A bit late this week - been really busy at work!
So Halloween weekend and our performance, unfortunately, turned out to be a bit of a horror show. Oh it had everything: tantrums, own goals, injuries and even the boys in blue (wearing white...)
We were back at the Met Police ground in Bushey again this week with memories of our previous trip a few weeks earlier when we lost to Garston (who also play there) still fresh in the memory. I even saw 'Big Sam' the Garston centre-forward (four fucking headers!) who had given me the dirty elbow across the back of the head, outside the changing rooms. Bastard!
And there was another new face for me to meet in the form of Simon Mabey. What a character! Where have the Vets been hiding this guy?! A very funny bloke - with twinkle toes it would turn out.
Scottish John was back after missing last week so it was nice to be reunited with my pal, and we actually had a good fourteen players for the game. Sadly, the regular situation of players missing through injury from the week before reared its ugly head as Luffy was absent following last weeks pulled hammy and we also were without Paul which was a shame because I'm sure he would have loved to have added to his two goals in his previous outing. It was nice to see Codz again who in spite of his physical appearance ( basically he looks like he could cause a few problems in a ruck), is one of the most placid and laid back guys in the team, and Wrexy who admitted before the game that he had heard the Steve McClaren similarity before...
Lev thought we'd have a go with two holding midfielders which saw Nick alongside Codz in the middle of the park with Shamsey out on the left and Jonesy on the right. Personally, I'd have Jonesy down the middle pulling the strings as usual - but that's just me. AK & Lev set up at centre back with Mark and Wrexy either side and Matty was partnered up top with Dino. We also welcomed a new chap called Marcello who started on the bench with the Scotsman and Mabes. I thought we looked pretty strong actually and of course there was the usual pre-match murmurs that 'we gave this lot a good game last year....' Famous fucking last words.
We did our very best but the Met Police do have a decent side - possibly one of the best footballing teams we've played. They pass and move extremely well for each other and had us really chasing them and the ball for pretty much the whole game. The first half was a bit of a tidal wave of continuous pressure but the most pleasing thing was that we actually held out for about thirty five minutes before conceding. Prior to that we properly rode our luck seeing them clatter my bar and me getting in a couple of scrappy saves with my legs. Things weren't helped when AK did his knee pretty early seeing Scottish J coming on and then a poor tackle from one of them saw Shamsey limp off being replaced by debutant, Marcello.
Nick and Codz were at one point almost playing as extra centre backs but finally their tall centre midfielder, a lad called Junior, planted a header into my top corner. We went two down just before half time when a cross from my right was hooked home. Lev thought I could have been on my toes a bit more to perhaps have gotten out to meet the cross and we 'had words' to say the least. I disagreed, but on reflection I have been shit at getting out to balls lately so he may have a point.
Sadly, we couldn't maintain any real sort of defensive 'shut-out' in the second half. Lev took a breather to start with introducing Mabes into Centre Midfield and Nick dropping back. I was assured Mabes was a decent player and I have to say I was impressed. I think he's probably been living all week off the nutmeg he got in tho!
I was gutted for their third goal. All I wanted was a shot on my goal that I could fly across for to make a confidence-boosting stop. When that shot came I saw it all the way, flew across to my right, almost tracking it in slow motion - and promptly missed it as I flapped my hand to push it made. Pissed off doesn't even cover it.
Things seemed a little more optimistic when Codz looped a header over their Keeper to make it 3-1 but we never really looked like we were going to pressure them enough to get back into it properly.
A long deep kick from their Keeper was allowed to bounce and yes maybe I could have stormed out to try and grab it as it headed in to my box. The way I saw it Codz was chasing back shoulder to shoulder with their attacker and had I rushed out it was a hospital ball scenario and would have exposed the my goal for any flick. As it was they ended up scoring anyway and for the second time I had a bit of a rant. I wasn't happy at all - even offering the gloves to 'anyone who wanted to do better!' Once I'd collected my toys back into my pram I felt much better tho!
Our shape was all over the place and things got worse when Jonesy pulled his hammy making a last ditch block on goal. Lev hopped back on but by then it was 5-1 as Codz decided that one goal wasn't enough and powered a header past me. The best came minutes later tho.
I came right out to close down their striker who was clean through for a one-on-one. I was pretty pleased to hold him up and then get down enough to push him far enough to my right so that he literally couldn't get a shot in. He needn't have worried tho because the ball was smashed home in to the top corner by the on-rushing player - who happened to be Scottish John! What a finish - surely it seemed easier to miss? Left foot too....
We lost Nick to injury too (can you believe that? - four players in one game!) and we effectively played with ten men. AK and Shamsey tried to come back on but could hardly walk let alone run.
There seventh was a point blank header but the goal of the game came from the hard-working Matt. I think he was pissed off because he had launched a stunning shot from way out earlier in the second half that had their Keeper totally beaten - so much so that he was actually applauding the shot that had beaten him. From where I was I could see that it had actually gone in under the bar but the sheer force of it saw the ball bounce straight back out and hit the keeper on the back!! The Ref (who was fucking awful by the way) 'didn't see it' and the goal didn't stand. Matt held the ball up as much as he could all day and put in a proper shift but their cheating lino flagged him twice when clean through when he was definitely on-side. His goal, when it came, was another excellent drive that flew into the top corner - well-deserved too.
I did manage a scrappy leg save onto my post - although Wrexy was kind enough to comment that it was a really decent save. Personally, I was mega fucked-off because I hadn't played well and had also had a couple of tantrums.
There was time for them to grab a cheeky lob as I came out to close their striker who was clean through and the ref put us out of our misery.
So gutted. At least with no fixture the following Sunday it would give players a chance to recover from knocks and scrapes.
I had a good think about this week's look-a-like. Ever since I met Lev I've thought he bears a resemblance to one of the characters off Star Trek - Deep Space Nine....'Odo.' I hope he doesn't get offended!!! (If it helps I've also included a picture of the actual actor in an effort to prove he actually looks like him minus the make-up...)
Sorry Lev!
No comments:
Post a Comment