For the second week in a row, LMB allowed a good first half performance to be overshadowed by a disappointing second in which a physical opposition, RTR Motorcycles, were allowed to fight back and claim a victory with vital goals in the last 5 minutes, dropping LMB from 1st to 3rd in the Division Two table.
After an abysmal start, in which RTR put away two long distance finishes inside 3 minutes following some poor marking, LMB slowly began to compete, talk and pass the ball around simply, and were rewarded with a number of fine goals. Neil managed to bundle the ball to Crozier on the edge of the area who nutmegged their despairing keeper from the right, before Chibbert poked the ball back to Spencer, whose long-range effort was comically fumbled over the line to level the scores. RTR momentarily retook the lead when a hurried LMB freekick ended up pinballing around in front of Paul’s goal and left him exposed when their striker acted fastest, but Phil hit a smart left-footed shot to level once again. Despite RTR again retaking the lead briefly, LMB dominated possession in the final ten minutes of the half and two awesome solo goals from Man of the Match Chibbert, tormenting the defenders with his twists and turns, and a last minute to-poke from Griffiths gave LMB a 6-4 lead at half time, which could have been extended had Crozier and Griffin taken well-worked chances in front of goal.
Despite counter-attacking at will, LMB saw at least 10 one-on-one shots saved by the vastly improved/luckier RTR keeper in the second half and crucially only added one more goal. Spencer squared to Griffin for a coolly taken finish to give LMB a 7-5 lead (after RTR had got one back with a lucky toe-poke), but after that it was the strong defending and a variety of inspired saves from both goalkeepers that kept the game tight. Spencer (put through on one occasion by Griffin’s Cruyff-esque pass) and Chibbert both saw numerous one-on-one shots parried away, while Phil couldn’t quite connect with his thunderstrikes that swerved and spun but would not nestle in the back of the net. Despite looking like they might implode following a number of late challenges and hot-headed comments, RTR somehow managed to dictate the result in the final ten minutes with several strong finishes (aided by overlooked body-checks and generous passing from a hurried LMB), retaking the lead with only 20 seconds remaining to claim all 3 points.
