Today’s game was always going to be a scrappy affair as All claims are not interested in playing football too much, it just seems to be long ball with them and it was always going to be a battle against them.
This week saw Gary return in goal the back four was unchanged Lee replaced Matt in midfield and Gav replaced Deano up top. We also had Martin & Rick back along with Zee and Paul on the bench.
We started very slowly again we have to learn to fight for every ball throughout the game not just in spells. If we lose the 1st ball then we must win the 2nd ball if we can do this for longer periods we will have more of the ball and be able to play football with it. We are such a good team when we get the ball and pass it simple if only we could realise that it would make it so much more enjoyable for everyone.
All claims took the lead after some sloppy defending all-round, firstly for allowing the cross to come in & secondly for not being tight enough to their striker who had space to head the ball over Gal.
We responded well and equalised when Adam curled in a superb free kick, the keeper could not hold onto it and Luis put the ball into the back of the net. We went into the lead when Gary cleared downfield it went over the defence and Jack ran onto it and headed the ball over the keeper and into the empty net to his first goal for the club.
The second half was scrappy, Gav and Dan worked hard in midfield but we never seemed to get time on the ball as they pressed us, when games are tight in the centre we need to move the ball wide quickly and give the wide players some ball to work with and free up space.
We started the 2nd better than the 1st but All claims equalised with a good strike from just inside our box. We showed a bit more from then on and with the intro of Martin , Zee & Rick who came on and done well. We played some good stuff and the winner was an absolute pearler, Luis picked the ball up about 40 yards out drove into the space in front of him and hit a peach that gave the keeper no chance as it nestled in to the top corner you won't see many goals better than that this season and a major contender for goal of the season.
We held on a bit towards the end and Chris got booked although I am not sure how as the ref who had missed absolutely everything else that had happened during the game somehow spotted a slight infringement by Chris (Perhaps if you had not flattened him as well you may have got away with it?).
It wasn’t our best performance but we worked hard especially Gav who was kicked all over the park and he deservedly got the MOM award this week
