Today our Opponents today were St. Pauls Panthers, a team we played away only a few weeks back and then won the match comfortably 14-1.

We started the game today with only 10 players loosing Alex H to an illness and Max who had prior commitments, with these guys missing it meant I had to find 2 players to fill the defensive roles, but with some reshuffling we were able to line up loosing the midfielder from our normal formation.

The match kick-off and we looked quite comfortable putting early pressure on our opponents, and it wasn’t long into the game when we were awarded a penalty after Freddie was taken out just as he looked like scoring. Adam stepped up and took the spot kick but unfortunately for us this was well saved by their keeper, they also made a good block from the follow up, but from the same period of play the ball had found its way back out to Adam who crossed it in for Freddie to score and put us 1-0 up.

For the remainder of the first half we played some good football considering we were one man short and the back line was holding up well, and although we did concede once we went into the break 1-1.

After my talk at halftime about belief of what they could do the second half started really well for us and we had a period where we dominated the game, a period where Adam scored after a great pass from Jack, and not long after that Adam got another too, unfortunately this goal was controversially ruled out after the oppositions linesman had flagged for an offside.

So at 2-1 we looked comfortable and were dealing well with all that was coming our way at the back, then midway through the half we conceded when one of our own players put the ball past Toby to make it 2-2, it was at this point I felt for the first time this season the boy’s lost some of their belief, their heads seemed to drop a little, perhaps it was this coupled with some tiring legs that allowed St. Pauls to go on and score a further two goals.

At 4-2 down and not much time left Freddie did get another for us to make it 4-3, then in the last five we mounted a real effort to get something from the game we battled really hard and created two great chances to level the game but all to no avail and St. Pauls held out to Win the game 4-3.


Today’s game was always going to be hard with 10 men and it proved to be in the end, we had come off the back of 2 excellent results and I felt that confidence would be enough to take us through for a victory again, but the game can be won and lost by small margins and today we lost by a small margin and believe that the disallowed goal and own goal that followed was that margin which cost us the victory.

I felt we missed that man in centre of midfield and that seemed to compress the midfield a little which resulted in too much football being played through the middle rather than down the wings, where I feel we usually excel.

But saying all that we still had some good periods of play with nice passing to create good chances too.
I felt the guys at the back who covered for Alex and Max played really well.

Jon and Ben in the centre of defence made some great challenges and superb clearances, Will playing at left back done a good job of linking up with Adam.

Toby again pulled off some good saves and was unlucky to concede four goals, their third goal was a thunderous shot which he made an excellent attempt to save and almost pushed it over the bar.

But today my man of the match goes to Jack, Jack played at right back to cover for Alex and he work really hard there, he made great challenges and executing some lovely passes too, one which was a great assist in Adams goal.


Goals:

Freddie
St. Paul Goal

HT 1-1

Adam
OG
St. Paul Goal
St. Paul Goal
Freddie

FT 3-4 :o(