Nice, still, misty afternoon at Bayer, good football weather. This time we had no footballs, last time no away kit. Still a similar convincing win though which is the main thing. Although Ecky couldn't make it himself he had drafted in three decent replacements in Jim, Pondy and Finchy.
Jim paired with Mark at CB, Pondy and Finchy started on the bench. Richard GK, Westy, Karl CM, Roger and Shane CF completing the now familiar and effective spine of the team. So add to that return of Dave Sharred at LM, Matt Ware RM, Simon and Ben at RB and LB respectively and that was the team.
St Faiths started well, probably deserved to go 1 up. Cross from their right found their CM (I Think) on the penalty spot who took a touch and put an unstoppable shot into the top corner..ish. We took a little time to start improving but our pressure later in the half lead to the equaliser, Karl's corner finding Roger at the far post to head in 1-1. We forced a few more set pieces before the end of the half and finished the stronger of the two teams. HT. Karl advised us that a win would take us into 2nd spot. Be good if we can maintain this position for a few weeks.
Second half was all us; I imagine it was a bit like Norwich at Peterborough. We scored our second after about 3 minutes from the restart. Their RB headed clear as far as me and my lob into the box near the (massive) penalty spot was met by Roger's face which took both ball and keeper into the net like something out of the 50's. 1-2. Third goal was nicer. Karl took control of the ball just inside their half beat a couple of challenges and put a low drive past the keeper into the corner. Killer goals these two, St Faiths heads went down. Shane was brought down in the box for a definite pen. Karl dispatched it this time and made it 1-4. They were awarded one a little later, couldn't see why, Jim took the ball off the St Faiths player's foot and put it out for a corner, don't think they even appealed for a pen.
Mattered little anyway as Richard saved low down to his left, great stop, 1-4.
A St Faiths midfielder had a couple of further efforts which were well saved by Richard. Disappointed we couldn't get a successive clean sheet but it's 2 against in 270 mins played recently. Later in the game Shane was again fouled, this time by the last man as he closed in on goal just outside the D. I'm guessing the ref must have thought about a card here but produced none. Karl hit this, low on target and the keeper parried only as far as Pondy who had followed up and made it 1-5.
So three wins on the bounce, three away wins. Be great if we can get maximum points from these two matches and get our first home win of the season against Horsford. Roger was the opposition's man of the man on the basis that St Faiths receive a 25% discount at the restaurant. Would have been Karl had he not been fouled a lot.
