So the 'winter break' and Christmas came and went in a flash and our first game of the new year saw us line up at home against possibly the best team in the division in the form of The Met Police, who had given us a bit of a spanking in the reverse fixture at their place in October.
It was nice to be back and we found ourselves finally using the brand new changing rooms at Donkey Lane. I'm not quite sure why they have this odd policy of teams using these huge lock-up cages for their bags but it all seemed a bit like the blind leading the blind.
The game itself was a bit of a beauty and it was great to see that our improving form hadn't been interrupted by the two week break. OK, so we're still losing but it makes a massive difference if the manner of the defeat is one that sees us battle and have a go and lose to teams narrowly, rather than our previous habit of rolling over and shipping eight-plus goals. We're causing teams problems now and maybe they're turning up thinking they've won already...
Nick-the-skipper was still out of action with the same ankle problem that he picked up against this lot in the away game and of course Matt was never going to be ready to play after his rather nasty ankle turn in the last game before Xmas. It was really great to see him and AK arrive towards the end of the game thought to cheer (or heckle?!!) the lads on!
No Wrexy or Flying Scotsman either so Lev, took up the spare Centre-Back slot alongside Lord Codz with Adam and Mark as ever in at full-back. Our midfield was looking pretty solid too actually as we welcomed back Luffy and Pete on the flanks and a new partner for Jonesy in the middle in the form of someone I hadn't met before called Swailsey. I have to say we haven't looked so good through the middle of the park all season. Swailsey was a proper in-yer-face sort of terrier who was always looking for the ball in the same way Jonesy always does. The pair of them worked in tandem to dominate the play for much of the first half. Swailsey was getting proper stuck in with a few suspect tackles and was constantly asking for the ball short from me where ever possible. The difference and influence on the rest of the team was a positive one. Paul and Sully up front completed the line up.
I thought we were going to be in for a real rough ride as the game got underway as the Old Bill passed and passed and passed some more. We didn't actually touch the ball for the first five minutes!
And then we scored....
It came out of a lovely break from our midfield pair and the ball found its way to Paul who rather neatly nut-megged their giant centre-half just inside their half, took a couple of strides forward and literally smashed it into the top left corner from about thirty yards. Their Keeper was nowhere. I have to say, when we do score they do tend to be gems and I think this one has to stand as our goal of the season so far.
Yes, there was pressure on my goal. I was please to get a flick of a glove on a long range shot that smashed my bar and then to drop really quickly to stop and hold a close range effort as their lad was put through.
The equaliser was a bit of soft one when it did come. The ball was sliced straight between our back two and as I rushed out to the edge of the area their striker got their first and did enough to touch it round me and in.
Even so, we kept plugging away and Paul made their Keeper work with another decent shot that he just put round the post.
The Cozzers have this bloke called Junior who I think is some sort of ex semi-pro. He ran the show when we played them at their place and was pulling their strings again this time. I have to say his goal was quality to make it 2-1 to them. He managed to work his way to the top left of my box and was cutting in to approach one-on one with yours truly. As I came out to close the angle he deftly chipped the ball high and it floated over me into the top right hand corner. I had no chance. Bastard!
We definitely felt we could get something from the game at half time and the attitude was first class from everyone. I just hoped we wouldn't fold,...
The pressure was more intense on my goal but I still felt we were coping well enough to possibly nick a draw. We had real spell around their box when we asked all the right questions but just couldn't get the ball over the line. This was summed up when, from our corner, the ball landed plum on the edge of their box in front of Swailsey. As he hit it it looped up and was gliding straight into the top right hand corner. We all knew it was a superb goal - until out of nowhere their Keeper appeared, flying across to his right to get both sets of finger-tips on it to push it on to the bar. How he saved it I'll never know, especially as he wasn't the tallest of Keepers. I think he spent the rest of the game in a daze re-living that save over and over again - I know I would have!! Fair play to the lad - it was a real turning point because if Swailsey had scored it would have been game well and truly on. Poor Swailsey screamed with frustration - I don't think he could quite believe it either.
I had my own moment in the second half too when Mr.ex-pro, Junior stormed into my box and smashed a cross shot past my left hand. As it was going into the bottom corner I was really chuffed to get very strong hand on it to clip it round my left post. I had another point blank block to savour against Junior in the last ten minutes but by that point they had scored their third. It was quite late in the game, (last fifteen minutes I think) when they finally broke down their right and managed to get the ball across for their lad to fire home from twelve yards. It finished us off.
The fourth was with seconds to go. Junior danced into the box and took it round me - as I flayed an arm to try and knock it away he pulled it back for his pal to smash in from two yards out.
I don't like losing - who does? - but I can handle it a whole lot more when we put in that kind of performance. We will win soon - I can feel it. Just a little more luck and the rub of the green to go our way and we're there.
This week's look-a-like has to be Swailsey. He reminded me of this crazy little Tasmanian Devil, scrapping with everyone and winning everything all game. Certainly our man-of-the-match!
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