Sportsmans League Division 4
Bec United 'B' 1 v Lokomotiv Londres FC 0
Referee Costs Loko Battling Point
The Loko team were prompt on the pitch at Tooting Common unlike the ref who had forgotten about the clocks going back. Loko knew they were in for a tough game against the free-scoring league leaders who were reported to be young, fast but... beatable...
Bec Utd were first out of the starting blocks and the Railwaymen were trying to repel their constant attacks right from the start. Ivan, who had started well, was having a particularly torrid time of it against his fast winger who was pressing on and trying to capitalise on long balls over the defence but Steve and Dale (pictured above) provided a last line of defence in front of our impeccable keeper.
Loko’s attacks were quite rare as we were reduced to counterattacks from our badly exposed midfield. Renato in particular was trying his best whilst being completely surrounded by two or three defenders most of the time.
Loko were panicking at times and not playing on the floor of a relatively smooth surface but the watchword throughout the first half was defence. However, from a corner from the left on twenty seven minutes, their keeper deflected the ball onto his crossbar and Terry was a few yards away and with an open goal but he unfortunately headed it over the bar.
Eight minutes later, from a corner from the left again, Steve had a clear chance on goal but his header missed the goal by a yard. Then a Renato free kick was deflected by the wall just a yard wide of goal.
Bec’s ravaging runs continued unabated up until 10 minutes before the half when Loko went up a gear and got their defence more in control and were now beginning to believe in themselves more. Bec Utd were fouling our players in the middle of the park time and time again but we were unable to capitalise on the resulting free kicks.
Half-Time Bec United 'B' 0 v Loko 0
The second half started with Loko realising that, despite their lack of composure on the ball they could possibly nick a goal. From a long ball from the midfield, Renato found himself clear on goal on two occasions but his rasping shots went wide.
Morris and Ed were becoming even more aggressive and winning great tackles in the middle of the park whilst Terry, Imants and Renato in particular were making a nuisance of themselves, yet their defence remained solid.
On sixty four minutes, Imants dribbled past their full back who, from a distance, seemed to trip our Russian midfield maestro but the ref, who as usual was having a very poor, indecisive game would not be fooled by the play-acting.
With just over ten minutes remaining, a swift counterattack from Bec Utd saw their winger get past two Loko players far too easily and headed for the byeline on our right and crossed the ball onto the head of their forward who nodded it into Junior’s bottom left corner and into the net.
Loko were visibly shaken but stirred into action immediately. With less than ten minutes to go, a cross from the right, saw Renato combine with Imants and saw Dale clear on goal in the box and our ex-manager chipped the ball into the empty net for a much awaited equaliser… ...yet the ref called it offside. This caused a lot of recrimination, especially from Dale who got himself booked in the process
With five minutes to the final whistle, all hell broke loose. Ismail who was battling hard in midfield got scythed by a two-legged tackle and writhed in agony on the half way line. Retribution came in the shape of his Irish teammate Morris who was in the mood for cracking a few bones as opposed to a bit of craic and challenged the offender head on.
It was more a case of hand-bags at lunchtime than all-out war but, for once, the ref took the matter into his own hands or rather his pocket from which he flashed two bright red cards. The game was up for these two and unfortunately for the Railwaymen, too.
Final Score Bec United 'B' 1 v Loko 0
Club Secretary Ivan Rahal's comments:
“We knew it was going to be hard today but we never really gave ourselves a chance because we lost our composure and never developed the game we know we can. The game was finely balanced in the second half but our forwards never got the service their quality deserved. Let’s get back to our winning ways next week.”
Team Line Up
1. Junior
2. Stefano
3. Ivan
4. Dale [Y]
5. Steve (c)
6. Ismail
7. Imants [Y]
8. Morris [R]
9. Eudimar
10. Renato
11. Terry
12. Michael (Replaced Ivan 55th Minute)
Man of the Match
Dale - He always gives 100% especially today where his performance was solid throughout (and he’s promised to get in shape too despite the impending birth of his child). Well done Dale! Special mention to Junior, Morris and Imants.
Match Report by Ivan Rahal.
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