A scrappy and unconvincing performance won by a great finish to take all three points.
W started brightly and pushed forward well for the first five minutes. A great interception in the middle by Hutch set Danny free on the right but his cross came to nothing. We continued to get our foot in and a decent Jed corner was knocked back by Cooper but Hutch couldn't direct it goal wards. Then there was a lot of scrappy play which had little flow in it. Both sides were guilty. They were hoping to profit from long throw ins and free kicks. Their Ladapo was dangerous and Smith was putting himself about. However we were trying to play some football. A good link up between Bennett and Jed got the both in a tangle and the attack came to nothing. Another good challenge by Danny set Molly free on the left and his decent cross was just too far for Jed. Then we had to reorganise. A clearance from Hutch tweaked a calf muscle and he had to go off for Pearce. They sensed a chance and had a couple of free kicks which didn't quite fall for them in the box. One that did saw their defender head firmly into the corner but Bart clawed it away on the line.
A good diagonal from Molly to Jed proved difficult to control and it went off one of theirs for a corner. It was hit to the near post for Bennett to sweep it goal wards but it went wide. And the half finished with them slightly on top but with nothing to show for their efforts.
GR was clearly looking for more control and quality in the second half and we started well. Molly nutmeged their defender and his low cross was pushed wide by their keeper. Murray hit a first time shot but it hit Bennett and went off their defender for a corner. Molly hit a shot wide from the corner which looped wide. Then cam the turning point of the game. Bennett clipped a great ball to Jed who was goal side of the defender who clipped his heels and was off for an early bath. Jed hit the resulting free kick at the wall but the rebound was hit fiercely by Danny and the keeper flipped it over. Then Molly hit a great cross to Bennett but his effort was just wide. A corner quickly followed which fell to Jed who hit a screaming volley into the roof of the net for 1-0. We thought we had it all sewn up and there was a clever piece of play and cross from Danny. It was time for fresh legs. On came Bod, Ken and Mahoney for Jed, Bennett and Mitchell. They were pressing and we lost some control which encouraged them to push forward. A great ball to Mahoney from Woods on the edge of the box set Connor up. He dragged the ball from left to right but placed his shot wide. Then their chance came. A solid challenge from Pearce won the ball but their attacker fell over and the ref pointed to the spot. Bart made a great save to preserve justice. A tiring Woods was replaced by Kief and there wasn't too much drama in the four added minutes.
Bart had little to do except for an excellent stop from the spot for his 16th clean sheet. Danny was solid and energetic. Hutch was similar until he went off injured but Pearce was a good replacement. Cooper was solid and Molly was enterprising down the left.. Mitchell had a reasonable game and so did Evans who was tidy. Woods hit some decent passes but is vulnerable when pressed hard outside his own box. Bennett was busy but Jed shaded MOM with a great goal and a busy performance. Mahoney had a couple of class moments, Ken looked strong up front and Bod was busy. Kief bottled it up for the last 6 minutes.
So, not a pretty game but a great winner, three points a clean sheet and seven points behind a play off spot in tenth. I'll take that any day. Monday will be a tougher task but two home wins on the spin gives us momentum.
W started brightly and pushed forward well for the first five minutes. A great interception in the middle by Hutch set Danny free on the right but his cross came to nothing. We continued to get our foot in and a decent Jed corner was knocked back by Cooper but Hutch couldn't direct it goal wards. Then there was a lot of scrappy play which had little flow in it. Both sides were guilty. They were hoping to profit from long throw ins and free kicks. Their Ladapo was dangerous and Smith was putting himself about. However we were trying to play some football. A good link up between Bennett and Jed got the both in a tangle and the attack came to nothing. Another good challenge by Danny set Molly free on the left and his decent cross was just too far for Jed. Then we had to reorganise. A clearance from Hutch tweaked a calf muscle and he had to go off for Pearce. They sensed a chance and had a couple of free kicks which didn't quite fall for them in the box. One that did saw their defender head firmly into the corner but Bart clawed it away on the line.
A good diagonal from Molly to Jed proved difficult to control and it went off one of theirs for a corner. It was hit to the near post for Bennett to sweep it goal wards but it went wide. And the half finished with them slightly on top but with nothing to show for their efforts.
GR was clearly looking for more control and quality in the second half and we started well. Molly nutmeged their defender and his low cross was pushed wide by their keeper. Murray hit a first time shot but it hit Bennett and went off their defender for a corner. Molly hit a shot wide from the corner which looped wide. Then cam the turning point of the game. Bennett clipped a great ball to Jed who was goal side of the defender who clipped his heels and was off for an early bath. Jed hit the resulting free kick at the wall but the rebound was hit fiercely by Danny and the keeper flipped it over. Then Molly hit a great cross to Bennett but his effort was just wide. A corner quickly followed which fell to Jed who hit a screaming volley into the roof of the net for 1-0. We thought we had it all sewn up and there was a clever piece of play and cross from Danny. It was time for fresh legs. On came Bod, Ken and Mahoney for Jed, Bennett and Mitchell. They were pressing and we lost some control which encouraged them to push forward. A great ball to Mahoney from Woods on the edge of the box set Connor up. He dragged the ball from left to right but placed his shot wide. Then their chance came. A solid challenge from Pearce won the ball but their attacker fell over and the ref pointed to the spot. Bart made a great save to preserve justice. A tiring Woods was replaced by Kief and there wasn't too much drama in the four added minutes.
Bart had little to do except for an excellent stop from the spot for his 16th clean sheet. Danny was solid and energetic. Hutch was similar until he went off injured but Pearce was a good replacement. Cooper was solid and Molly was enterprising down the left.. Mitchell had a reasonable game and so did Evans who was tidy. Woods hit some decent passes but is vulnerable when pressed hard outside his own box. Bennett was busy but Jed shaded MOM with a great goal and a busy performance. Mahoney had a couple of class moments, Ken looked strong up front and Bod was busy. Kief bottled it up for the last 6 minutes.
So, not a pretty game but a great winner, three points a clean sheet and seven points behind a play off spot in tenth. I'll take that any day. Monday will be a tougher task but two home wins on the spin gives us momentum.