Saturday again we started the day experiencing some difficulties, with the news that Mark Wyle’s who has just broken into the 1st team and given some very impressive performances of late has been ruled out for the foreseeable future after fracturing his ankle playing for his Sunday side - everyone at the club wishes him a speedy recovery. Also our goalkeeper dropped out Saturday morning with personal problems! We also had to make 6 changes to the squad from last week’s game. We decided to bring in a few youngsters from the reserves that had impressed over the last few games. We went out with 13 players against a team starting the day in third position and if they win their games in hand would go up as runners up, so things again were looking a little bleak for us, although recently our performances and results to some degree have picked up (apart from the blip at Otford) and we could at least look forward to going out and giving APM a tough game.
The only recognisable goalkeeper we had was Hymers who went in goal at the last moment, Dave has played in goal for us a number of times this season and has always done very well, keeping three clean sheets which I think could be a record for the Saturday 1st team in the last few years. In my opinion it is probably the best position for him at the moment until he can get fit and overcome the injuries he is picking up on a regular basis. We moved Rob James in to central defence alongside captain for the day Tom Bowyer and brought Luke Smith in at left back, with Lee Gunning switching from Left to right. In midfield Matt Lawrence came into the centre of the park and brought the average age up a bit, with Barry joining him and Luke H on the right and Woody on the left with Yacc and Ben up front on the bench I thought I had Nick Edwards and Alex Donaldson. Also pleasing was that we had a crowd although not large there were for only the third or fourth time this season a few faces watching us which I think lifted the players spirits as well, at times this season they have felt kind of isolated from the club and although based on some of the performances we cant expect people to want to come and watch us when they have on the whole we have performed better.
I was away last week working really hard, so missed the performance against Atcost from what I have heard we worked hard last week but things just wouldn’t quite sit for us and it wasn’t to be our day although we probably shaded the game, but it was pleasing to see that we didn’t fold and were able to get a vital point and clean sheet from a tough derby match that would give us confidence on Saturday against Aylesford who are going for promotion.
We said in the changing room before the game to go out and play at a high tempo, don’t give them space to play and if they were to get anything out of the game they would have to earn it. When we play at a high tempo get the ball forward early and close down from the front not many teams can live with us as we have so much pace and running from all parts of the pitch. I don’t know many people quicker than Luke Hattle and Ben Brooker and with Woody assisting and Barry Leete able to get forward with Matt sitting we looked very dangerous.
The game started in the fashion we wanted and I feel for 90 % of the game we played it how we wanted and did not let the opposition bring their game to us, which I think reflects in the result. Due to APM pushing for promotion we had for the first time this season a referee and official linesmen and apart from one decision I think it was the best performance we have had from officials all season. The contentious decision on our part came after about 5 minutes when woody had a shot which the goalkeeper saved and the rebound fell to Brooker who finished at the back post, the linesman did not raise his flag but the referee still gave off side at this point I was started to think when your down the bottom things really don’t go your way. Credit to our players for once they didn’t start moaning and they just got on with their football which was pleasing to see. We didn’t have to wait too much longer for the breakthrough goal, we were awarded a free kick 25 yards from goal, Barry struck a swerving shot into the top corner which the goalkeeper could only parry Woody was following up and finished well at the near post. The rest of the half was fairly even with both teams having chances, theirs mainly from corners - we weren’t dealing with the second ball well enough from set pieces which led to a couple of chances for APM. During this period Dave in goal had a couple of saves to make, but what was impressive was his handling when coming out for crosses which took some pressure off us when defending. Also he set us up well for quick counter attacks which although we didn’t capitalise on we did look dangerous. The back four were holding out well and competed for every ball, Matt in the middle of the park won headers and tackles which set us up to attack with the front five all looking to get forward which we haven’t done enough this season.
We went in at half time 1-0 up but with both teams still in the game with the result in the balance, we spoke in the changing room about firstly keeping the tempo up when we moved the ball at pace and made good runs we looked very dangerous, also we needed to concentrate a bit more when defending corners. But everything was positive and we deserved our lead at half time. The second half for me was a strange affair, we began well and soon doubled our lead when the non stop running of Ben Brooker resulted in him getting the goal his performance so far deserved he rounded the keeper and finished with a side foot into the net, this lifted a bit of pressure from the players and soon after the chances and goals began to flow. Good work in midfield resulted in us winning the ball back on many occasions and the impressive hold up play and forward passing of Yacc meant he put through Ben again who this time squared the ball across goal for the oncoming player, an APM player stuck out a leg and turned the ball into his own net, 3 - 0 with only ten minutes gone in the second half. Three soon became four when Ben cut in from the right and smashed the ball across goal into the far corner for his second of the game. Four nil we were living in dream world and although performances have been improving we weren’t expecting this against one of the top teams in our league.
Midway through the half APM scored direct from a free kick, Dave who had been outstanding up until then mis judged a cross which sailed over his head into the net. This did not deter us though and soon we had our four goal lead back when again we broke the APM off side trap for Luke Hattle to round the goalkeeper and score his second 1st team goal of the season. We then got our sixth and final goal when Barry Leete side footed home from close range to leave us, let alone them feeling shell shocked. APM then scored a consolation goal with a fine individual effort that Dave had no chance with.
Although the score line shocked our club, APM and probably most of the league I have felt we have been improving apart from the performance at Otford where we were very poor, and that sooner or later the players would realise with a bit of hard work they can compete at this level as the talent has been there just not the application. We could for the first time in a while walk into the Black after the game with heads held high and fully know we deserved a drink and the three points. The performance from 1 to 11 was outstanding and would be unfair of me to single anyone out, but a big congratulations and a pat on the back to everyone involved - we have two games left and if we put in the same amount of effort in them as we did Saturday we have every chance of finishing the last four games of the season without defeat.
As much as I would like to say the day was a complete success there were one or two things that upset me on Saturday, firstly no one stayed behind to help clean up(I’ll let you off this week as you won) and secondly and much more important and serious was the attitude of our 2 subs! Although still young and learning they cannot do what they did without repercussions. With twenty five minutes left they decided to go and get changed and go home leaving a couple of our players struggling with injuries to finish the game, not only was it rude and out of order to me it was worse for their teamMATES. One of them has since apologised and was man enough to say he was wrong which I accept and just hope he learns and if he wants will get a chance to play for us again. The other one will not play for the first team the whole time I’m in charge as this is not the first time he has let us down, there are players who might not be as good as him much more worthy of a place in our squad.
All in all though a very good day and the players should be looking forward to next week’s game against UK Paper. Well done today lads let’s finish the season in style!
Squad
D.Hymers
L Gunning
R James
T.Bowyer
L Smith
L.Hattle
M Lawrence
B.Brooker
M.Wood
B Brooker
Y.Marouani
Subs:
N.Edwards
A Donaldson