Scorers: Gunes, Hubbard.
This was the worst 45 minutes of the season, followed by possibly the best. The Reserves did not play the previous week and it showed. Half the team were late for the meet, and the warm up was awful.
We went 2-0 down within half an hour and it was completely our own fault. As seems to be our wont, we gave the ball away cheaply in dangerous areas – the first goal conceded when their danger man was not tracked and a poor ball was intercepted and played through. The second was a poor kick headed back over the defence for the striker to run on to. It absolutely perplexes this scribe as to why we contrive to shoot ourselves in the foot by giving the ball away in poor areas, simply by over playing it when there is absolutely no need to – the easy ball is always the best one.
Half-time saw some very honest and harsh words imparted to the team by Skips and the Gaffer, and this lit a bit if a rocket up us. The introduction of Les Manu injected pace out wide, who began to switch the EBOG defence, and the AP back-line finally got to grips with the EBOG top 2.
We scored after a period of sustained pressure, when a corner was nodded in at the far post by Gunes. A wonderful gliding run by Rob Hubbard was squared to brother Mike who could only find the keepers arms. We equalized with 15 to go when Mike atoned for this previous error with a wonderful chip over the keeper.
We could have snatched it at the end when Rick Shaw made 2 powerhouse runs, and was unceremoniously fouled when clean through. However, in the final minute the skipper had to make a last ditch tackle to stop the EBOG forward running clean through.
A point saved in the end, but a lax attitude in any game, regardless of the oppo, will cost us dear. We need to focus on the game in hand each week – not looking beyond the game in hand. Also, please stop the ridiculous moaning at the referee – some do it while the game is going on rather than defending!
Great response in the 2nd half, but we must do better for the full 90.
Team – J Smith, A Smith, McLoughlin, Jeater, Hancock, Shaw, R Hubbard (Shaw- Morris), Sonnet (Manu), Gunes, Hubbard.
