Harriers Trust 5 v 0 TS UNITS
The UNITS traveled to White Wickets to take on Premiership "Wildcards" Harriers Trust in a local derby
As is the way Cuzer found himself with loads missing due to injuries and absence and managed to have 14 at this disposal although Pountney had not been to bed from the night before as we lined up Mozza, Chinner, Gilo, Taylor, Tonka, Baker, Leon, Coco, Clarkey, Azza & Lewis Subs were Jim, Winny & Rob
With it being a derby and a 6 pointer due to league positions of both clubs the opening exchanges were frantic with little quality on display but plenty of endevour. The UNITS started better and were causing problems for Trust from set pieces, we had a big shout for a penalty after only 5 minutes with Millette having a handful of Tonka's shirt from a free kick, the offense was inside the box but the referee despite looking straight at it decided against awarding the penalty Tayl's then nodded a corner back across the 6 yard box and Trust scrambled clear as it was far from pretty but we were on the front foot 15 minutes in and Trust had not threatened at all but we contrived to gift them the opening goal, Tonka sold Taylor short with a sloppy pass, a stretching Taylor could only poke the ball towards the Trust forward the cross shot came in and ended up being diverted past Mozza for an own goal as from no danger we found ourselves 1-0 down
It was sloppy from the UNITS and credit to the Trust they then went on to be the better side for the next 10 minutes as we struggled to react to going a goal down as too many were blaming others and not doing their jobs No surprise when 1 became 2 due to the sloppy attitude we were displaying when from a corner it was cleared to the edge of the box and 3 UNITS stood and watched the Trust midfielder run on and hit a 20 yarder through the crowd and into the corner
We then did dig in somewhat and get back into the game. Azza was clean through but tried to get the ball on his left foot and was robbed of the ball at the last minute by the recovering defender and then from a free kick Tonka was 6 yards out and his back header went straight at the keeper when a yard either side was the goal back we craved before half time but it wasn't to be as we came in 2-0 down
Trust 2 v 0 TS UNITS
There was very little between the sides but we somehow found ourselves 2-0 down which was as much to our sloppy play then any quality on the home sides part but the message was all about raising the intensity and clearly if the UNITS were going to have any chance we had to get the next goal Winny replaced an out of sorts Pountney at half time in a like for like swap
We started the 2nd half on the front foot, we were playing higher up the pitch and very much in the ascendency but we never really got in behind the Trust back line once which was a disappointment all morning. Azza shot over and Baker stung the palms of a keeper as we searched for a way back into the game. Our best chance came on 55 minutes when Winny showed great technique to hit an acrobatic volley destined for the top corner but the Trust keeper pulled off a fine save, clawing the ball away for a corner
Then in a mirror image of the first half with their first real venture into our half the Trust made it 3-0 and killed the game. The impressive Savage was afforded far too much time and space as he beat two men and shot low the ball taking another deflection before nestling in the bottom corner to dampen the spirit the UNITS had shown since half time
65 on the clock and the returning Jim replaced Clarkey at right mid
Tonka then had a moment and charged into a Trust player in the box to concede a needless penalty which Seeks scuffed down the middle but wrong footed Mozza as it went in for 4-0
Seeks then hit a couple of stinging long range efforts narrowly over as the Trust offered a threat on the break with their pace whilst at the other end Azaa shot over twice and Chinner hit a cross shot which came back off the cross bar and no UNITS on hand to force the ball home 75 gone and Rob replaced Leon Jim then played a nice ball to Winny and from the resulting cross the Trust defender made a last ditch block to deny Azza a tap in as it clearly wasn't to be our day in front of goal
With 93 minutes on the clock DJ had 4 players around him yet he still managed to toe poke a shot away which nestled in the bottom corner wrong footing Mozza as the UNITS ended up on the end of a harsh looking scoreline but were considerably below par from the improvement they've shown lately
Man of the match went to Chinner who did well defensively and got forward well in the 2nd half when we went searching for a way back into the game
Mozza 6 Chinner 8 Tonka 6 Taylor 6 Gilo 8 Baker 7 Leon 7 Coco 8 Clarkey 6 Lewis 6 Azza 6
Subs Winny 7 Jim 7 Rob 6
