Well well well, here we go again!
Another Saturday goes by and yet another game is snatched from our grasp.
Pad, Barrett and Abs withdrew from the game as they had to work. Shame, as we had a really good squad this week with the return of Chinders and Stevo from suspension.
A truly solid starting 11 (plus Jason who done us a favour running the line, cheers mate!!) got off to an indifferent start with Joel Elvin and Pagey not really getting us playing and we made their little No. 10 look half decent! He was 2 bob!
Saying that, we never once looked comfortable with our new 'wingers' in front of the full backs and offered little support! Not once did we build from the back or overlap the winger, not until 5 minutes from the end of the first half.
We restricted them to long range shots, one of which Longy managed to turn over the bar, first of a few good saves. They had a few corners that we dealt with pretty well, seeing as we didn't win a header anywhere outside our own box until well into the second half.
Loft's little runs didn't really get going and we didn't get Greenwood and Al on the ball enough! Joel Leigh was full of running but we should have made more chances as we knocked the ball over the top more than enough times!
Second half we came out and played a 5 pass move down the left, where we done the same last week, and could / should have taken us in front!
A number of chances fell to Loft and Joel Leigh (mainly 1 on 1's) that we couldn't convert and then we got hit down the right hand side and the little winger cut in and bent an unstoppable shot in the top corner.
5 minutes later, Chinders pinged a killer corner across the face of goal for Al, our captain and walking wounded soldier, to hit a bullet header past their first team keeper (that played Ryman league for Worthing when he was 18 AS A STRIKER).
They were dead on their feet for the next 10 mins and we still failed to convert the chances that came our way! Their keeper did have an absolute blinder though! But we still need to kill the fucking game off lads, whoever is in front of goal!
Extra time came and not until the second half with 10 mins to go did the ref wave play on to a clear offside and their striker was through but Longy pulled off an amaqing double save to keep the scores level. That rounded off a great afternoon for the Teamstats.net keeper, deserved to be on the winning side!
Then a corner for them on our right hand side with 7 minutes left, wasn't dealt with by Elvin at the front post as he missed the ball and the ball trickled over the line.
Even with 7 mins left we never really had the passion and drive to kick on and pull ourselves back in to it for a 2nd time in the game!
For a game that was ours, in a cup that was ours, I wouldn't say we let ourselves down but we need to take our chances lads, that was the key today!
Chinders, Al and Giles played through the pain barrier! Well done lads!
Next week against the Gillette Kid should fire things up a bit!
Over and Out
Longy
