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Pembury Reserves 4 v 4 Hawkenbury 3rds
We started the game in confident mood knowing that the opposition had only 10 men to start with and had come of the back of a heavy 8-0 defeat last week, however football doesn't work like that and within 5 minutes of the start Hawkenbury were 1-0 after a misjudged cross was headed in.
We kept our heads though and it wasn't too long before we were back level with a good half volley from Andy Rudkin that was lashed in over the keepers head, this increased the tempo of the game and we started to dominate more as the half went on.
After about 30 minutes they brought the 11 man on (Although you wouldn't have noticed they were down to 10) which levelled them in terms of players, butYacine was looking very tricky, Rob Hendley was making some really good runs and with the midfield backing up the front 2 well we managed to take the lead when the ball fell to Yac on the corner of the 18 yard box and he hit an unstoppable shot into the top far corner.
This really lifted us and for the rest of half we really went at them and with better final balls or a worse opposition goal keeper we could have easily gone in at half time up by 3, unfortunately it wasn't to be and we went only 2-1 up.
We had a good chat at half time and talked about trying to finish the opposition off but once again we failed to get going early on and found ourselves back level when we failed to stop a cross and stick with our men and they finished comfortably from close range.
This knocked us back understandably so, as we were level in a game we should have been comfortably winning, we didn't stop though and it was only in our attempts to get the lead back that we left ourselves 2 on 2 at the back and they managed to score a break away goal.
3-2 down and looking pretty dejected it was difficult to get ourselves going again, but we continued to plug away and we got a lucky break about 20 minutes from the end when some bad defending by them lead to Yac lobbing the ball over the keeper with another very smart finish from the edge of the area.
Level again and the impetus back in our favour we pushed on for the winner and we got it (Or so we thought) 5 minutes from the end when Andy Rudkin decided to Knee the ball over the keeper in what was one of the most audacious goals I have seen for a long time.
As a team there was a feeling of job done which ultimately culminated into our down downfall, we passed the ball nicely and progressed well down the left flank keeping the ball well however we gave the ball away cheaply and with a high back line they pumped the ball long over the top and there striker ran on to score.
There was no more time for anything else in the game and as the final whistle blew you wouldn't have been blamed for thinking they had won and we had lost as they were clearly more happy with the draw than we were.
No disrespect to Hawkenbury, they will feel they thoroughly deserved their point and in honesty they probably did, they got a few lucky bounces and bobbles here and there but when you work as hard as they did then you deserve a bit of luck. We haven't had any so far though and for 2 weeks on the trot now the players work rate and commitment can not be questioned. We do need to improve defensively though if we want to beat these teams, but that is not just the back 4, that is as a team.
Next week Southborough Away and hopefully without the pressure of sorting out changing room, team sheets and other bits and pieces we should be able to get a result.
Team:
James Ramskill
Lewis Drury
Stephen Harris
Terry Beattie
Tim Dumnall
Dan Fineman
Tom Gent
Andy Rudkin
Mike Callan
Rob Hendley
Yacine Mariouani
Subs:
Michael Drury
