Scorer: Kenga
This will probably prove to be one of the most frustrating games of the year. First game and first selection fiasco, with more new faces than you can shake a stick at. Good for strength in depth, bad for continuity and team building. With youngsters Frank, Ben and Liam working off big man Burwell up front it should have produced more goals than it did, but AP just didn’t have that killer instinct.
A new centre back partnership of Andy Smith and Dan Hoey lined up alongside the tallest fullbacks in the league, Fabb and Ziggy, with Jason and Adam sat in front of them. The new kit looked beautiful and new keeper Phil Ilfield had plenty of time to admire it as we camped in recently promoted Ibis’s half. Again and again we hammered at the door, Frank and Liam working well down the wings, but they were too frequently unsupported or final balls were too easy to clear. TC came on for the hard working Liam but a goal was still evasive.
The first half ended with the team looking a bit bemused and the oppo cry of ‘come on boys let’s try and have a shot’ didn’t help any; how were we not winning this game!! The second half started the same as the first and the skipper began to ring the changes in search of creativity and the elusive goal. Gary came on for Fabb and Frank was replaced by Elion. With 15 to go the skipper made way for the refreshed Liam and then disaster struck. A mixmash of errors at the back allowed Ibis a simple finish and we were suddenly chasing.
Ben came off for Frank and soon we were back in it with Elion, who had moved into the middle, curling the ball into the top right corner. Lovely goal. Although we pressed and missed from 2 yards, another goal didn’t come. Everyone knew this performance wasn’t good enough.
MoM: Frank on the day was our most dangerous player but was undersupported.
