Report

AFTER LAST WEEKS POSTPONED GAME WE HAD TO RE-SCHEDULE OUR FIXTURE TO PLAY PRETTYGATE AT SHRUB END IN THE COUNTY TROPHY.
AS THE SQUAD WAS BEING WHITTLED DOWN BY LATE CALL OFFS DUE TO THE USUAL ARRAY OF EXCUSES,WE JUST ABOUT HAD THE FULL QUOTA OF 11 PLAYERS FOR KICK OFF.
WITH THE FIRST TEAM FIXTURE CANCELLED WE WAS UNABLE TO CALL ON THEIR SERVICES DUE TO THE FACT OF PLAYING IN THE ESSSEX SENIOR CUP.
WE STARTED ON THE BACKFOOT WITH PRETTYGATE HAVING THE UPPERHAND AND THE MAJOR DANGER COMING FROM THE LIVELY REVIE,WHO WAS CREATING MOST OF THE CHANCES EITHER FROM HIS RUNS,LONG THROW-INS,FREE-KICKS AND CORNERS.
WE STRUGGLED TO KEEP HOLD OFF THE BALL AND RELIED ON THE BREAKAWAY ATTACKS WITH WES,MORTY AND LUKE ONLY HAVING ANY NOTEABLE EFFORTS.
SO HALF-TIME 0-0 AND REALLY THE ONLY POSITIVE THING IS TO HAVE PLAYED SO BADLY AND COME IN FOR THE INTERVAL STILL LEVEL.
WE STARTED THE 2ND HALF A LOT MORE POSITIVE WITH THE MIDFIELD 3 ACTUALLY GETTING MORE OF THE BALL.
DESPITE PLAYING BETTER THAN THE 1ST HALF PRETTYGATE TOOK THE LEAD,WHEN WE FAILED TO CLEAR A FREE-KICK AND ALLOW WYE TO FIRE INTO THE ROOF OF THE NET.
PRETTYGATE WERE REDUCED TO 10 MEN AFTER RECEIVING A RED CARD AFTER A CLASH OF HEADS WHICH WAS OUT OF CHARACTER FOR THE PRETTYGATE PLAYER WHO HAD ONE OF THOSE LOSS OF HEAD MOMENTS.
OBVIOUSLY THIS SPURRED US ON AND WE GOT LEVEL AFTER A DISPUTED CORNER WAS HEADED AWAY TO BE MET BY LAMBY TO FIRE HOME THE EQUALISER.(NICE TO SEE THAT GO WHERE HE WANTED,AS EARLIER IN THE GAME THEY FOUND THE ADJOINING ASTRO-TURF PITCH).
PRETTYGATE WERE STILL CREATING CHANCES AND WERE DENIED BY A REFLEX SAVE BY STAND-IN KEEPER SAV AND SOME LAST DITCH DEFENDING BY JAY GRAY AND WEEKSY.
WITH 10 MINUTES REMAINING THE BALL STRUCK THE ARM OF THE PRETTYGATE DEFENDER AND THE REF POINTED TO THE SPOT.(ONE OF THOSE IFFY ONES THAT ANDY GRAY AND RICHARD KEYS WOULD STUDY IN THE STUDIO WITH DIFFERENT OPINIONS).
LUKES SPOT KICK WAS WELL SAVED BUT HE FOLLOWED UP TO SLOT HOME UNDER THE DIVING KEEPER.
WE HELD OUT AS PRETTYGATE PUSHED FORWARD AND MISSED 2 GLORIUS CHANGES WITH FREE HEADERS TO TAKE THE GAME TO EXTRA TIME,WHICH WAS A RESULT AS WE WOULD HAVE LOST A COUPLE OF PLAYERS TO WATCH WEST HAM.
SO A FORTUNATE VICTORY AND WE HAVE PLAYED A LOT LOT BETTER AND LOST THIS SEASON,SO WE WILL TAKE THAT AGAINST A VERY GOOD SIDE WHO MAY FEEL AGRIEVED NOT TO TAKE THIS GAME INTO EXTRA TIME.
SO THE LAST 4 AWAITS AND A SPECIAL MENTION TO SKIPPER WEEKSY,DEPENDING ON FIXTURES COULD HAVE PLAYED HIS LAST GAME AS HE HAS DECIDED TO BE A BEACH BUM BY EMIGRATING TO AUSTRALIA.SO BEST WISHES TO WEEKSY.