After 3 wins in the league built on a platform of hard work and neat, passing football we started this cup game with all the enthusiasm of Burwell on his way to a back waxing.
It wasn’t long before the slow start cost us and as AP stood statuesque in our box a half cleared corner was nodded back in for an IBIS player to slam home on the half volley.
Fortunately it wasn’t long before we were given a chance to equalise. Bowhill lashed a free kick into the box and JAMIE SCUDAMORE bravely nodded it home at the front post.
Unfortunately, we didn’t make the most of this lifeline and despite Marek and Roschi looking dangerous on the flanks we struggled to impose ourselves on the game. An IBIS counter attack led to a looping headed clearance from inside our box dropping perfectly in front of a queue of unmarked opposition midfielders, which one of them eagerly volleyed home.
Halftime arrived with us 2-1 down and we switched Lewis up front to give us more of a presence with Alec joining us from the bench, having overdone the advice to get a good night’s sleep before the game.
Tactics aside, our biggest issue was our lack of tempo, slack passing and general sloppiness and we discussed this at length. Then we started the second half with a lack of tempo, slack passing and general sloppiness.
However, after Tobias kept us in the game with a few great saves we finally started to show what we were capable of. Alec and James were repelling everything with gusto, the midfield was over-running the oppo and up front we began turning the screw and creating half chances. A weak clearance fell to Bowhill in his danger zone and he drove the ball into the bottom corner (possibly via the heel of Lewis, I wouldn’t like to say) to make it very much game on. Debutant Bryce Dunn also joined us off the bench to show some nice touches.
Nevertheless despite sustaining the tempo we were unable to apply the finishing touch, with our best chance coming from a Dodimead free kick which glanced off the crossbar.
30 mins of added time arrived and we continued to get the best of it, but one of IBIS better players picked the ball up wide and cut in, with a few tired challenges affording him the yard of space he needed to ping a beautiful finish into the top corner.
It would have been easy for our heads to go down at this point but pleasingly we showed just what the cup meant to us, kicking off the second 15 minute half with no less belief or thrust than before. We were rewarded for this when a Dodimead cross looped over the keeper to nestle at the back post.
At this point it seemed penalties were inevitable and the skipper began re-arranging the lineup to ensure we had all of our Germans on the pitch.
However, it was not to be. Since his earlier heading of Bowhill’s rocket cross JAMIE had been struggling to remember his own name and for the fourth time he had a mental blank, with the ref giving an indirect free kick in our area for the shout of ‘leave it’. Of course if it wasn’t for JAMIE’S header bailing us out we probably wouldn’t have even got to this point, so JAMIE, don’t take it too hard mate. (However, JAMIE maybe do write JAMIE on the back of your hand or something before next week’s game. JAMIE.)
With confusion reigning the ref let them take a quick free kick and the ball squirmed in at the near post. Frustrated we lost organisation, quickly giving away another free kick which they converted from within the box to kill the game. A really rubbish ending to an epic 120 minutes.
Back to the league next week and a big improvement will be needed if we are to get a result against a strong Broomfield team. Fortunately skipper Joe Robinson is back from his sylvanian families conference to give us a much needed kick up the backside.
MOM: James Rae
MJP
