No apologies for calling it as it happened.
1st minute six crisp passes until it reaches Bowles who under no pressure plays a blind 1-2 straight to Swifts to put us on the back foot. In the 5th Billy was caught flat footed and was turned far too easily, a minute later Billy and Kyle repeated the feat, this time together in a central area - very poor. In the 7th with Chippy calling "home" Billy gifted them a throw under no pressure - extraordinary, a minute later Bowles concedes possession and lanches himself two footed from 3 yards behind in a vain attempt to recover possession - another cheap free-kick in a dangerous area. In the 10th with Sam and Ollie running from onside and calling Dazza elected a head down run until he ran out of room and ideas - terrible but repeated in both halves. In the 11th Billy and Kyle ignored Chippys clear calls "away" and continued to ignore the basic need to deal with the ball giving them a laughable 1-0 lead.
With all around arguing the toss Joel was working hard to calm things down at the back and Josh was fighting a losing battle in a very slack middle area. An 18th minute driven cross found Josh powering down the right and Sam bundled in his cross - a scruffy but welcome equaliser from a quality move. In the 22nd Billy continued his game from another planet with time to take a touch thats exactly where he passed the ball! In the 25th with us boxing them in the right Bowles committed a needless foul in their third turning our attack into theirs - thats not football as we know it.
In the 28th Chippy came out of his box to clear a breakaway threat that we'd failed to deal with higher up the pitch. With players failing to close the second ball - a game long feature of our lack lustre performance - they attempted to Chip Chippy but he was just, only just too quick and made a reverse save on his own line. In the 40th and 41st Steve and Kim were first to 5 headers but Swifts were first to each second ball - work that one out. In the 43rd we fashioned a good move on the left which petered out when Bowles elected to try to side foot the ball into the box and never even beat the first man who was their only in position defender.
We couldnt play any worse and came out much sharper for the second period with Sam blazing just over in the 46th at the end of a 7 pass move - better. We kept the pressure on and Billy was first to a loose ball just inside their half and somehow contrived a bending cross which Dazza headed home well for a 2-1 lead. It looked like were finding a groove when Ollie's dribble ended with a well struck shot which was blocked. His well struck corner was headed just wide by Kim and a minute later a driven pass from Dazza found Sam's surging run but his fierce shot struck the bar. In the 60th Billy's concentration lapsed again as he ran the ball out of play under no pressure. In the 62nd Ollie laid it on a plate for Kim who just like last week couldnt find his composure and he skied it fom 4 yards. In the 70th Josh surged through ball at feet and curled a low drive inside the post for 3-1.
We should have been looking to close the game out but instead just 2 minutes later Dazza ran ahead of the ball leaving us exposed in the middle and they cut straight through us for 3-2 - what does "anchor Josh this half" mean?. 5 minutes later in the 77th we went to sleep on the left and it was painful to see the ease which they went through us. In the 84th minute Billy played another blind inside ball just as we were building up a head of steam and when we did fashion an opening in the closing minutes Kim was on his heels instead of his toes and was too slow to reach Ollie's well placed rapier pass, and then Dazza headed wide from 2 yards. Ollie's last minute behaviour is best left unmentioned.
At training we acknowledged the need to be much better focussed in the pre-match but once again we had players sodding about lighting up and going through half hearted preparations and ignoring pre-match instructions - it might be fun while it lasts but it wont be long before we have options available, before then we need to up every aspect our game. Next Sunday we'll find out what we're made of.
