Our first fixture of the season came on the third week of the season, a full 3 1/2 months since our last competitive fixture. Pre-season games are great for match fitness but we looked ring rusty in this full on game. However points make prizes and that's what we came away with. We can debate all day about the quality of decisions but we kept our mouths shut and got on with the game - well done. We'll need more of this good discipline in the season ahead, especially in the early games.
We started brightly and in the 1st minute Glen showed what a threat his strength and pace can be as he broke free on goal but he ran out of pitch and composure so the chance went begging. Nothing much happened for the next 10 minutes or so until we conceded a very poor corner, dealt with it badly and found ourselves 0-1 down against the run of play. The next 15 minutes saw us working hard to create a rhythm. In the 15th we strung 7 passes together but Josh's flicked goal attempt skewed just wide. Two minutes later we recreated similar movement but the 'keeper smothered the final through ball. The pressure was building and Josh was brought brought down just as he was surging into the box but we never tested the 'keeper from the resulting freekick. The breakthrough came in the 23rd when a sweet interchange on the left between Olli Glen and Sam was finished by Sam slotting home Olli's killer lay-off. We pressed for another with Glen, Olli and Sam getting in good positions but The Marne hung on and actually went closest to restoring their advantage with a close range header which Revill kept out with a great reflex save. By the 38th we were building up a head of steam and intense closing down by Olli Sam and Josh eventually paid off when Josh powered through, holding off the defender to net from close range.
Dazza conceded a soft free kick immediately after the restart (46th) and they converted with a replica of the first goal when we failed to deal with the set piece and panic in our area gifted them a soft tap in for 2-2. Josh left the field ill in the 53rd and luckily for us it was Return of The Padge as Dan reprised his holding role and reminded us what we've been missing! Two minutes later in the 55th Chippy dinked a no-nonsense ball through to quick thinking Olli who lobbed the onrushing 'keeper to grab us a 3-2 lead, quality. From their restart Bowles suicidal blind back header almost gifted them a third goal but Chippy read the play and cleared our lines. In the 60th Mark and Olli linked well to set up Kim but his shot fizzed just wide. In the 80th Ollie's reverse pass picked out Glen's clever run in behind but he drove wide, a pity as this move deserved a finish. A couple of minutes later Bowles found his range with an arrowed left to right crossfield ball which picked out Ollie's run, his great control was followed by a well struck drive unfortunately straight at the grateful 'keeper. Sam and Ollie both went close in the dying minutes but they had a decent 'keeper who kept the score down for them.
With only 11 primary squad members available we were lucky to have Dan as a late signing to provide back up which as it turned out was needed. Special mention for Glen - he did very well in an "uncomfortable" position and Kim - he did well in the hole for the first 50 minutes. We know our strengths and weaknesses and we'll deal with what we did right/wrong on thursday. Individually everyone did OK today without anyone ever hitting the heights and it's games like these where we go back to basics and fall back on teamwork and organisation to get us through. Most pleasing was the way we purposefully saw the game out in the last 30 minutes, creating chances but never at the risk of exposing ourselves to an equaliser. Billy edged MOM today with a very "clean" no frills performance with the added bonus of an assured arial display - where did that come from?
