TS UNITS 1 v Harriers Trust 1
The UNITS took on Harriers Trust in thier final league game of the season in what was a potential relegation six pointer
Cuzer was hampered by a late couple of drop outs but still had healthy numbers at his disposal as we lined up with attacking intent
Mozza, Tonka, Taylor, Gilo, Jim, Coco, Baker, Ryan, Ashton, Lewis & Winny - Subs were Chinner, Clarkey, Rob, Trigger & Si
The wind was horrendous up on our elevated pitch and was always going to play a part, 1st half the UNITS had it at their back and started off very much in the ascendency, we were playing on the front foot early and forced a couple of corners which the Trust back line dealt well with.
With 8 minutes on the clock we took an early lead, another corner was initially well cleared by Trust but Lewis kept the ball alive and put in a dangerous ball which found it's way to Jim who's 10 yard shot took a deflection off the Trust defender and wrong footed the keeper as our early endeavour resulted in the lead
The UNITS kept pushing for a 2nd and on 20 minutes Jim picked up the ball 30 yards out after some good midfield play before unleashing a low hard shot which Steadman in the Trust goal did well to push round the post at full stretch, from the resulting corner Pountney whipped in a great ball and Winny got a yard on his man but could only glance his header wide from 8 yards out when he should have hit the target
At the other end Trust, playing against the wind, were struggling to create much, Seekings twice found a yard of space but shot wide and over from outside the box and from one dangerous looking free kick they could only shoot harmlessly over
HT UNITS 1 v 0 Harriers Trust
We were not playing anything like what we can but held the lead, the message was to improve our ball retention 2nd hald but maintain our work rate
From the start of the 2nd half the UNITS were extremely sloppy and Trust, now playing with the wind, put us under early pressure not helped by the UNITS making bad decisions in their own third, often we were slow to clear our lines or too eager to go back to Mozza and we just couldn't find any momentum. Disappointingly the referee played a big part in the visitors drawing level. Webster was having a shocker of a morning, booking half a dozen players and given strange decision after strange decision, this one was no different as Ashton won the ball fair & square yet somehow a free kick was awarded some 30 yards out, the Trust wide player whipped in the ball which initially we cleared but were slow to follow out, as the ball came back in Willets up from the back got a yard on Tonka and headed into the ground and the ball bounced over Mozza's dive into the roof of the net as the visitors drew level, no more than their good start to the half deserved
Now on level terms the visitors were on top as we really struggled to get anything going, Cuzer replaced Jim with Clarkey on 55 minutes and then shuffled the shape to try and give us more of a foothold in the game
The Trust's best chance was a scramble which resulted in Gilo heading the ball under no pressure off the line, they also shot over a few times from the edge of the box as they didn't make the most of their possession
The game then swung the other way when we finally started to get a grip on the game, the change in shape seemed to work as we started passing the ball again, our best chance came from a good move which resulted in Winny whipping in a great deep cross which took their keeper out the game, Lewis ran on to volley the ball home but the Trust full back did superbly well to poke the ball away from Pountney with the goal gaping
Entering the last 10 minutes it was anybody's game and Cuzer replaced Winny with Rob before Ashotn picked up a knock and was replaced by Chinner
It was the visitors who almost nicked it at the death when with the UNITS pushing forward a long clearance resulted in Seeks being one on one v Clarkey, he hit a 20 yard shot destined for the top corner only for Mozza to tip over with a fine save
In the end the spoils were shared in a well contested local derby which was unfortunately affected by the elements and a referee having a bit of a shocker for both sides
Man of the match went to Paul Taylor who defended well and led by example with this distribution from the back
