Friendly
Lokomotiv Londres FC 3 v Eagles 3
Nic Hat-Trick Nets Last Minute Draw
As our original opponents Pimlico Rangers had cancelled earlier in the week because they couldn't raise a team, we arranged a friendly with Eagles who compete two divisions higher than ourselves in Division 1. We only had the one sub and kept rolling on and off every ten minutes.
They continued to press and kept shooting from range but we started hitting them on the counter attack and Peggy kept getting away down the left and Nicolas almost broke through twice but for some last ditch defending.
Vincent started strongly and his pace came in handy at the back covering for the other three as Eagles had good pace on the frontline. He put in a number of strong tackles, but couldn't prevent Eagles taking the lead, when from a corner their player was unmarked eight yards out at the front post to head over Paul on the line.
The lead did not last long and Loko were soon level, Dave played the ball out to NICOLAS (pictured above) who was on the left touch line and he came inside the defender and drilled a low shot into the keepers bottom right corner.
Eagles continued pressing and had a number of mazy runs into the area but Ismail had few actual shots to save, and he kept picking up the loose balls when they dropped in and around him. Ismail did have to tip one rasping drive over the bar and he was having a very good game, and then Eagles hit the bar and a goal mouth scramble was cleared.
Roger, Morris and Dave were doing their best to close down in Loko's 4-5-1 formation and a combination of their pressing saw the ball go through to their keeper who miskicked it, it came to NICOLAS in the middle of their half and he placed his shot past the stranded keeper to give Loko an unexpected half-time lead.
Half-Time Loko 2 v Eagles 1
Dale insisted that we need keep our shape better and ensure that there are no gaps between the defence and midfield, and to go out and enjoy the second half.
Loko were well and truely pinned in our own half for a good fifteen to twenty minutes after the restart but they failed to create much in that period with good closing down, and excellent communication. They had a few long range efforts that were straight at Ismail or wide of the target.
Nicolas, Peggy and Dave were trying to drag us forward and we were trying to play the ball around but we panicked when under pressure and gave the ball away a little too much. It was disappointing that Eagles equalised with yet another free header from a corner which was drilled into the net far too easily.
They continued to press and took the lead shortly after when a ball from the left found their striker seven yards out, there was two Loko defenders behind him but he turned too quickly and drilled into the bottom corner. He should have been closed down quicker and all three goals were softly conceded.
Loko responded when Dale pushed Dave up front with Nicolas to 4-4-2 and we finally started pressing their defenders and pushing them up the pitch with the instruction to play a much higher line and give them less room to play in. Dave almost scored when he got free in a central position with the keeper well off his line but he couldn't get the ball high enough and the keeper saved easily.
Eagles nearly wrapped up the win when their striker beat Chris for pace, went one on one and slipped the ball past Ismail but the ball held up in the boggy goal area and Ismail got infront of the striker who pushed him over before scoring, and it was rightly ruled out by the referee. They drilled a few efforts wide and Loko rode their luck.
Loko pressed with seconds left and Dave got the ball on the edge of the area in space but could only drill the ball over. That appeared to be that, but Roger fed Dave out on the left, he faked to go inside, skinned the full back on the outside and centred for three Loko players through on the keeper, NICOLAS got there first and slotted into the bottom corner for a superb hat-trick and a fabulous Loko result.
Final Score Loko 3 v Eagles 3
Manager Dale Mellor's comments:
"It was a good battling performance against a decent team from two divisions above us. We rode our luck at times as they hit the woodwork a couple of times, Ismail had a blinder in goal and they had some wayward finishing by their strikers.
We always looked dangerous on the counter attack and gave as good as we got. With myself, Steve and others missing we put in a great performance. Two goals conceded from corners again is really starting to add up, we need to stay tight to our men and jump with them.
Well played everyone."
Team Line Up
1. Ismail
2. Stefano
3. Ivan
4. Chris
5. Vincent
6. Morris
7. Paul
8. Dave
9. Roger (c)
10. Nicolas
11. Peggy
12. Andy (Rolling Subs - Various Changes)
Goals
Nicolas (3)
20th Minute - He cut inside off the wing and drilled into the bottom corner.
30th Minute - The ball fell kindly to him with the keeper out of his area and he placed it past him into an empty net from forty yards.
70th Minute - Dave skinned the right back and played the ball across the area for Nicolas to place past the keeper into the bottom corner.
Man of the Match
Vincent (pictured below) - His best game for Loko, he was dominant, really looked up for it and put in challenges everywhere. Fantastic game. Nicolas was a close second with a brilliant hat-trick and Ismail slightly adrift in third with his best game in goal for Loko yet. Well done all.
Match Report by Dale Mellor.
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