The Match started off with The Red Lion getting an early foothold in the game and started creating chances from the off, after the 20 minute mark a chance was created that was marginally called offside after A Morley finished with his knee to lift the ball over the Riverside B goalkeeper.
After this a goal kick was taken quickly and with a bounce over the Riverside B defender A Morley done the same again and lifted the ball over the keeper and this time made it count to put us 1-0 up. After an exchange with one of Riversides players a yellow was shown by the ref and a red soon followed due to the player’s reaction. We continued to create chances but nothing clear cut, against the run of play and with 10 men Riverside equalised after some sloppy play from ourselves in midfield gave the ball away to easily. Riverside were doing a good job to still be in the game after we were having most of the possession and still creating chances but they were working hard for it.
We soon took the advantage after A Morley ran down the left played the ball to J Foley who finished brilliantly with a curling low shot at the far post past the Riverside B keeper.
Again though and not long after and just before the break Riverside B equalised after the ball was not cleared on the edge of the box and Foster poked the ball into the roof of the net.
Both teams went into the 2nd half drawing at 2-2 and Riverside B had somehow managed to keep them selves in the game.
The Second half was much like the first but this time we had headers cleared of the line, shots blocked on both posts and with the whistle to end the game soon approaching we thought we’d missed our chance to gain the points until C Blackburn who came on as a sub ran down the right wing and shot low at the keepers near post who could only slow the ball down enough for G Mcpherson to run in and slam the ball home before it crossed the line in the 87th minute. The Left back has now scored 2 in as many games.
Man of the match for this game has been awarded to M Wasco
Although we deserved the win we had to work hard to gain it after flashes of brilliance by us was tainted by some awful decision making when we had the ball. Riverside also done well and can be proud of their display after playing with 10 men for the majority of the game.
Corners and set-pieces were a lot better from us this week and we were unlucky to not score from one of two which were saved or cleared off the line, the defending and attacking of them seemed a lot more organised and decisive.
A Good win and a good feeling to get some points on the board and kick-start our season, lets just try and be a little better at ,making the right decisions at the right times and we’ll soon click as a team and not concede such awful goals and score more.
None of the keepers in this league are Premier league standard so lets start testing them more when we have a sight of goal, we didn’t have no where near as many shots as we should have done in this game and it does make a difference if we can score and nick goals at times when we are on top in any game.
Fitness still looked an issue… even with 10 men Riverside B kept going till the 90th and running the length of their own half at times at the end of the game unchallenged, if your unfit and incapable of lasting a game its your own problem to sort out, especially when people pick and choose to play every other game at their convenience and miss organised training sessions when we don’t have a game.
Don’t mean to sound negative a wins a win but the way we won didn’t feel like it, we scraped to victory when we should have had the game wrapped up by the first half.
If we can keep playing when we’re not at our best though and keep winning im sure the confidence will give us the motivation to push on and keep getting better with every game.
Today the squad made a difference and the subs available showed how much of an impact it has on us a team. This was the best turnout for a game by players in good while and it was our first win; I don’t think it was co-incidence.
WELL DONE BOYS OUR SEASON HAS NOW STARTED!!!
