Match Report: Deportivo De Brentford v Loko

Sunday 7th September 2008
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Deportivo De Brentford 4 v Lokomotiv Londres FC 2

Nine Men Do Loko Proud

It's hard to know where to begin this match report, thanking the eight brave souls (plus Ivan) who made the trip to Wormwood Scrubs on a cold blustery September morning, or expressing disappointment at the last minute withdrawals that forced us into borrowing players from the opposition.

The match was started with ten-a-side that would enable a decent run out and the benefits of some match fitness. It also allowed the side to get re-acquainted with one another and find that flowing Loko football that everyone knows that we are capable of on our day.

The game started, with Loko playing a 4-3-2 formation, the start was fast and furious we no real threats posed by either team in the first ten minutes. It was down the wings that both teams were finding space due to the missing player from each team and the narrow three in midfield that Loko were using. Peggy (pictured) on a couple of occasions beat his man down the wing and played balls across the area that unfortunately no one could connect with. James received the ball down the left hand side and laid it off to Pete who hit a first time shot a yard over the crossbar.

Deportivo had a lot of luck down the left hand side of the penalty area, forcing Paul onto the back foot, it was from one foray down the left that they won a corner, and with Pete off the field changing his boots, they made the man count. The ball was swung over and a goalmouth scramble ensued, with three attempts to clear being blocked the ball fell kindly two yards out for them to scramble the ball over the line.

Their manager, also the centre back, was forced off with an injury so we gave them a player back and this meant we had to play the last 70 minutes a man down, ten against nine. Roger was giving their backline a torrid time and twice ran through one-on-one only to be denied be some greart goalkeeping rushing out and blocking at his feet.

The second Deportivo goal arrived after a sustained spell of pressure, they made the extra man tell and with Loko only playing three at the back, they had men over nearly every attack. Their left winger beat Paul down the left and drilled a ball low to the near post where the extra man on his own sidefooted home from five yards. They then hit the post when a seemingly easy ball for Ismail to collect on the edge of the box, was toe poked by the striker and cleared at the second attempt, it was a lack of sharpness that caused the hesitency by the keeper.

Roger almost instantly equalised when Dale cut out a home side attack and delivered a 70 yard ball over the defence for Roger to latch onto, unfortunately his final touch proved a bit heavy and the keeper rushed out to block with his arm at full stretch in the air.

Dale changed the formation to 4-3-1 and shored up the defence and this appeared to contain them, while at the same time Roger and Peggy were plugging away and the link up play between the entire team was superb with some attacks starting from Ismail in goal and being played through the opposition on to the wing and numerous balls into the box that we could not find an end product for...! On one final occasion Roger again got free on the angle, hit his shot past the keeper, which appeared to be heading for goal until it hit a divet and changed direction going out for a goal kick.

Half Time Deportivo De Brentford 2 v Loko 0

The second half started well for Loko and the team could not be accused of not creating chances, Roger continually had the beating of his marker on the turn, but just couldn't quite get his shots past the keeper who was having a fantastic match for the home side.

Deportivo had a big strong centre forward who held the ball up well with his bulk, and he played his wingers in well when he had chance. In the second half the full backs for Loko Paul and Rui (from the opposition) played really really well and cut out any threat from the wings.

Roger was fouled 35 yards out when trying to latch on to a through ball by James. Dale took the resultant free-kick and hit it well, only for the goalkeeper to tip it away for a corner at full stretch when it looked to be heading into the top corner.

Their third goal came from a through ball from their forward spotting the run of the central midfielder and laying it in behind the defence for him to toe poke home past Ismail, the midfielder was about two metres offside when the ball was eventually played but you cannot fault the referee (Ivan) who could not see the offside from his position.

The fourth came immediately after and was a cracker, the ball was played through the team to their bulky striker 40 yards out who turned Steve and lobbed Ismail from 40 yards. This game was appearing to go the same way as the week before, but this time Loko responded brilliantly. They continued to attack Deportivo and Roger and James were creating space in and around the area, Peggy was attacking the fullback supported well by Paul, and Pete was playing some nice neat passes in midfield when he got chance. Rui also played well and was advancing down the left from fullback when he got chance.

Loko's goal arrived in the 80th Minute when Peggy and Paul worked the ball into the box for James, who intelligently looked up and played the ball to the back post for Roger (pictured) to sidefoot home. The second followed two minutes later and Rui advanced down the left knocking the ball inside to Pete who flicked the ball to Roger in the area, he beat his man on the turn and hit a left foot shot into the keepers near post, showing everyone how it could be done.

The pressure didn't stop there, in the last eight minutes James hit the crossbar from eight yards out and hit a magnificent volley from ten yards that just cleared the crossbar. Their keeper made a couple of other blocks from some softer shots and their left back cleared a corner off the line.

The whistle blew signalling defeat but for a team a man down for around 70 minutes to create more chances than the home team was superb, hopefully with some match fitness those chances will start to hit the back of the net.

Groovers next week for an afternoon kick off and the chance to start our league campaign positively.

Full Time Deportivo De Brentford 4 v Loko 2

Manager Dale Mellor's comments:
"It was a solid performance with just eight players and two ringers from the opposition. I'd like to stress early on that please only confirm you will be playing if that is the case. The last minute withdrawals do not allow us time to get further players into the squad in time for kick off.

On a positive note, the side started slowly and took a while to get out of the blocks, but once we adjusted to the pace of the game and got re-acquainted with our team mates, we looked a quality team who are able to pass the ball around beautifully. The number of chances we created should ensure that once the season is in full swing and the sharpness has returned we can start to hit the back of the net on a more consistent basis than previous seasons.

It was a good work-out and should help us start the season well next weekend."

Team Line Up
1. Ismail
2. Paul
3. Ed (Swapped Teams 20th Minute)
4. Dale
5. Steve
6. Peggy
7. Rui
8. Pete
9. James
10. Roger (c)

Goals
Roger (2)
80th Minute - Good build up play to James in the area and a delicate ball across the box for Roger to sidefoot home.
82nd Minute - Roger spun his man in the area and hit a low drive inside the keepers near post.

Man of the Match
Peggy - He produced a good performance, a constant threat down the right and some lovely balls into the box.
Honourable mention to Roger for his two goals and finding the space for his chances and to all the other players who on another day could have taken the award for an all round good display by everyone with the man deficit.

Match Report provided by Dale Mellor.