After 3 straight wins the management team of Andy and Steve came into this game confident that this run could be extended. This view was held because over the last 3 weeks the team were now consistently doing the basics right. Namely concentrating at the back, going with our runners, competing in midfield, midfielders linking with the forwards, forwards holding the ball up and the whole team winning the first and second ball. If we continued to apply these fundamentals there was no reason that we couldn’t beat an average Hawkenbury team. What followed was our worst display since Langton Green away last season. With the exception of Sam Crisp, who had an excellent debut and must have wondered why Mark Wyles asked him to come along, the rest of the team were a disgrace.
Before I go into the match, below are a few do’s and don’ts for the players to take on board.
Do turn up on time. Don’t turn up late.
Do turn up fit to play 90 minutes. Don’t turn up still pi$$ed from the night before (it’s Saturday afternoon football, not Sunday morning).
Don’t ask what the score is from the lunch time Sky game if we’re two nil down and playing crap. Do ask if we’re two nil up and playing well.
Don’t walk off leaving others to take the nets down after the game.
Don’t play around with your mobile phone when the post-match de-brief is being given.
Do come up the pub afterwards so we can attempt to build some team spirit.
We should have known what the afternoon was to bring, when Ben twisted his knee in a crunching tackle in the first minute. After going one nil down we then lost Kevin to injury. One nil quickly became two nil when a hopeful clearance wasn’t dealt with and their centre forward waltzed through unopposed to score. Throughout the half we were incapable of passing the ball five yards to each other or bothered to run in support of the man on the ball.
Even though we were two nil down and playing poorly, we still believed at half time that we could get something out of the game if we could score the next goal. However within five minutes of the restart we failed to challenge the second ball on the edge of our box and their midfielder fired the ball home. Three quickly became four when a really weak tackle resulted in them scoring from close range. After another substitution we then lost Iggy to injury. We then pulled one goal back from Sam and Steve had the opportunity to pull another back, but failed to hit the target. They then made it five, before Sam rounded off a good performance with his second.
All in all a dreadful afternoon’s football. But at least we didn’t pick up any fines due to management oversight and incur the wrath of Bill!!
As a team we need to remember that we are a reserve side for a reason. To be able to compete in this division we have to do the basics right every week. There’s no disgrace in losing to better sides such as Rusthall III and Invicta Reserves, where we put in the requisite effort and application. What we as a team (managers and players) should never accept is the half hearted display put in today.
Team:
G.Knight
Lewis Drury
N.Edwards
G.Hughes
Kevin Waterman
S.Crisp
I.Crouch
B.Turner
R.Taylor
Y.Marouani
M.Wyles
Subs:
D.Jacquin (for B.Turner)
S.Waterman (for K.Waterman)
C.White (for R.Taylor)