Lads, I thought that was a major improvement on last week. Although it could never have been as bad! So the only way was up!
And for 60 minutes it was pretty much all Teamstats.
A more solid back for this week with Pagey playing left back (definitely his most effective position) and Rich playing a more central, leading role.
We played a lot of football from the back, Elvis and Pagey always getting wide when Longy had the ball in his hand. Great options lads, well done!
Also, the new signing, Barrett was more than effective on his debut. He worked with Pagey really well and and created a hell of a lot and really worked back well when the ball wasn't in our posession.
Greenwood got on the ball a lot more than last week, that helped us immensley as we started to bring players in, switch the ball from flank to flank (or Plank in Joel Leigh's case ha ha) and really hurt BSM in their weakest areas, their fullbacks.
That said, once again we didn't have enough clear cut chances for the amount of good posession we had. Giles being caught offside was getting to us all. Al, Greenwood and Barrett all putting the ball through only to see the flag continuously be raised. Were they all offside? I hope not because reading the line is a must for someone with Giles' pace. You can afford to start a little deeper.
Anyway, the breakthrough came with some good footwork down the left hand side and a great inside ball that allowed Greenwood the opportunity to hit one of his trademark piledrivers which nestled in the top corner (all be it aided by a heavy deflection). The first time we have had our noses in front this season!
Then some hapless defending from us losing possession allowed their forward to chip Longy from 25 yards! Well taken but another gift!!
We worked so hard to recover the ball everytime it was lost and this showed when Al slipped Giles in (with the threat of killing him if he missed) and he took his chance really well after good control!
To finish off the first half, there was a great move that moved the ball from Elvin to Longy, quick throw (my training ground phrase through pre-season) to Pagey who knocked Barrett through and a superb delivery to Loft who smashed the volley about 8 inches wide of the post.
No worries, we were winning at half time and they had no chance of stealing our first victory of the season!?!
For the first 15 minutes of the second half I thought we looked capable of killing this game off but after a 'pre-planned' substitution to replace Loft with Daren (to add a little more pace going forward) we fell apart!
Daren wasn't ready to come on but the drinks break was a welcome one!
As soon as we came back on we fell apart. Again, a defensive error when a chipped ball over the top left our centre backs for dead and the striker raced away to smash the ball on the opposite corner. A well taken goal to equalise but, yet again, a goal that could have been avoided!
Soon after they came through again, after again failing to take a bloke out and the striker crossed the ball for the winger to tap home the winner.
Our assholes went after that and we had a couple of chances that fell to Giles that we really should have scored but that is life!
Harder work in training and a win in the cup next week will get our slow start to the season fully firing.
Well played in the first half lads, was really good to watch!!
As for the ratings, Barrett would have got an 8 if he released the ball and gave it easier when the chances were there. Pagey, great game son, liked it! Elvin, first hour looked tidy but to be fair lads, if we played in the second half like we did in the first we would have had 8/9's so there you go!
Good night and god bless!
Longy
