TS UNITS 1 v 2 Namaste Tigers
The UNITS took on Namaste back in league action,despite being the "Home" team the game was played at Namaste's pitch due to our's being double booked Squad wise we had a good turnout, a couple of changes from last week as we lined up Mozza, Ryan, Tonka, Jamo, Gilo, Baker, Leon, Coco, Ashton, Azza & Lewis Bench was Tayls, Luke, Trigger, Chin, Clarkey & Jim
The pitch was heavy and bobbly and the wind blowing a gale as Namaste kicked with the wind and down the slope first half Credit to Namaste they started with a real high tempo, the UNITS found themselves pegged back early on but we were proving resilient as we kept Namaste at bay. On 10 minutes Savo hit a 25 yarder which Mozza punched over the bar and from the resulting corner there was a scramble in the 6 yard box which we eventually managed to get clear Lewis and Azza were not getting much to play with as we found ourselves on the back foot but when we did break we looked lively, Azza shot over but it was a rare break as Namaste kept asking the questions. 20 in and Webo got away from Ryan far too easily and put a ball into the box which was blocked from close range by Mozza From a UNITS set piece then Jamo headed at the keeper and Tonka headed across goal with no UNITS able to poke home as we started to offer a threat, all be it from set pieces On 20 minutes a dangerous low cross was put in and with the Namaste striker waiting to tap home Jamo did superbly to stick out a leg and get a touch on the ball which Mozza collected. However the referee decided to give a deliberate back pass against Jamo, one of the most bizarre and incorrect decisions you'll ever witness on a football pitch, thankfully we charged down the goalbound free kick from all of 7 yards and the follow up However On 25 Namaste did got themselves in front, Savo cut in and curled a great shot towards the top corner, Mozza making a fine save palming the ball behind, from the corner however their lad got half a yard on Baker and as Baker tried to clear the ball sliced off his shin and the ball went past Mozza as we found ourselves 1-0 down
Some of the defending from the UNITS was last ditch but despite us not playing well with the ball we were competing superbly and lesser sides would have crumbled under the pressure but we stood firm Ashton then shot at the keeper and Pountney again tested the Namaste keeper from distance as we got a bit higher up the pitch The UNITS got a lifeline on 35 minutes when after some decent build up play Azza seemed to be clipped from behind in the box, as the UNITS appealed for the penalty the ball came back out to Baker who shot threw the crowd, the ball spun back to Azza, now back on his feet and as he raced to keep the ball in the home keeper bundled in to him from behind, stone wall penalty which frankly it needed to be with the referee being very biased towards Namaste throughout. Azza stepped up and finished with aplomb as we leveled up 1-1
To come in half time level would have been superb for the UNITS with the wind, slope, lively opponents and a ref having a stinker all seemingly against them but it wasn't to be and disappointingly it took only 2 minutes between our goal and theirs as they restored the lead One pass took out all our midfield as Savo found space in behind Leon and Baker, he then played the ball wide and ran on to the low return cross to slam home from 8 yards to restore the lead for Namaste Namaste now piled on the pressure approaching half time, the UNITS scrambled two off the line from corners as we dug in and came in at the break only one goal behind
HT UNITS 1 v 2 Namaste Tigers
We all knew we could play much better but we couldn't fault our commitment to the cause which had kept us very much in the game, no changes were initially made but the message was we needed to offer much more of a threat when we had the ball
The opening 10 minutes of the half were even but then you saw how difficult it was kicking against the wind and slope as Namaste struggled to get out and the UNITS started to apply all the pressure Ashton played a lovely ball for Pountney who was clean through and opted to volley first time and showed great technique but the ball just went over the bar, then a fine ball from Baker found Pountney again but wide and he fizzed a ball across the 6 yard box with the ball crying out to be poked home 65 in and Cuzer changed Clarkey and Taylor for Coco and Ryan as we shuffled the shape to try and give us more options in the final 3rd Namaste still carried a threat on the break and Mozza made a couple of routine saves but the momentum was very much towards the Namaste goal The UNITS thought they were level on 70 minutes when Baker hit a screamer from 25 yards the ball beating the keeper and crashing against the bar and bouncing back into play, Jamo ran on to the ball and for all the money was heading the rebound home with the keeper still out of position but somehow he put it wide and Namaste were gifted a real let off
75 gone and Gilo had to be replaced by Chinner after being on the end of a heavy tackle
We kept plugging away, Azza did well to make space and fizzed a shot just over from 25 yards, he then shot over from a well placed free kick. Chinner then rasped an effort from a half cleared corner, again just inches over. Tayl's then played a lovely ball to Lewis who from out wide tested the keeper as he saved at the 2nd attempt. The UNITS were racking up the corners and the deliver was good as we went close on a couple of occasions, one being hacked off the line from a scramble Into the last 5 minutes we were playing 2 at the back almost as Jamo stayed forward and we forced 3 corners in quick succession as we kept knocking the door, it was a corner in fact which presented us with a good chance to level when the ball found it's way to Ashton on the back post who could only hit the side netting when well placed Namaste held on for the win though, revenging the 2-0 reverse earlier in the season. A real game of two halves where unfortunately we couldn't force the equaliser despite being nowhere near our most fluid
Man of the match went to Mozza who kept us in the game first half and after a few indifferent performances of late was much more like it today
Mozza 8* Ryan 6 Jamo 7 Tonka 8 Gilo 8 Baker 7 Leon 7 Coco 6 Ashton 7 Lewis 7 Azza 7
Subs Taylor 7 Clarkey 8 Chinner 7
Next up the UNITS take on Wolverley at home, who are one place above us in the league in what should be a keenly contested local derby
