After last week’s disappointing cup exit, the reserves were looking to get their league form back on track by taking on a lowly Hoxne Reserves side. Although before today’s game Hoxne had not won a game, they had played teams in the upper part of the table and also had drawn against Tattingstone, who are looking certain for promotion. Salmon warned the team before that we should not take teams like these for granted and their position in the table may be a false representation of the qualities that they have.

The reserves were missing several players this week including regular captain Laflin as well as five or six more unavailable or injured players. However still with 14 players and a good looking squad on paper, went out positively in a 4-4-2 formation, changing from the usual 4-5-1 and take the game to the opposition.

The game was to be a one way affair from the off and Hoxne and especially their number 9 ripped apart a flimsy Army back line, to take a 5-0 lead after a miserable 30 minutes. Gunton, returning to the reserves for this game could not be blamed for any of these goals and in fact made 2 or 3 wonderful saves to deny this score getting more embarrassing and humiliating. There were a few half opportunities in the first period for the Army with Simmons, Ling, Coe and Keith Moye having chances to get goals but nothing came to fruition. The Army were getting stretched to the full and were relieved to go in at half time just 5 down!

Salmon and other team members pointed out that this was far from good enough and told the lads to go out and play for pride and try and stretch the backline more with our pace. The formation changed to a 3-5-2 and the lads set out to stop the flow of goals and get some respect back to the team and themselves.

Hoxne again scored two quick goals at the start of the half and their final goal really summed up the day for the reserves as from a punt from the goal kick, the ball bounced once and the striker was quickest onto the ball and coolly slotted home under a helpless Gunton.
The Army did however show some pride and came back into the game slightly but with the score line already at 7-0 the game for Hoxne was well and truly won. The only goal for the Army came when after a through ball to Keith Moye the keeper tripped him for a penalty and Wescott slotted home the ball from the spot calmly.

This is to be a game which I want to forget and I believe manager Salmon and the whole reserves squad will want to eradicate from their memories very quickly. There were some very simple mistakes made today and lessons which I am sure every player should and will learn from. I hate to write such a negative report and it is really hard to try and get positives from this performance. The reserves will never play this badly again I am sure this season and every player will know that they will have to raise their performance next time out against Stowupland.