Scorers: WALDRUM, WEAVER
If you want to see plenty of goalmouth incident come and watch the 8s. Unfortunately, we concede a shed load while we miss chance after chance at the other end. This is a deadly combination.
After getting tonked by OF 7s in September I arrived at Oakhill Park expecting something better against their 8s. Any such optimism went south inside the first minute. From OUR kick-off we gave the ball away and their right winger sprinted down the flank then chipped the keeper. Great goal to be fair. Just to prove this wasn’t a fluke the same player did it again later in the half. The other goals were a mix of terrible defending, individual errors and a Ware own goal which was a fluke. We got battered in the first 45 and turned around 7-1 down However, OFs were just as open as us and we should have scored more than one on the counterattack. Both Amit Bose and Nigel Beswick missed glorious opportunities, but we eventually got on the scoreboard through George Waldrum who lobbed the keeper. OF 7s are a young, fit and skilful side but 7-1 was plainly unacceptable. I asked the boys to play for the shirt.
As it turned out AP dominated the second half after conceding number 8 almost immediately. A couple of subs helped with Pete Croft now giving us a target man up top. OFs went to pot as AP mounted attack after attack with Weaver, Croft and Waldrum winning tackles and using the ball intelligently. It’s amazing what you can when you pass and move. Basic stuff, lads! A bunch of players went close to scoring including Weaver, Chris Manning, Croft and even right back Stephen Payne which tells you how much space there was. The scoreline would have been crazy but these were good chances. Will finally got the second with a low shot into the corner after good work by sub Nick Louca.
More AP pressure followed but OF had the last word in the final minute and scored with a free header at a free kick. Call it symmetry.
A strange game – but not in a good way. Despite the carnage of the first half, we salvaged some pride in the second half but we have to show the same sort of passion and intelligence across 90 minutes, not 45. Emlyn, Stephen and Will played well but AP MOM was George Waldrum who got stuck in and worked his socks off.
NB
