Knobs 2 Saints 2

Good point in the end and on the whole an enjoyable, competitive game played in good spirit.

A little bit of tactics before the game- 4-3-3! (or rather 4-3-1-2- with Steve B the more withdrawn of the front 3 pulling a few strings).

This ultimately means clamping the middle of the field, relinquishing some of the width, so that we defend somewhat narrowly and unfortunately, unless the full backs are charging forward into the vacant wide spaces, attacking by playing through a narrower, somewhat congested middle of the pitch. This was working to an extent in the first half, though feelings develop among defenders that too much space is been given out wide when they attack. Central midfielders start to feel uneasy and want to drift out to combat the threats wide and often get caught half and half. The answer is hold your nerve- give them that space and defend inside of it by sheer energy and extra weight of numbers. Another downside is that things can get a bit cramped through the middle, people getting in each others' way, sometimes an inability to make passes through a crowd, and the frustration of trying to run with the ball in such congestion.

This can be alleviated by practice at the system, having the fullbacks regularly attacking down the wide spaces of the wings (and having the guts and some sort of fitness to get back again quickly if a move breaks down), and having the front two making arcing runs out into the width anticipating occasional balls knocked into spaces there. After we woke up and realised the game had started this is what happened on a few occasions and Matt and Gavin's speed proved hot to handle. I thought we would at least score a sackful with our attacking against their not too robust defence!

We took a 2-0 lead- hey this is easy. First an inadequate goalkeeping clearance was taken up by Gavin who slid across for Matt to coolly slot home from 10 yards. Shortly afterwards a nice move saw the ball arrive to Matt who lashed goalwards, the ball ricocheting to Chris W at the far post, who netted easily. They got in a few times but squandered their chances before pulling one back from a goalmouth melee just before half time.

While I was removing a dog turd from the pitch at half time an active debate was taking place about systems. Please stick with the one we're using and we did. However let's not forget they are a useful, pretty fit side who were unbeaten and up for it. Perhaps it was their play and their fitness that in the end accounted for more than any particular system we adopted (I'm sure it was- please disagree) and they duly achieved an equaliser- an excellent finish and missed a hatful. I don't know what everyone thinks about the way the game unfolded but I reckon there is a general lack of belief in each other as individuals within the system and the fitness of each other leading to people fretting about teammates ability to do a job rather than concentrating on their own performances positively, that was and is the main drawback. Believe young men believe!

One incident of note. We defended and attacked, leaving an opponent "injured" in the wake. We knock ball out. They give us the ball back via one of their blokes (someone called cunt) who hits a rather too hard too wide ball at our goal- Trevor, in goal, is evaded and the ball trickles home for a goal. Their passer throws up his arms in elation- as I said, cunt. I as referee reluctantly blow for their goal. To their credit they refuse it. I don't know- getting too old for this modern morality. OK- we play on and am accosted by their captain , no it's a goal and then we'll let you kick off and run down and score. Is tis an actual rule or some bliddy extra complication devised from this daft etiquette grey area that has developed in the game? I don't know- oh just play on 2-2, and that's how it ended.

Huge turn out by both sides in THE FOX. Them in the pub and us in the 'garden'. Sandwiches were a scuptural masterpiece- how can nutrition be squeezed into something so exquisitively thin? That fat guy from Ipswich would struggle on this diet! The sliced cucumber tasted nice! Congratulations to Bill and Paul- twenty four hours late- I gather Danny Griffiths had announced the event to come under Knebworth 1st teams's 'fact of the week' the day before.

Knobs 'fact of the week'- John Boyle commits to family- misses game to go to Southend to watch a game with brothers, Ray and Rob. AAH there's nice boyo!