Royal Exchange 3 v 1 TS UNITS
The UNITS traveled to Marsh Playing Fields Kinver to take on Royal Exchange, the ground name living up to the pitch quality as a ridiculously bobbly and heavy surface awaited both sides Without sounding like a broken record we once more had a decimated squad, so many working, away, injured and dropping out on the morning left us with 14 as we lined up Mozza, Clarkey, Chinner, Tonka, Gilo, Baker, Jim, Leon, Coco, Jay & Winny Subs were Trigger, CJ & Luke
After turning us over comprehensively only a few weeks back the pre match talk was not letting RE think it would be an easy mornings work against us and to start well This was shot in the foot when within an minute we found ourselves a goal down, an aimless ball forward was somehow missed by Gilo who seemed caught in two minds whether to heard or kick the ball clear, he did neither, their forward ran through and rolled the ball passed the advancing Mozza and it just had the legs to roll over the line, criminal start 1-0
To our credit we rolled up our sleeves and competed, after a couple of other scares where RE went close we then got a foothold in the game, Jim was playing some good through balls asking questions of the RE back line and Leon was setting the tone in midfield winning the tackles and competing which was the bare minimum on a horrible pitch for both to play any type of football on 20 in and we had settled and were giving a better account of ourselves, Jay went close after we had a good passage of play before the ball fell to Chinner from a UNITS free kick but he could only shoot wide from 20 yards when well placed Chinner again, from left back had the best chance of the half for us when after a good UNITS move their keeper saved well from a low Winny shot the ball pushed out to Chinner and with the goal gaping, all be it on an angle he side footed over the bar with this left foot
Tonka was once again having a fine game at the back and RE managed one other chance when their striker headed wide when well placed, a let off With half time approaching and the UNITS doing well to get themselves back into the game disaster struck, Mozza took a weak goal kick which was lost in the middle of the park and their wide player hit a 30 yard curler with Mozza out of position he tried to get back but the ball went underneath him and into the net as RE took a 2-0 lead into HT the UNITS conceding a goal in the first and last minute of the half
HT Royal Exhange 2 v 0 TS UNITS
Alas it was the same old, same old at HT for 85% of the half we did OK but in that poor 15% we manged to get two mistakes punished, message was to start on the front foot and the next goal was crucial and to make sure we went out there and got it
And that's exactly what we did we pushed high up the pitch, pressured Exchange and forced them into mistakes. This is where our goal came from Jay doing well to pressure the defender into a mistake, Winny got the ball and slipped a lovely ball back into Jay who got away from the centre half and finished clinically past the keeper 55 gone and 2-1 game on
Winny had picked up a knock and was replaced by Trigger on the hour mark
We were now well in the game, a chance to level up fell to Trigger when from good UNITS pressure the ball came out to him 12 yards out, he opted to take a touch but found his goal bound shot blocked with the keeper out of position
Alas on 65 minutes another UNITS mistake was punished as RE got their two goal cushion back, some good play down their left resulted in a deep back post cross coming in, Chinner managed to get something on the header but not enough as it found itself to their wide player who took a touch and found the bottom corner form 12 yards out giving Mozza no chance
Luke then replaced Chinner on 65 minutes and CJ replaced Jim on 70 minutes as we shuffled the pack
The last 20 minutes were end to end, RE could have added more as they looked to punish a UNITS side chasing the game yet at the other end we've asked questions of their defence and keeper as Jay, Baker, Trigger, Leon and Coco all had attempts on goal
Full Time Royal Exchange 3 v 1 TS UNITS
Man of the match went to Tonka who added some much needed steel to the back line and offered good distribution with the ball
Next up we travel to Namaste Tigers in the league and hopefully the return of a few who were AWOL today
Mozza 7 Clarkey 8 Gilo 7 Tonka 9* Chinner 7 Baker 7 Jim 7 Coco 7 Leon 8 Jay 8 Winny 7
Subs Trigger 7 Luke 7 CJ 7
