Sportsmans League Division 3
Lokomotiv Londres FC 3 v Worcester Park Rangers 4
Loko Slip to One Goal Defeat Again!
A team of twelve turned out for the game in pouring rain that luckily halted just before we went out to warm up. Ismail went in goal again and we lined up in a 4-4-2 formaton.
Loko started quite well and were stringing together a few passes in and around their penalty box but failed to penetrate the back-line early on. The inevitable happened againt the run of play when Rangers played a ball over the top of the backline, Dale had the striker covered but Ismail had chosen to come out when he didn't need to and the striker toe poked past him into the empty net, it was a gift.Shortly after Roger had a chance on the six yard box but choose to take a touch and was closed down, when a first time shot would have just had the keeper to beat, Nicolas did the same when running past the defender but instead of shooting at the exposed keeper, he cut inside and had the ball taken from him.
Rangers had the chance to extend the lead when their striker got past Nelson with pace and with Dale coming across to cover, hit the ball wide. But the second came shortly after when Paul and Nelson were picking up men at the far post, the ball came in and Paul left his man to attack the ball but they both missed it and the unmarked winger drilled across the box which Ismail dropped at the strikers feet to tap home. Two goalkeeper mistakes and two costly goals yet again for Loko who are badly missing a regular keeper.
The Railwaymen started to panic and stopped doing the basics with balls across their own area and trying to dribble out of defence, but came close when Peggy got behind the full back with only the keeper to beat but drilled over the bar. The tide changed when Rhyce floated a great ball into Roger who chested back to NICOLAS to grab his fourth goal in three games by drilling past the keeper.
Within a minute Loko were level when DAVE collected the ball on the edge of the area, side stepped the defender and hit the ball hard down the middle and saw it go through the keepers hands above his head. It was level at the break.
Half-Time Loko 2 v Worcester Park Rangers 2
Morris came on for Paul at the break slotting in at full-back and the game was quite even, until again out of nothing Dale attacked the free man who ran at the defence but there was no cover in the back line as they slipped a ball through the middle for the big striker to score past a stranded Ismail.
Loko continued to create and give away chances in a very open game, when Rhyce looked like he was one on one but almost stopped to come inside a defender that wasn't there and was tackled, Nicolas and Roger had efforts saved by the keeper and he saved a long range effort and a free kick from Dave that was just close enough that he didn't have to move that far.
Rangers should have scored on two occasions when they attacked down the left wing and played a ball behind the defence but the striker knocked the ball wide, then Dale went to attack a header but his shout was ignored by Vincent who header backwards and the striker beat Ismail to the ball and slipped it past him, only for it to hold up in the mud and was cleared to safety.
Loko equalised when Dale put in a big slide tackle into the striker, won the ball which Vincent knocked to Peggy who in turn slipped it into Nicolas to run the defender and slide across to ROGER to equalise for the second time.
The game continued to be end to end, with Rangers now just shading possession and territory and the inevitable crushing blow came from a direct long ball when Dale misjudged the header outside the area and the ball glanced backwards where the striker responded and left Morris rooted to the spot to slip past Ismail for the winner.
Both teams had lots of chances, and with the gifted first two goals and our inability to take some clear cut chances, Rangers edged the victory with some decent finishing by the big lad up front.
Final Score Loko 3 v Worcester Park Rangers 4
Manager Dale Mellor's comments:
"It was a much better performance than last week and there was a lot more desire within the team to do well. We need to do the simple things better and start defending more as a team, if we hold the shape and put in bigger challenges then we'll start conceding less goals.
We are looking really strong going forward but defensively as a team we are struggling to clear our lines and do the basics correctly. We need to win the headers, sweep up through balls and not try dribbling out of defence. Think about your strengths and play to those, each player should be doing what they are strong at and not trying to do things that don't come naturally.
There's only one way for us to go and that is onwards and upwards!"
Team Line Up
1. Ismail
2. Paul (c)
3. Ivan
4. Nelson
5. Dale
6. Vincent
7. Peggy
8. Dave
9. Nicolas
10. Roger
11. Rhyce
12. Morris (Replaced Paul 45th Minute)
Goals
Nicolas (1)
35th Minute - Rhyce cross was chested down by Roger into Nicolas's path to drill home.
Dave (1)
36th Minute - Shot from the edge of the area over and through the keepers hands.
Roger (1)
60th Minute - Nicolas ran through and slid the ball across to Roger to side foot home.
Man of the Match
Roger (pictured above) - Kept working all through the match, scored a good goal and tried to keep everyone's spirit up with plenty of encouragement.
Match Report by Dale Mellor.
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