Sunday 14th March 2010Sportsmans League Division 3Cultural 1 v Lokomotiv Londres FC 3Loko Outplay Unbeaten CulturalIt was a bright sunny morning that greeted the teams in south London and Loko's players all arrived early and were eager for the match against a team that had won every match they had played before today this season.
There were thirteen players here this morning and we welcomed back Steve, Chris and Adrian who haven't been around recently. Loko started with Terry in goal, a back four of Vincent, Chris, Steve and Ivan, Dale sat in defensive midfield with a bank of four across the middle in front of him, which were Peggy, Roger, Morris and Rhyce. Nicolas was up front by himself with Stefano and Adrian starting on the bench.
It was a lively start by both teams with tackles flying in left, right and centre, and finally Loko started winning those tackles and headers right from the first minute which gave us a platform to win the ball, get momentum and push forward.
The game was a scrappy affair for twenty minutes with neither team creating too much, Loko had the first chance with Nicolas having a long range effort which the keeper comfortably held and then from a corner the ball fell to Roger who turned in the area and drilled the ball a yard wide.
The goal came after twenty five minutes and what a goal it was, Dale brought the ball down in midfield, turned past two players and laid the ball into MORRIS (pictured above), who advanced and hit a screamer from 35 yards over the keeper into the top corner.
Cultural were not able to get a foothold in the game as Loko were staying in formation and showing excellent discipline and as the half went on they resorted to long ball after long ball which were easily dealt with by Steve and Chris, with the exception of two occasions when they managed to get past the defenders but on both occasions, whilst under pressure, could not hit the target.
They did win a couple of free kicks just outside the box, one which was floated to the back post and Steve rose highest to clear the ball away and the second saw Terry get across and punch the ball clear.
Loko should have extended their lead when a ball over the top saw Nicolas go one on one with the keeper, go round him but get pushed wide and Loko just had a corner when they should have had a second. Then from a Dale free kick, Morris flicked the ball up and Steve won the header which went a yard wide of the post with the keeper stranded.
The second goal deservedly came when Roger won the ball in midfield, toe poked to Morris in our own half, he played the ball down the line where Nicolas ran his man towards the area, and VINCENT who had ran 80 yards from his own penalty area got goal side of the defender on the edge of the box and as the ball came across he lobbed the keeper for a two goal lead.
Half-Time Cultural 0 v Loko 2Stefano came on for Ivan at half-time and the team talked stressed that this game was by no means yet won, it was important to come out and carry on where we left off and continue to play with organisation, discipline and commitment.
It was a similar start to the second half with Loko holding their deep formation, allowing Cultural the ball in their own half and on the half way line and leaving no gaps for them to play through. As they grew more frustrated they started once again with the long balls and these were easy for the big lads at the back for the Railwaymen who never once let them goalside in the second half.
Loko kept hitting them on the counter-attack and Nicolas, Peggy and Rhyce did an excellent job holding up the ball, winning throw-ins and allowing us to take the pressure of the defence and attack with patience and precision. Loko had a couple of long range shots and didn't really test the keeper too much, and then Adrian came on for Morris who had been warned by the referee that another foul would result in a booking, and after such a good game it was thought better to make a quick sub for the last twenty five minutes.
The game was won when Peggy won a throw-in next to their penalty area, he took a quick throw into Roger who turned on the corner of the six yard box and forced the keeper to save with his legs, the ball came back to Roger and he chipped the ball to the edge of the six yard box where NICOLAS scored with a brilliant over head kick into the bottom corner.
Cultural started to press more and more and Loko were happy to sit back in formation and soak up any pressure, as they were unable to get in behind. They had a couple of crosses that flashed across the area without them really looking like getting on the end of them and with about ten minutes left they got a somewhat fortunate consolation.
The left winger did really well to get past two challenges as Loko did not want to jump in and give a penalty away, Dale came across to the near post to cut out the cross but he could only deflect it into the centre where they shot, it hit two players in the six yard box and sat again for a further effort on goal which appeared to be saved by Terry but slipped through his hands to bring them back into the game.
The defence of Loko continued to hold firm and they didn't look like scoring again, the most they had was a scramble from a corner which resulted in a mass of bodies at the back post but Terry collected the ball excellently and a scuffle flared up when one of their players hit out at Chris, but why you would choose our biggest player to start a scrap with is beyond all of us.
It was resolved quickly and Loko fully deserved the victory which was gained through discipine, hard work and some intelligent play when counter attacking. Cultural, who had won every game this season before today, had no answers on a morning which belonged to the Railwaymen.
Final Score Cultural 1 v Loko 3Manager Dale Mellor's comments:"That just goes to show what we can do as a team when we are disciplined, organised and intelligent in our play. Eveyone played exactly how I asked them to perfection and it allowed us to be solid, controlled and able to break concisely when we had chance.Let's use this result as a springboard to move back up the table and start a run going. We need to get consistency in our team selection and in our play and we've shown that with our full squad we can beat the best this league has to offer, but we need the same players week in and week out which we haven't had for the majority of the season.Very well done boys and enjoy your week."Team Line Up1. Terry
2. Vincent
3. Ivan
4. Chris
5. Steve (c)
6. Dale
7. Peggy
8. Morris
9. Roger
10. Nicolas
11. Rhyce
12. Stefano (Replaced Ivan 45th Minute)
13. Adrian (Replaced Morris 65th Minute)
GoalsMorris (1)
25th Minute - Dale won the ball and skirted two tackles in midfield and laid it into Morris who turned, advanced and hit a screamer into the top corner from 35 yards.
Vincent (1)
40th Minute - Roger played the ball to Morris just in our own half who knocked the ball up to Nicolas, he ran his man and picked out Vincent, who had ran 80 yards, with a teasing cross along the edge of the box and he lobbed the keeper.
Nicolas (1)
75th Minute - Peggy took a quick throw in, Roger turned his man in the box and shot, the ball came back off the keeper and Roger crossed for Nicolas to score with an overhead kick from six yards out.
Man of the MatchMorris - He finally showed us he can play intelligently and listen to instructions. He held his shape superbly and never gave the opposition a moment to breath with some great tackling, and topped it off with a screamer into the top corner.
Honourable mention to every player who were all superb, but well done especially to Chris who played excellent alongside Steve and Nicolas for his work up top by himself.
Match Report by Dale Mellor.
Sunday 28th March 2010
Nelson went in goal with Stefano, Steve, Chris and Ivan in defence, a flat four of Peggy, Dale, Dave and Rhyce in midfield and Roger and Nicolas up front. Paul and Morris started on the bench.
The chances kept coming, from another corner Nicolas tried a overhead kick which went a yard wide and was a great effort, then shortly after Dale turned the midfielder and ran at the defence, drawing in the centre back before laying in Nicolas on the angle who turned inside the covering defender and drilled at goal, only for the keeper diving the wrong way, to stick out a leg and deflect the ball over the bar. Dale then nearly scored from a corner when he flicked the ball on at the near post and it went right along the line and out by a yard past the far post.
Nicolas took the corner and drilled it in to the near post where Peggy flicked it on, DALE drifted in unmarked at the back post five yards out and deflected the ball past the defender into the roof of the net and Loko deservedly took the lead.
The game was made safe when Dale won the ball in the centre circle, advanced into their half and floated the ball with the outside of his right foot into NICOLAS behind the defence who took it in his stride, rounded the keeper and side footed home for his seventh goal in seven games.
Honurable mention to Peggy and Stefano down the right side who were in fantastic harmony all morning. The two up top ran them ragged as well. Well done everyone.
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It was disappointing to see a slow start by Loko after such a good performance the week before, and we were on the back foot early on. They got in down the sides a couple of times but didn`t threaten to score..jpg)
They had a free kick from outside the area, again from another free kick that should never have been, which hit the post and bounced out to safety.
The previous four games have lacked passion and spirit for some reason so it was pleasing to get back to winning ways, full credit to the gaffer for getting the tactics spot on - it just shows what we can achieve if we listen, cut out the mistakes and do the basics right.
Loko were shooting up the slight hill and against the wind in the first half and it showed as we started quite slowly and struggled to clear out half. It was always going to be a physical battle as the opposition are not the most free flowing, and play to their strengths which are organisation and counter attacking.
We have acquitted ourselves well and have struggled for consistency due to not having a regular side especially in defence and losing PJ didn't help, added to that Steve has been away for a while. We will turn this around and need a week where we put in the effort, play tough and strong and come away with a victory.