to his right to keep out an effort that came about through their corner.
Brett was getting a little wound up by some of the aerial challenges he was getting and it blew up into a bit of handbags with the opposition captain that ended up with them both going into the book.
We did have our chances though: a ball ran throiugh to the keeper with me on the chase and a covering defender. The keeper got there first but he spilled it and it broke out to Gary who put his shot wide. He had a similar chance when the ball was pulled back from the byline but again the shot went wide. Dave had a shot off-target and I technically had a shot on goal when what I thought was a square ball from Brett went goalwards off my knee and the keeper had to gather, but the effort was ruled out for offside, even though their lino didn't actually flag.
They didn't get many efforts in on goal either, mostly down to some solid defending with Julian and Matt distinguishing themselves with last minute tackles.
We went in at half time all square but far from satisfied with our performance. We had been second best for too many periods in the half and more effort and quality on the ball was needed.
Second half started and again we were on the attack to begin with. Gary got down the left to the byline and pulled back for Lee to have a shot, but he didn't quite connect in the best of the early openings.
In pretty much the next attack, I found myself bearing down on goal with the ball crossed from the left. I elected to shoot first time - visions of the net bursting with my 25 yard strike or something - but the shot got blocked and I managed to pull my hamstring in the process. So there ended my 2010/11 season as I trudged off cursing my luck with Scott coming on to replace me.
From the sidelines, we seemed to be doing ok, if still second best, when we gave away the ball in midfield and a through ball put one of their strikers in a one-on-one situation that finished with him sliding the ball past Dorian.
A few minutes later, a long ball over the top and down the middle looked like it was going to be dealt with easily by Simon with a headed back pass to Dorian. Unfortunately, the ball bounced higher than he was expecting on the rock hard pitch and it came off the top his head, falling kindly for their pursuing striker who then finished with a firm shot past Dorian.
Their third goal came from a free kick on our left. The ball was swung in and seemed to go through everybody before it was met with a stooping header into the back of the net.
We tried to get back into it even as they threatened more goals but it just wasn't happening for us. Scott made a great run after picking up possession near the halfway line, taking it into the penalty area, but the end shot was saved. by the keeper's legs I think. Lee had a terrific shot following one of our best moves of the games, but the keeper got his hands up to deflect it into the bar and Kyle couldn't put away the rebound. Gary and Dave had some wild shots, Brett steered a shot just wide of the post.
At the other end both Matt and Dale got in some great last minute tackles. The oppo got their fourth goal from a corner which was headed in with force.
In the end, the final whistle - and the finishing of the season - couldn't come soon enough. After our best start to a season, winning our opening three games, our form had nosedived to leave us with our worst placing - fifth. Our inability to score goals coupled with defensive mistakes - a record 5 own goals this season - has been our downfall. There was nobody in this division that we could not have beaten - every team was capable of losing or winning any of their games. We just couldn't put our chances away when we had them and we need to to improve on that next season.
So adios to 2010/2011 season. A reminder that awards night is Friday 20th May. Will put up a separate news item later in the week to talk about this further.
