Pembury Sunday Reserves 6 V 0 Tonbridge Post Office
We were back in action on Sunday for our first game since 11th December, having nicely watched our rivals drop points and the league table be adjusted due to the withdrawl of Sporting Grinstead. This meant prior to the game that we sat in third place just a point behind both The Palace and Cranbrook but significantly with two games in hand. This meant that we were able to concentrate the team talk on the fact that we were now in the driving seat and that despite having a small cushion that we needed to make sure that we prepared for and treated every game like a final as if we did then we had every chance of winning the league.
As was probably to be expected we started a little slowly and looked a bit rusty particularly in front of goal as we failed to capitalise on several opportunities in their box early on where the ball seemed to play pinball against their defenders. Nevertheless we scored the all important first goal on fifteen minutes when Rob Curd smashed an unstoppable drive into the top corner from the edge of the box. Despite further pressure we did not extend our led until the twenty seventh minute when a cross shot from Kevin Smith deceived their keeper into the bottom corner. Two minutes later Kevin scored again for our third and he should have had his hat-trick on the stroke of half time but a sliced shot went across the face of goal - fortunately it went straight to Matt Rice-Tucker who calmly side footed it home for a half time lead of 4-0.
We stressed at half time that we needed to drive on in the second half for goal difference and also to get some match fitness in our legs but we failed to increase our lead until the ball fell to Rox’s feet in the box as it always seems to at some point in a game and as usual he notched again ( a good scoring record for a full back - not even a wing back!!!). Rob Curd then scored with another good drive with five minutes remaining to complete the scoring.
All in all it was not a bad performance against a weakened Post Office team but there were was some rustiness in our play that we hope is now out of our system and that we can get back our sharpness for next week. Defensively it was good to keep a clean sheet as there was little threat and all the back four coped with what was thrown at them. In midfield and attack we did very well at times but also at others wasted the ball too often. It was good to Millsy join us and he gave us some guile up front and he provides us with different options to Matt and Kevin as well as good cover if they are absent. Tom Lowe covered well for the absent Olly at centre back and his full back berth was well filled by Tommy Gent who used the ball well particularly going forward. Shawn in completing thirty minutes made a full return from injury and his availability will now put some pressure on Nick and Wylsey in the centre of the park. All in all competition for places is hotting up at a time when everyone needs to be performing at their peak.
Next Sunday we travel to Dormansland and despite their lowly position it will be a tough test (they drew with Palace yesterday) as they always seem to perform better at home. With Palace drawing and Cranbrook losing yesterday we are now top!!!
Team:
M.Bolton
T.Gent
J.Roxborough
Tom Lowe
J.Campbell
P.Poliski
M. Wyles
N. Forward
R.Curd
M. Rice-Tucker
K.Smith
Subs
M.Millins (for Poliski)
S.Bent (for Forward)
