Match Report

If you are down to play, and cannot, for whatever reason, you MUST let Des or Vic know.

If not on the Friday or before, e.g. if you’ve had a heavy night, AT LEAST by 10am on the Saturday.

No questions asked.

Do not assume that you will not be missed just because there are 16 other players in the squad – others may be thinking the same thing or have dropped out injured etc.

That will save the manager and secretary the hassle of trying to find players when we discover you won’t be showing up just half an hour before kick off.

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As it was, the frantic phone calls conjured up 12 players by kick off, one of whom was carrying an injury and by his own admission shouldn’t have been playing. In the event Jimmy had a great game at the back until he was forced off just after half time. The team selected was Simon (making 2nd successive stand-in keeper appearance); centre backs Steve Blanchard and Jimmy Bane; myself at left back with Tom Delaney switching to right back. In midfield we had Steve and Chris Viner in the centre, with Graham Rand on the left and Lee Cross returning on the right. Up front this week were Chris Edwards and Christian Boyce. Dan Warwick was the sub.

So far this season every team we have played has had a 100% record in the league at kick off. We had played three of the top four teams in the endangered species known as Bromley League Div. 2 and Charlton Athletic Deaf were the last of this quartet, having won both their opening games. Unsurprisingly they started the more confident side, winning a succession of corners which we defended without too many scares. They had one especially skilful forward who had a nasty habit of dropping deep to collect the ball and then running at the defence while his midfield colleagues surged past looking to be played in on goal. By the time we play them again we must think up a cunning plan to deal with that.

Despite this pressure we were well in the game and with Lee and Tom linking up down our right we began to create chances and exert some pressure of our own. Which of course makes us more vulnerable to the quick counter, and so it proved with two similar well struck Charlton goals within five minutes of each other. We refused to buckle however, and we got a deserved goal just before the interval when Tom found Christian in space 10 yards out, and he took the chance well, turning and shooting past the keeper.

So but for a bad 5 minutes we had played well against a good side and were optimistic for the second half, but found ourselves chasing a two goal deficit soon after the restart when another of our attacks broke down and they punished us on the break. Just as in the first half we conceded a second quick goal, and the game was effectively over. Dane replaced Jimmy (who hopefully has made a full recovery from his injury), and played very well at the back. The spirit within the side was good, and even though the excuses were there to fold, we gave as good as we got for the last half an hour and just conceded one more to leave the final score 5-1.

The man of the match award deservedly went to Lee for his dangerous runs and crosses on the right wing.

So with our league season 25% finished, we have 1 win out of 4 and the priority must be to get a settled squad of reliable players turning out each week, before we can even think about winning matches on a regular basis.