Match 1 - Old Wilsonians 6's 3-1 Ibis fc 4's (Addy)
Match 2 - Ibis fc 4's 1-1 Old Wilsonians 6's (Williams)
Starting lineup -
Liam Angell (c)
Josh Banks
Olly Wooding
John Ewens
Stephen Dodd
Callum Mayfield
Jordan Mills
Alex Laugharne
Mark Addy
Ash Farrell
Andrew Williams
Subs -
Pete Snell
Patricio Baptista
Hard times, crunchy times, times when you're in a difficult situation is how i'd like to start this match report on a defining double header. Our season didn't quite hinge on this double header as we still have a slim chance of survival on the last day. Survival would have been guaranteed had we got 4 points v Old Wilsonians who as I mentioned in last week's match report were above us only on goal difference, but unfortunately we only got 1 point as opposed to 4. We did originally have 14 players but late morning of the match we had a dropout which did mean I had to adjust my plans slightly, but in the grand scheme of things it didn't really hurt the cause.
The trip to Hayes (Kent) was a bugger, but it was a lovely sunny day for footy and our 1st match was an interesting one as it was tighter than a ducks behind (as the old saying goes) but their no. 7 & no.9 were tricky and they had a no.5 playing just off them causing problems. With our back line I was confident of dealing with the threat but with Andrew Williams & Jordan Mills rekindling their partnership up top with Addy & Mayfield wide I thought we were fine. With Steve Dodd & Olly Wooding as a centre back partnership and Alex & Ash sitting in front of us we were solid through the middle but it was their tricky wide men who kept drifting between the lines & causing us problems. On a personal note I felt aggrieved by 2 of the goals as I felt they were offside but that's just my feelings. We did concede 3 times in this match with an own goal from Callum & a couple of defensive mixups costing us dearly but the glimmer of light was from Mark Addy's goal (a cool finish into the bottom corner) which ended up being our only goal of the 1st game which was the away leg of the double header. We did use Pat Baptista up top alongside Andrew Williams but no matter how much we probed & tried we just couldn't get another goal.
So, match 1 down, but still another to go and we didn't let our heads drop, I tried to give a rousing speech to the lads, which may or may not have worked but the gist of it was, keep your heads up because we have a shot at winning the next match.
The 2nd match was ultra tight and I decided to switch formations for this game to 3 at the back in a 3-5-2 formation with Stephen Dodd sitting in front of the back 4 alongside Ash & Alex to give them a bit more licence to attack & having Callum Mayfield & Pete Snell as wing backs as we needed to go for a win in this match. For a lot of this match we actually did control it, especially in midfield with Stephen doing a great job attacking headers whilst sitting in front of the back 4 and we stayed at 0-0 until half time. Considering we were pushing for the victory I decided to switch formations again at half time and I brought Andrew & Jordan back on & put Mark Addy up top as well to give us pace & work rate up top so I sacrificed the aerial presence of Pat Baptista & Stephen Dodd in front of us as I wanted us to go for it. We ended up getting the goal that our play had richly deserved & it was Andrew Williams who got it after superb play from the right hand side got him in behind the defense and he beat their keeper, mission impossible was looking a bit more possible but heartbreak was waiting around the corner. As soon as that goal went in I switched from the 3-4-3 formation back to basically a 4-5-1 with Pat dropping in as an extra midfielder (I had taken Mark Addy & off) and reverting to a flat back 4 just to hold what was a hugely important lead.
Alas a few minutes later a hopeful cross came from our left hand side after Callum had come off with cramp & i'd brought Stephen Dodd back on at centre back to partner Olly Wooding again which one of their strikers rose highest for and he nestled a header into the bottom right hand corner. A true heartbreaker of a goal which pegged us back & didn't give us a chance to get another goal but the guys fought their hearts out and as disappointing as it was, at the time I was annoyed with the ref (especially after i'd been clattered in a 50/50 challenge, won the ball 1st but got penalised for it) but I can't blame the troubles of our season on a few questionable decisions in a double header as the buck stops with me & us who've played this season. Post match was a touch somber as the reality of destiny not being in our own hands set in, but I had to thank the guys for their efforts.
The side I have been fortunate enough to play alongside this season has been tremendous, especially for the 2nd half of the season and I believe consistency in availability has been key to that. We've got 1 more game away at HSBC and from what the league table shows, just like the relegation battles in the Sky Bet Football league, we must win & hope that Civil Service draw or lose their last game, we've come so close to pulling off the great escape and we could be 1 more win away, so guys, LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN ON SATURDAY MAY 10TH 2014!!!
I'm Straight Shootin' LJA & that's my take on the match!!!
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