Sportsmans League Division 3
Lokomotiv Londres FC 4 v FC Lonsdale 3
Ten-Men Loko Steal Last Gasp Victory!
It's now heading towards the end of the season but the Railwaymen are still getting good numbers each week, with a good thirteen available and Adrian on standby. Dale started with a 4-4-2 formation with Ismail in goal, a back four of Paul, Dale, Chris (pictured below) and Ivan. A midfield quartet of Peggy, Morris, Dave and Vincent with Roger and Nicolas up front. Stefano and Andy started on the bench.
Loko started fantastically and had all the early possession, Nicolas, Roger and Peggy seeing a lot of the early ball with Dale and Chris organising the backline. Roger almost gave us the lead when Nicolas played a delightful ball in behind the last man for him to chase, he hit it first time and it cannoned off the crossbar and post and luckily for Lonsdale bounced out to safety.
The first goal came when Ivan played the ball to Dave on the left wing, he curled a ball over the defence and the bounce beat the defender, NICOLAS got goal side, ran through and slotted past the keeper.
Loko's second came within five minutes when Peggy won a free kick on the right sideline, he picked himself up and curled in a great cross, which found CHRIS unmarked at the back post to head into an empty net after the keeper came, but failed to get near the cross.
Ten minutes of a midfield scrap followed until Loko went further ahead, Roger had the ball in midfield and played it into Dave's feet, he laid it off to Peggy who played a first time ball back in towards ROGER who had continued his run and he ran through and sidefooted past the keeper into the bottom corner.
The Railwaymen had been dominant but now sat back and allowed Lonsdale onto us, they had a few crosses into the box which were dealt with well and Dale and Chris were winning the majority of headers, and Paul and Ivan were tackling well on the wings.
Lonsdale pressed and pressed and almost pulled one back when they hit the crossbar from a drive from the edge of the area. The striker then ran in on the angle and Ismail tipped his drive over the bar.
They pulled a goal back five minutes before half-time when they won a corner, then the header which Paul cleared off the line but the rebound was hit home past two outstretched legs and somehow found the bottom corner.
Half-Time Loko 3 v FC Lonsdale 1
Stefano came on for Ivan and Dale warned against another London Rangers performance where we lost the game after being 3-0 up. Loko started well and Roger and Nicolas put them under a lot of early pressure but we didn't create many chances.
FC Lonsdale were given a lifeline when a shocking refereeing decision gave them a penalty for handball against Paul, even though his arms were down by his side and the ball had been blasted at him from two yards away. The striker stepped up but Ismail stood central and parried the ball away, the striker followed up and Ismail deflected the ball wide for a superb double save.
Shortly after a needless free kick was given to Lonsdale just in our half after Vincent handballed above his head. From the long ball into the box, they flicked the ball on, Ismail could only parry the ball and they scored a tap in from a yard into an empty net. Loko continued to come under pressure and the composure of that first twenty five minutes had disappeared.
They had a couple of scrambles that came to nothing and after Roger lost the ball in midfield, Dale cleared his own post by inches with a diving header to keep the ball out. Loko won a couple of corners but didn't create too much and confidence seemed to be low, even though we were ahead.
Andy came on for Morris who had been booked for some late challenges and within two minutes of using our last substitute, Dale covered Paul and sweeped up at the back, stretched ahead of the winger and cleared the ball but in the process tore his hamstring and could not walk, let alone continue. Loko would have to play the last twenty minutes with ten men.
Loko now started to pick up and Chris really took control at the back, with Vincent now alongside him and Roger in central midfield for a 4-4-1 formation. Chris and his other defenders kept them out and Peggy, Dave and Nicolas started finding space when counter attacking.
The dreaded equaliser came five minutes from time and ironically it was a long range shot that beat Ismail into the roof of the net that did it and there was not much the defence could have done, apart from maybe close down quicker.
FC Lonsdale sensed they could get the winner, especially now Dave had a dead leg and could not move, which meant Loko were now playing with nine men and a cripple. They committed men forward but created nothing else and in the last minute Loko won the game.
Roger broke through three challenges in midfield and played a delightful ball over the last defender for Nicolas to chase, get there first and force the keeper to make a good block, it looked like the defender would clear the rebound but he missed his kick and PEGGY slid in to slide the ball home into the empty net for a stunning victory that should have been easier than it ended up being.
Another minute of battling and the referee blew his whistle on a mixed Loko peformance who should have killed the game at 3-0, but ended up showing great courage and bravery to get another three points that will maintain our stable mid-table position.
Final Score Loko 4 v FC Lonsdale 3
Manager Dale Mellor's comments:
"Another game when we got on top and then totally switched off.
From 3-0 ahead we almost threw it away but the determination you all showed to win the match when we effectively had nine men due to me going off injured and Dave unable to move around the pitch because of his dead leg, was fantastic.
Give yourselves a pat on the back but lets start to show some composure in matches when we take the lead and go on to kill the game and keep possession."
Team Line Up
1. Ismail
2. Paul
3. Ivan
4. Dale
5. Chris
6. Morris
7. Peggy
8. Dave
9. Roger (c)
10. Nicolas
11. Vincent
12. Stefano (Replaced Ivan 45th Minute)
13. Andy (Replaced Morris 65th Minute)
Goals
Nicolas (1)
10th Minute - Dave played the ball over the centre back, Nicolas got onside and slotted past the keeper.
Chris (1)
15th Minute - Peggy floated a cross into the box from the right sideline and Chris ran in unmarked at the back post to head home.
Roger (1)
25th Minute - A lovely interchange between Dave, Peggy and Roger saw the latter run through and sidefoot home into the bottom corner.
Peggy (1)
90th Minute - Roger skipped past three challenges, played a ball over the top to Nicolas who had his shot saved but Peggy followed in to slide home the rebound.
Man of the Match
Chris - Dominant, vocal and his best performance yet since his return to the team. He kept the team and defence together when Dale went off injured and we were down to ten men. Great stuff son.
Match Report by Dale Mellor.
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