The Units laboured to a scrappy 1-1 draw this morning aganist Kewford Eagles
After the disappointment of last Sunday Cuzer refrained from wholesale changes making only one as Barney came in for the benched Lacey. We lined up as follows
Mala, Barney, Chinner, Darbs, Kirbs, Baker, Taylor, Coco, Jim, Pountney & Marcus
The bench was Ross, Jonah, Eggy, Penna and Lacey
The UNITS took the lead after only 5 minutes and from an unlikely source. Barney originally won the ball on the halfway line and after good work from Coco & Marcus the ball was switched to Pountney who roasted the full back before crossing low to Barney who had continued forward to sidefoot home from 6 yards
We were well on top and shortly after after as Kewford struggled to contain Pountey the ball fell to Taylor 18 yards out who dragged his shot inches wide with the Kewford keeper out of position
It was Taylor again who almost added a second when from an inswinging Coco corner Taylor missed his header at the front stick with the goal gaping
20 in it was one way traffic and Kewford had offered little in the way of a goal threat but as is the way with us at the minute we're not playing too well and things aren't dropping so we failed to add to our lead and this allowed Kewford to grow in confidence. They went close as we switched off from a long throw and then on the half hour mark a ball was poked forward for their striker to chase and Mala made a rash call coming from his line to catch the striker and concede a penalty
Luckily for the UNITS the Kewford midfielder dragged his shot wide from the spot
The remaining time of the half saw us back on the front foot, the corner count was quickly into double figures but we never made them count in fact Jim came closest to the elusivve 2nd goal when he struck a volley from a cross which the keeper did well to palm around the post
HT UNITS 1 v 1 Kewford
Another indiffernet half then and Cuzer felt there was certainly more in the locker from certainly our big game players who had taken their foot off the gas a little as we were comortable in the first half, the message was to push for the 2nd goal which would give us the cushion we required
Again, we started the 2nd half well taking the game to Kewford but give their centre halfs credit they were limited but were getting their head to most things and from umpteen Tayl's throws into the box we couldn't force the 2nd goal, twice Darbs went close with a blocked shot and hooking over the bar from 6 yards
On the hour mark however Kewford drew level when after we failed to clear a cross the ball was helped back in behind Barney for their left winger to cross well for their midfielder to volley home at the back post
Shortly after Cuzer replaced Marcus and the injured Barney with Eggy and Jonah
We still took the game to Kewford in the main but we were nowhere near our best, too many long balls forward were easily dealt with by their back line and so many promising positions went to waste with the wrong decisions being made by our more creative players
Saying that we were neither defending with much aplomb and wheras we were now pushing hard for a winner Kewford were dangerous on the break
Ross then replaced Jim with 15 left as we went 3 at the back and pushed for a winner however Mala had to make two decent stops as we were caught on the break with our best chances falling to Coco who had shot saved, Taylor who shot wide from 20 yards and then late on Ross did well to bring a ball down on his chest and fire across goal with Taylor inches away from sidefooting home
In injury time a deep cross from Pountey found Chinner on the back stick for a real chance yet he headed over from 6 yards and the UNITS dropped their first home points of the season
Overall another disappointing performance, some of our early season fluidity has gone AWOL but it's only going to come back if we roll our sleeves up, raise the work rate and go again, there is no magic wand!
Man of the match was difficult was we were all below our standards again so I'll give it to Jonah who came on for half hour and was direct in his running at the Kewford backline and added an urgency too many seemed to have lost today
