Post by benchsitter on Apr 21, 2013 16:25:21 GMT
Table toppers Walton Casuals came with an unbeaten league record and even though we, once again, struggled for a team (only 12 players) we came close to upsetting their plans for another win.
Both sides played good football throughout, but it was a bit surprising to find that WC are really a straight forward long ball team, which our back line dealt with very well for the majority of the game, catching them offside several times.
We opened the scoring after 16 mins when a well struck free kick by Ian Messenger into the penalty area was picked up by Jay Warden who held off challenges from a defender and the keeper to slot home a low shot.
Within 3 mins the scores were level when a cross into our 6 yard box was not cleared and the resulting scramble was bundled in to make it 1-1.
The scores stayed that way until halftime and at the break that was a fair reflection of the game.
After the break we started slowly and it cost us the game ... after 51 mins Casuals got lucky when Messy lost the ball in the bright sun and fell injured when he landed and the ball went loose across the edge of the box. We weren't quick enough to close and their player struck a good shot low into the the far corner of the net to make it 2-1. Twelve mins later and it was 3-1 when their winger was allowed to get behind us at the corner and cross hard across out 6 yard box, we had the chance to clear, but failed and the ball was tapped in.
From this point on the team managed to up the game and we were the better side until the final whistle. After 72 mins Jay released Harry Derbyshire on the left who beat his man and took the ball into the penalty area and beat the advancing keeper to make it 3-2, but that's how it stayed. We had the chance to level when Ryan George got free and lobbed the keeper but it bounced just wide and that was that.
Good but not quite good enough for the whole 90 mins. Plenty to be positive about in our play though, including a good debut for ACL Youth keeper Brad Sparks in goal.
Let's hope we can achieve this level of performance in our last 2 games to give us the chance to stay in this division.
Both sides played good football throughout, but it was a bit surprising to find that WC are really a straight forward long ball team, which our back line dealt with very well for the majority of the game, catching them offside several times.
We opened the scoring after 16 mins when a well struck free kick by Ian Messenger into the penalty area was picked up by Jay Warden who held off challenges from a defender and the keeper to slot home a low shot.
Within 3 mins the scores were level when a cross into our 6 yard box was not cleared and the resulting scramble was bundled in to make it 1-1.
The scores stayed that way until halftime and at the break that was a fair reflection of the game.
After the break we started slowly and it cost us the game ... after 51 mins Casuals got lucky when Messy lost the ball in the bright sun and fell injured when he landed and the ball went loose across the edge of the box. We weren't quick enough to close and their player struck a good shot low into the the far corner of the net to make it 2-1. Twelve mins later and it was 3-1 when their winger was allowed to get behind us at the corner and cross hard across out 6 yard box, we had the chance to clear, but failed and the ball was tapped in.
From this point on the team managed to up the game and we were the better side until the final whistle. After 72 mins Jay released Harry Derbyshire on the left who beat his man and took the ball into the penalty area and beat the advancing keeper to make it 3-2, but that's how it stayed. We had the chance to level when Ryan George got free and lobbed the keeper but it bounced just wide and that was that.
Good but not quite good enough for the whole 90 mins. Plenty to be positive about in our play though, including a good debut for ACL Youth keeper Brad Sparks in goal.
Let's hope we can achieve this level of performance in our last 2 games to give us the chance to stay in this division.
