The weather was bright and warm, the condition of the pitch was a little suspect it had been mowed but the cuttings had been left on the pitch. The referee for the day Chris Dickens was taken ill just before the game and as a result one of the Forest Falcon managers had to step into ref the match?
Tenth Lock had a basic 11 to start the match and after 25 minutes were reduced to 10 when a clash off heads between Martin Fletcher and a Forest Flacon player saw both players having to come off with bad cuts to the head. Tenth Lock played well and created several chances but they could not put them away. Just before half time Forest Flacons hit the bar. The first half was a tight and evenly matched game.
HALF TIME 0 – 0
5 minutes into the second half the late arrival of Sean Gray saw Tenth Lock back up to 11 players and starting to play some excellent football creating numerous chances before on 73 minutes MOM Miles Pitter challenged back collected the ball in the right back position cleared a couple of players getting the ball to Rich Hill who went round 2 defenders and buried the ball into the back of the net 0 – 1.
At this point Tenth looked the stronger team and created another chance on 78 minutes which the Forest Falcons defence just hoofed it down field it beat the Tenths defence and then a miss hit cross flew into the Tenths net 1 – 1. Tenth Lock did not drop their heads they just kept going at the Forest Falcons defence and should have sealed the game before on 86 minutes another Tenth Lock attack was beaten back but it left Lee Ledington on the floor in the Forest Penalty area holding his head the referee did not stop the game despite numerous shouts from the tenth players and side line management to stop it the game was allowed to continue and a defensive mix up not clearing the ball saw Forest Falcons capitalise on this and score 2 – 1. Tenth created a couple more chances in the last 4 minutes but could not equalize. This was a good all round team performance from Tenth Lock and with a little more luck and much more clinical finishing in front of goal this could and should have been a totally different result.
FULL TIME 2 - 1
Next match at home on Sunday 2nd September again against Forest Falcons in the Dudley Guest Cup KO 10.30am.
