A decent performance and we just about deserved the three points.
We made a bright start and had the ball in the net after 2 minutes but Jed was offside. We had the better of the first ten minutes. There was some good pressing with Saville playing almost a ten role. He broke up play several times and we played in their half. A decent corner was cleared to Evans on seven minutes but his shot was wide. Then we had some luck. A good ball to Jed saw a floated cross which deceived the keeper and it floated in near the far post for 1-0. It was no more than we deserved. We continued to press forward and long cross came to Molly on the left who cut in on his right foot but his shot was over.
They began to come into it. A good pass split our defence but McGoldrick's shot was pushed wide by Bart. On 34 Cooper was wiped out by Gibbs white who got a yellow but the free kick came to nothing. They continued to press and got their reward on the stroke of half time. A short corner caught Molly on the wrong side and his clumsy challenge led to a penalty. Sharp sent Bart the wrong was for 1-1 at the break.
They started the brighter after the break and pressed us back. We struggled a little to retain possession but they gave us a lifeline on 55. Their Gibbs White took a dive in the box, got his second yellow and was off for a early bath. We pressed forward with a decent interception from Evans who passed to Jed but his shot was saved. On 65 Evans knocked it wide to Molly but his shot went off for a corner. The header from the corner was from Cooper but it was wide. The game was screaming for fresh legs and on 74 Smith and Benik came on for Bradshaw and Ojo. There was a good ball forward to Benik who ran into the box, backheeled it to Molly but his shot was blocked. A minute later a good beak by Jed saw a pass to Benik but his shot was wide. That was Molly's last action as he was replaced by Bennett. Jed had a shot a couple of minutes later and it bounced off to Bennett who shot wide. The game was getting really stretched as they piled forward but we kept them at bay. With 3 to go a decent cross from Jed found Smith but his header was wide.
There was six minutes added and we continued to press Some good forward movement found Evans who squared it to Cooper who smashed it home left footed for 2-1 at the death. Everybody went nuts. We saw out the remaining time with no drama.
Bart made some good saves to keep us in it and had no chance with the pen. Leonard looked solid all evening and defended well and supported the attack. Ballard was his normal class and probably shaded MOM with a mature performance. Hutch had one blip and Cooper played OK but the goal was a screamer and could not be stopped. Molly played well and got forward well. Saville had a good first half and playing further forward clearly suited him. Evans had a decent game. Jed turned the game with the opening goal and had some good moments but was running on empty at the end. Ojo came and went and Bradshaw had his normal busy game but showed little threat. He had one moment when he could have shone. A ball came in from the left to him which he should have just left to Leonard who was steaming in to his right. Instead, he tried a shot, completely messed it up and the chance was gone. Smith had one header wide but did little else. Benik looked lively and helped to stretch the game. Bennett was similar and had some late impact.
So, our clueless manager picked an odd team but we pressed well early on and deserved our lead. He took too long to make subs when they were down to ten but we came away with all three points and his reputation remained intact. Cooper's goal was unstoppable!
We made a bright start and had the ball in the net after 2 minutes but Jed was offside. We had the better of the first ten minutes. There was some good pressing with Saville playing almost a ten role. He broke up play several times and we played in their half. A decent corner was cleared to Evans on seven minutes but his shot was wide. Then we had some luck. A good ball to Jed saw a floated cross which deceived the keeper and it floated in near the far post for 1-0. It was no more than we deserved. We continued to press forward and long cross came to Molly on the left who cut in on his right foot but his shot was over.
They began to come into it. A good pass split our defence but McGoldrick's shot was pushed wide by Bart. On 34 Cooper was wiped out by Gibbs white who got a yellow but the free kick came to nothing. They continued to press and got their reward on the stroke of half time. A short corner caught Molly on the wrong side and his clumsy challenge led to a penalty. Sharp sent Bart the wrong was for 1-1 at the break.
They started the brighter after the break and pressed us back. We struggled a little to retain possession but they gave us a lifeline on 55. Their Gibbs White took a dive in the box, got his second yellow and was off for a early bath. We pressed forward with a decent interception from Evans who passed to Jed but his shot was saved. On 65 Evans knocked it wide to Molly but his shot went off for a corner. The header from the corner was from Cooper but it was wide. The game was screaming for fresh legs and on 74 Smith and Benik came on for Bradshaw and Ojo. There was a good ball forward to Benik who ran into the box, backheeled it to Molly but his shot was blocked. A minute later a good beak by Jed saw a pass to Benik but his shot was wide. That was Molly's last action as he was replaced by Bennett. Jed had a shot a couple of minutes later and it bounced off to Bennett who shot wide. The game was getting really stretched as they piled forward but we kept them at bay. With 3 to go a decent cross from Jed found Smith but his header was wide.
There was six minutes added and we continued to press Some good forward movement found Evans who squared it to Cooper who smashed it home left footed for 2-1 at the death. Everybody went nuts. We saw out the remaining time with no drama.
Bart made some good saves to keep us in it and had no chance with the pen. Leonard looked solid all evening and defended well and supported the attack. Ballard was his normal class and probably shaded MOM with a mature performance. Hutch had one blip and Cooper played OK but the goal was a screamer and could not be stopped. Molly played well and got forward well. Saville had a good first half and playing further forward clearly suited him. Evans had a decent game. Jed turned the game with the opening goal and had some good moments but was running on empty at the end. Ojo came and went and Bradshaw had his normal busy game but showed little threat. He had one moment when he could have shone. A ball came in from the left to him which he should have just left to Leonard who was steaming in to his right. Instead, he tried a shot, completely messed it up and the chance was gone. Smith had one header wide but did little else. Benik looked lively and helped to stretch the game. Bennett was similar and had some late impact.
So, our clueless manager picked an odd team but we pressed well early on and deserved our lead. He took too long to make subs when they were down to ten but we came away with all three points and his reputation remained intact. Cooper's goal was unstoppable!
