Match Report

Deja-vu All Over Again!

Not a big report this week, in fact I could virtually cut and paste last week’s in with a few changes here and there, such were the similarities.

After late withdrawals by Todd, Matt G and Rich Whitlock, but James Foyle returning, our starting line-up was:

Ivor Swatton – GK
Steve Blanchard jnr - RB
Steve Blanchard snr – CB
Neil Barnes – CB
Colin Brazier – LB
James Foyle– RM
Matt Lenton – CM
Luke Allen– CM
Scott Barnes – LM
Mantas Gaiglas – CF
Connor Barclay – CF

Stand-in manager Mark Edwards was sub., along with Chris Rowland, who we signed on the day.

LDS are well known to us and our games have always featured a lot of goals, with neither side having failed to score in any of our preceding nine games in the last five years (4 wins, 5 defeats, no draws). It must be said, we have taken some hammerings from them recently and we spoke about their fast counter-attacking style to go along with a certain amount of disorganisation.

Both theories were borne out early on when after their keeper was late and missed the kick off, they started nervously and Mantas was on hand to take advantage of a defensive mix-up to give us the lead in the first minute. Then we got caught square on the break and conceded the equaliser. The game was lively and entertaining but it was the home side who scored twice more to give themselves a decent 3-1 lead at half time.

We were not out of the game by any means, and knew that we had to compete more and that the next goal would be critical. Thankfully we did and it was the Guild who scored, a through ball from (James?) latched onto by Connor who – rather too casually for us old ‘uns at the back – lobbed the keeper with their defender j-u-u-s-s-t failing in his attempt to catch the ball as it crossed the line.

Our tails were up now and we equalised soon after when Colin took a quick throw down the line to Chris, who had come on for Scott. Chris slipped the ball inside to Mantas who shot into the far corner from just outside the area. 1-3 had become 3-3 for the second game in a row; the question was, could we hold on or even win this time? The answer, sadly, “no”. Despite the best efforts of Ivor in goal…i.e. not one, but two TTO’s (Trademark Tip Overs) AND a crunching tackle OUTSIDE his area which left the winger in a heap, we conceded what turned out to be the winner when we failed in several attempts to clear a bouncing ball and their striker found room to lash it into the net.

So that was it, a game played in very good spirits (except for the Blanchards’ tag team impression which after a bit of provocation soon blew itself out), and we left empty handed. This was particularly hard to take, as we feel the two teams are very evenly matched and not many points will separate us at the end of the season.

On the subject of the season, Bywood have withdrawn from the league and that leaves us with the likelihood of losing the 3 points we got against them so convincingly, as well as an uber-short league fixture list of 14 matches of which we have played 5 already. So it’s likely there will be some sort of division two cup competition in the spring.

Oh, and not to mention a walkover in this week’s Junior Challenge Cup tie which gives us a home quarter final against either Crofton or Croydon (they play each other…it’s not my memory playing tricks!!).

Make good use of your Saturday off guys!