A very good performance, an exciting game to watch and a well earned point.
For once we started on the front foot. There was some good movement down the right with Jed, Benik was pressing hard at the front and Bennett was just being his aggressive self and not giving the defence a moment to dwell on the ball. They looked shell shocked and thought this was just a ten minute press and then we would run out of steam. That just never happened. We looked defensively very solid. Hutch was not giving an inch on Solanke and he wasn’t into the game for thirty minutes or so. We kept pressing and although we didn’t create a decent clear cut chance it was exciting to watch. With ten to go until the break they started to get into the game. There was a shot that flew over the bar and they gained some confidence. With time disappearing fast in the first 45 we pressed the self destruct button. Molly was a little casual brining the ball out of our box, pushed it too far ahead of himself and conceded possession. They pushed forward and gained a corner on the left. It was swung over and Hutch looked as if he was fouled and went down in a heap. The ball was recycled into the middle, it bobbled about and Solanke tucked it home. It was almost a case of one attack, one shot and one goal. We really never deserved it but we were one down at the break.
The second half was more of the same but they did come back into it more. The play was more evenly split but we still looked a danger. Danny was storming down the right and was taking no prisoners. They were moving the ball faster and not dwelling on the ball so the possession was more even. There was some good movement and control from Benik but we just couldn’t fashion a chance. We needed fresh legs. Off came Bennett and on came Bradshaw and his introduction changed the game. A long ball from Hutch was headed on from Bradshaw over the back four and Benik ran on to it well, took it to the right of the goal and hit it across the keeper into the left corner of the goal. The Den went nuts. We took off Molly and put on Ojo with Jed moving left. We pushed and we pressed but we just couldn’t make another chance. They made three subs but couldn’t alter the score line and after four added minutes we saw the game out without drama.
Bart had little to do but did it well. Danny was my MOM with some storming runs down the right, some crisp tackles and an absolute determination that he wasn’t going to get beaten in any way. Ballard was class. Even with an attacker pulling and pushing him every which way he wasn’t going to get beaten. Hutch was very solid and always in the right place at the right time and Murray was just Mr Dependable at all times. Molly had one of his least effective games and it was the right decision to sub him and play a back four. Saville was busy and played an intelligent game with some good covering and passing. Billy had a great game. He had a moment in the second half where he made an interception, beat two on the line and hit a rasping shot which just cleared the bar. Jed had a busy game which carried a threat, Bennett was his normal aggressive self and Benik ran hard and took his goal well.
Bradshaw helped to change the game and Ojo had some decent moments. It was a good game to watch and the crowd got very vocal on the joke of a ref. He got so much wrong it got beyond a joke. Still, it was an exciting game and for the team in second they didn’t look much. If there was ever going to be a winner it was us but we thoroughly deserved our point.
For once we started on the front foot. There was some good movement down the right with Jed, Benik was pressing hard at the front and Bennett was just being his aggressive self and not giving the defence a moment to dwell on the ball. They looked shell shocked and thought this was just a ten minute press and then we would run out of steam. That just never happened. We looked defensively very solid. Hutch was not giving an inch on Solanke and he wasn’t into the game for thirty minutes or so. We kept pressing and although we didn’t create a decent clear cut chance it was exciting to watch. With ten to go until the break they started to get into the game. There was a shot that flew over the bar and they gained some confidence. With time disappearing fast in the first 45 we pressed the self destruct button. Molly was a little casual brining the ball out of our box, pushed it too far ahead of himself and conceded possession. They pushed forward and gained a corner on the left. It was swung over and Hutch looked as if he was fouled and went down in a heap. The ball was recycled into the middle, it bobbled about and Solanke tucked it home. It was almost a case of one attack, one shot and one goal. We really never deserved it but we were one down at the break.
The second half was more of the same but they did come back into it more. The play was more evenly split but we still looked a danger. Danny was storming down the right and was taking no prisoners. They were moving the ball faster and not dwelling on the ball so the possession was more even. There was some good movement and control from Benik but we just couldn’t fashion a chance. We needed fresh legs. Off came Bennett and on came Bradshaw and his introduction changed the game. A long ball from Hutch was headed on from Bradshaw over the back four and Benik ran on to it well, took it to the right of the goal and hit it across the keeper into the left corner of the goal. The Den went nuts. We took off Molly and put on Ojo with Jed moving left. We pushed and we pressed but we just couldn’t make another chance. They made three subs but couldn’t alter the score line and after four added minutes we saw the game out without drama.
Bart had little to do but did it well. Danny was my MOM with some storming runs down the right, some crisp tackles and an absolute determination that he wasn’t going to get beaten in any way. Ballard was class. Even with an attacker pulling and pushing him every which way he wasn’t going to get beaten. Hutch was very solid and always in the right place at the right time and Murray was just Mr Dependable at all times. Molly had one of his least effective games and it was the right decision to sub him and play a back four. Saville was busy and played an intelligent game with some good covering and passing. Billy had a great game. He had a moment in the second half where he made an interception, beat two on the line and hit a rasping shot which just cleared the bar. Jed had a busy game which carried a threat, Bennett was his normal aggressive self and Benik ran hard and took his goal well.
Bradshaw helped to change the game and Ojo had some decent moments. It was a good game to watch and the crowd got very vocal on the joke of a ref. He got so much wrong it got beyond a joke. Still, it was an exciting game and for the team in second they didn’t look much. If there was ever going to be a winner it was us but we thoroughly deserved our point.