Knobs 2 Stotfold 4

Following 2 disappointing performances it was important that the team played well this week.  There had been a feeling that something had been missing in the last 2 games.  There was a lack of energy, leadership and spirit which had all been there at the start of the season.  It was therefore with great relief we welcomed back a player from injury who has set the tone early season and who represents all the things we have missed in the past 2 games.  Yes, Dan Looney was back. (And did a great job running the line)

Also returning from injury to the side, renewing his central midfield partnership with Bully was Darren.  We also introduced the 32nd different player to represent us this season to the team.  Greg, older brother of Dave M took up position on the right wing.  Another debut will be made in the next game.  33 players, what a squad!

The grass was long, the mud was thick and the weather was peeing down.  Not normally conducive to our attempts to get the ball down and play.  But we did!  From the off we played like we know we can.  We hassled, won the ball and passed it around.  We were back!

We dominated possession and they couldn’t get out of their half.  It wasn’t long before Dave M raced through and was thwarted by their midget in goal.  Great save.  They couldn’t hold on for much longer though and we duly scored from some nice play down the left, a crossed ball and a finish by Paul.  We continued to dominate possession but didn’t fashion too many chances.  Darren headed inches past the post having got on the end of a Dave M cross and a few more half chances fell our way but nothing clear cut.

It all looked so good.

Then it went a bit wrong.  Somehow our left side both injured themselves at the same time and both left the pitch hobbling.  On came our 2 subs.  Our other debutant Colon didn’t show up so the 11 on the pitch were all we had fit.  This seemed to unsettle us as we were forced to rejig the team.  Ironically, 5 minutes later and the first time we failed to press them we allowed their right midfielder all the time he wanted to play in their winger whose shot (miss hit cross!) squirmed over the line.  1 shot, 1 goal was the sum total of their attacks all first half.

The second half started and we had even more of the ball than in the first half.  Their defence sat deeper and their midfield lined up in front of the back 4. It was harder to get through them but we kept plugging away.  Eventually though we broke through.  Dave M who had troubled them all game had a shot from the edge of the box which the keeper could only palm to Dan L.  Dan finished with aplomb and we were back in the lead and well deserved.

What followed was not something that you can do anything about.  In fact even their first goal was down to an individual error and so were the next 3.  We managed to get an assist for all 6 goals in the game. That takes some doing! There is no point here ridiculing or calling out the players who made the errors.  They didn’t do it intentionally and you could tell they felt bad about their mistakes.  It happens to us all at some point.

We managed to grab defeat from the jaws of victory.  Unlike the Whitewebbs capitulation it was not through lack of effort or being outplayed.  These things happen.

We continue to score goals which is great and if we can tighten up at the back many victories await!

There were some interesting observations made in the changing room after –

Paul – If Tony kicked the ball as hard as he kicked the post his goal kicks would be massive.
Bully – Their goalie was tiny and ours is a giant yet ours gets lobbed twice. 

So, we retired to the pub with the opposition and after half an hour we enquired about the food only to be greeted with blank looks.  Another individual error (again, no names) meant that nobody had told the pub we would be there.  We had given Stotfold 4 goals so we told them that our generosity had been used up and to go home for a sandwich.