Date:
Thursday 8th October 2009
Venue:
Home. 4pm kick off
Team:
Adams (C), Carr (C), Prutton (C), Winfield (C), Chaffey (L), Priestley (L), Riley (L), Chandler (N) Capt., Sunner (N), Edwards (O), McEnery (O), Jopson (P), Croson (S), Findlay (S), Welch (S).
Result:
Repton 4 - 2 Landau Forte
Match Report:
Having conceded first-minute goals in our last 3 matches, the importance of mental preparation and making a positive start figured highly in the pre-match team talk - and it paid off, as, 30 seconds after the whistle, Andrew Jopson poked the ball in the back of the opposition's net to give us an early and morale-boosting lead.
Both teams had chances to score in the first half: Landau Forte had an Academy player as striker who caused our defence problems at first, but Luke Croson - once he had learned to hold off a yard or so - kept him relatively quiet. In midfield, Findlay and Winfield were, as ever, fantastic on the wings, their pace and work-rate exemplary, but we struggled in the centre, with Welch, Chandler and Riley playing too flat, wasting our numerical superiority. A far-post stab from McEnery just before half-time gave us a 2-1 lead at the break, which I thought flattered us.
However, in the second half, we sorted ourselves out much better, tactically. The central midfield trio spread the play far more effectively: Welch aiding the defence with hard tackling and intelligent passing, Chandler pushing forward more and putting us 3-1 ahead with a spectacular distance-lob. McEnery, man-marking their striker, put in some crunching tackles, and the opposition's frustration was palpable. Ali Carr made some great saves; another 'keeper might have lost this game for us.
At 3-2 up, with 10 minutes to go, we were flagging, and I feared that an equaliser might come. However, after another good run, Jopson saw his first shot saved, but the rebound was bundled in to give us what was, eventually, a deserved win.
Many thanks to MMC for refereeing, Ian Clarkson for his coaching expertise, and SE and NFP for their touchline support.
Goals: Jopson (1, 63), McEnery (34), Chandler (37)
Man of the Match: Carr
Posted on
Thu, October 8, 2009
by JMJH