Match Report

Beaten by a better side after a poor second half display.

Injuries and unavailability of players left us again short of players and lack of options. Players also turning up unfit to play (not only through injury) again added to our concerns. This leaves us with a forced hand in team selection and unable to react to tactics or performances. This left only Matty Wright on the bench and with only one sub available, you have to be overly cautious with the timing of the substitutions. However, on current performances, Bridon would have still beaten us even if we had our full squad available and played our strongest side. It is up to YOU guys to prove ME wrong.

All match we failed to deal with Bridon’s pace due to ineffective and indecisive defending. In the first half the left midfielder ran riot on our right hand side, and we never really got to grips with him until it was too late. By then it was job done and he eased off the gas. Matt Knuckey was also present in the Bridon line up. Not too sure what he is quite doing at Bridon, as he is capable of playing at a far higher standard than what Divison Two West can provide. He proved his class by being a thorn in our side for the entire match and we never ever dealt with him or got close. A quality, killer third goal after taking on half our team proved what he can do. At the same time though, we did make it easy for him and we have to learn to deal with this type of player if we have any aspirations of progressing to a higher standard.

To be fair to ourselves, we battled and competed quite well in the first half with Bridon going ahead after a suspected offside. We did respond well and had a few chances before Terry Connor did what we have failed to do all season and gambled on a loose ball to stab home a deserved equaliser. A true sign of what gambling can achieve. At the half we spoke about getting to grips with the left midfielder and battle and compete all around the park. We failed to do this and the second half was dominated by a pacy and commanding performance by Bridon. Early in the half, Bridon scored after a sweeping team move with the centre half finishing with aplomb. Two minutes later we backed off Matt Knuckey who ran us ragged as a result and powered the ball past a helpless Dan Ford in goal, who did well to get his fingertips to it.

With two quick goals, Bridon had thrown down the gauntlet and we failed to respond. There was no grit and determination, no fight back and more importantly no options on the bench. Bridon sealed the winner after a set piece from a corner which somehow found the net, but it was obviously worked on so you reap what you sow. Bridon then controlled the rest of the match without giving us a glimmer of hope. The worrying thing is that the goals came from defence, midfield and attack.

Altogether a deserved loss and the table does not lie. The only people that can push on, progress and develop FOBG as a football team and have an affect on the standard of football that the club so richly deserves is the players. The facilities, organisation, structure and financial status of the club is leagues ahead of the standard we play and this needs to be addressed. This week we have Bridon again and a chance to improve on our performances and learn from our mistakes. Learning from our mistakes is a key developing point and people really must think about the game, focus on what they aim to achieve and put the work in to achieve that result. Football is far more enjoyable when we are winning, but we only get what we deserve. Players have got to up the performances, efforts and commitment and start playing with a bit more passion and acting like a team. There are a few little niggles emerging within the ranks which I am none too happy about and these need to be sorted out like men, not boys. Too many individuals. Team spirit is something that requires togetherness, commitment and loyalty. Too many players turn up just for the sake of playing not winning. We are one team and we need to start acting like a team.

It''s over to you.