A good start, a downward spiral from there and a poor result.
We started brightly and we’re one up by the third minute. Joe got fouled just in their half and took the free kick himself. It bobbled about in the box Cooper headed it goalwards, Harding followed it up with another header and the keeper made a complete hash of the save and suddenly we were one up. It was the sort of save that used to make those Christmas videos of goalkeeping howlers. It went through his hands, through his legs and rolled over the line for the opening goal. Their mob couldn’t believe it!
They were crestfallen but soon realised there was space to be exploited all over the pitch. Within five minutes they were strolling about like Barcelona and we were running around with our tongues hanging out. People around me were shouting for us to get stuck in but there was nobody to get stuck into. They played short balls, long balls, little triangles, one twos and we were often just spectators. There were two high points. A through ball to Longman from Billy that he couldn’t quite stretch to and another to Emakhu which just ran off his toe. The rest was just slick, controlled passing from Blackburn. A move down the right was tracked by Emakhu but his first challenge failed and he never made a second. Their bloke powered on, played a one two got the ball inside the box, squared it and it was knocked in from five yards. They were rampant and we had no answer. How we survived I’ll never know but it was even at the break.
Surely we would get a roasting at half time and play better second half. Well we did but our shortcomings were still evident. Bradshaw missed a couple of glancing headers and they came back into it. From an attacking move of ours the ball broke on their left and a sweet forty yard cross field pass found their full back breaking at pace on their right. He powered forward, cut inside and hit a sweet curling effort into the top corner for their second. It was time for fresh legs. Off went a crocked Joe and an ineffective Longman and on came Murray and Esse. We looked good going forward but the final pass or shot did not find its mark. Honeyman and Sav replaced Billy and Emakhu on 66 and we pressed forward with endeavour but little threat. We had corners and free kicks but never got close. Esse moved well down the right, cut inside and hit a poor shot straight at the keeper but we survived two great chances for them. They had men over in the box but weight of numbers smuggled the ball clear. A second golden chance saw a great save from Bart to keep them at bay. At the death Esse headed a great chance wide and they ran out 2-1 winners.
Bart played well to keep the score at 2-1 and stood little chance with either goal. BNC had a better second half, Cooper and Harding were OK but lacked pace at the back and Joe had a reasonable game until he was crocked. Billy ran hard but apart from one decent pass he looked ineffective. Longman had a couple of moments but flattered to deceive. Casper looked good and tried really hard and got my MOM. Flem had some moments as did Emakhu but Tom had a poor game where nothing stuck to him and he never got remotely close to winning a header. Esse had some moments but Sav and especially Honeyman gave us some real energy in the middle. They just looked quicker on the ball, incisive in the tackle, played more joined up football and were just a better team than us. A quick word about the ref who was dreadful. A powder puff challenge on them won a free kick but a full blown rugby tackle on us was waived away. He will not be on my Christmas Card list!
We started brightly and we’re one up by the third minute. Joe got fouled just in their half and took the free kick himself. It bobbled about in the box Cooper headed it goalwards, Harding followed it up with another header and the keeper made a complete hash of the save and suddenly we were one up. It was the sort of save that used to make those Christmas videos of goalkeeping howlers. It went through his hands, through his legs and rolled over the line for the opening goal. Their mob couldn’t believe it!
They were crestfallen but soon realised there was space to be exploited all over the pitch. Within five minutes they were strolling about like Barcelona and we were running around with our tongues hanging out. People around me were shouting for us to get stuck in but there was nobody to get stuck into. They played short balls, long balls, little triangles, one twos and we were often just spectators. There were two high points. A through ball to Longman from Billy that he couldn’t quite stretch to and another to Emakhu which just ran off his toe. The rest was just slick, controlled passing from Blackburn. A move down the right was tracked by Emakhu but his first challenge failed and he never made a second. Their bloke powered on, played a one two got the ball inside the box, squared it and it was knocked in from five yards. They were rampant and we had no answer. How we survived I’ll never know but it was even at the break.
Surely we would get a roasting at half time and play better second half. Well we did but our shortcomings were still evident. Bradshaw missed a couple of glancing headers and they came back into it. From an attacking move of ours the ball broke on their left and a sweet forty yard cross field pass found their full back breaking at pace on their right. He powered forward, cut inside and hit a sweet curling effort into the top corner for their second. It was time for fresh legs. Off went a crocked Joe and an ineffective Longman and on came Murray and Esse. We looked good going forward but the final pass or shot did not find its mark. Honeyman and Sav replaced Billy and Emakhu on 66 and we pressed forward with endeavour but little threat. We had corners and free kicks but never got close. Esse moved well down the right, cut inside and hit a poor shot straight at the keeper but we survived two great chances for them. They had men over in the box but weight of numbers smuggled the ball clear. A second golden chance saw a great save from Bart to keep them at bay. At the death Esse headed a great chance wide and they ran out 2-1 winners.
Bart played well to keep the score at 2-1 and stood little chance with either goal. BNC had a better second half, Cooper and Harding were OK but lacked pace at the back and Joe had a reasonable game until he was crocked. Billy ran hard but apart from one decent pass he looked ineffective. Longman had a couple of moments but flattered to deceive. Casper looked good and tried really hard and got my MOM. Flem had some moments as did Emakhu but Tom had a poor game where nothing stuck to him and he never got remotely close to winning a header. Esse had some moments but Sav and especially Honeyman gave us some real energy in the middle. They just looked quicker on the ball, incisive in the tackle, played more joined up football and were just a better team than us. A quick word about the ref who was dreadful. A powder puff challenge on them won a free kick but a full blown rugby tackle on us was waived away. He will not be on my Christmas Card list!
on we go
