Sportsmans League Division 3
Lokomotiv Londres FC 0 v Mass 1
Valiant Display Not Quite Enough
It was a fine sunny morning up in Chiswick for the Railwaymen's final league game of the season and the gaffers final match as manager. All thirteen players turned up and we started with a 4-4-2 formation, changing to 4-2-4 when we pushed forward.
The team was Dale in goal, a back four of Stefano, Chris, Steve and Ivan, with Diego, Ismail, Joe and Eudimar in midfield and Terry with Dave up front. Paul and Marc started on the bench.
It was a pretty even start and Joe and Ismail were sitting deep as requested and stifling Mass from attacking through the middle. Chris and Stefano started well on the right of the defence and put in some good early challenges and Dave had the first effort of the game when the ball found him on the edge but he could only bobble the effort wide.
Mass had a lot of possession but hadn't looked like getting ahead, until twenty minutes in when a simple ball through the middle saw the striker run clean through and hit the bottom corner, despite Dale getting fingertips to the ball but he couldn't get enough of the ball and it gave Mass the lead.
Terry kept the pressure on their back four and Loko won three or four corners in succession, and from one of these Steve nearly equalised but his header from eight yards was pushed over the crossbar by the keeper.
Mass nearly doubled their lead when they won a free kick right in the semi circle on the edge of Loko's box, but the wall held firm a good curled effort hit the outside of the post next to the top corner and bounched away for a goal kick to the home side.
Half-Time Loko 0 v Mass 1
Marc replaced Diego at the break and Paul came on for Ivan, with Stefano going left back and Paul on the right. Loko were still in the game and had played well but the gaffer asked for a little more composure with the ball as we kept giving away possession too easily.
It was another solid start to the half and the majority of the game was spent in midfield. Mass started to press and created a few chances, they hit the crossbar twice in the space of a couple of minutes with a free kick and then a long effort but Dale had it covered both times, they then hit the post from a tight angle but again the gaffer had it covered.
Loko tried to get forward and Dave and Terry linked up nicely but Dave could only shoot wide from the edge of the box. Terry twice got wide and ran the defence, putting balls into a dangerous area but we failed to attack the ball and it was easily cleared.
Mass continued to attack in numbers and Paul, Marc and Chris both made vital blocks all near the goal line and Dale had to make a full length diving block as they had two players at the back post unmarked, but pulled his groin in the process and now looks certain to play in goal in the Tournoi.
Dale managed to clear two others off the line with last ditch stops and they hit a number of efforts wide or straight at the keeper. The defending and effort had been superb and Loko almost stole an equaliser towards the end when the ball fell loose in the area and Steve could only hook the ball straight to the keeper from in the goalmouth.
It was a much better battling performance than we have had in a long time and a draw would have been deserved for the amount of effort the team put in, but it wasn't meant to be. The victory for Mass clinched them the cup and league double.
Final Score Loko 0 v Mass 1
Manager Dale Mellor's comments:
"It was a very brave effort today from everyone and that is the best I have seen us battle in a long long time. We threw bodies in the way all over the park and I thought our defending today was outstanding.
It was a shame that we failed to create too much, but we lost our previous game to these 8-3 so we can be very satisfied with the improvement we have made throughout the season. I do not think the results fully justify all the performances we have put in over the course of the last few weeks.
I want to congratulate Stefano for winning Loko's Player of the Season award. It is very much deserved as he has been Mr Consistent and has also played in 27 of our 28 matches this season. If we had a team full of that level of commitment we may have achieved more.
Thank you to all our players this season and thank you to everyone who has helped me in my last three years as manager. It's time to pass on the mantle and hope someone can take us forward.
Let's finish the season on a high later this week at Bisham Abbey for our Tournoi."
Team Line Up
1. Dale
2. Stefano
3. Ivan
4. Chris
5. Steve (c)
6. Ismail
7. Diego
8. Joe
9. Dave
10. Terry
11. Eudimar
12. Paul (Replaced Ivan 45th Minute)
13. Marc (Replaced Marc 45th Minute)
Man of the Match
Chris - I thought he had a great game today, very solid and despite a couple of late silly free kicks was always in the right place at the right time. Well done. Special mention to everyone else, it was a great battling team performance when so many players put themselves in harms way to keep the game close.
Match Report by Dale Mellor.
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