Sunday 15th January 2012
Sportsman's League, Division 4
Lokomotiv Londres FC 2 v South West Wolves 2
Solid Loko secure deserved point
With two players having to pull out at the 11th hour due to family illness, Loko took the field with a bare 11 on a crisp, sunny Sunday morning.
The absent gaffer’s orders were to defend deep in the first half to avoid a repetition of the last game of 2011 when South West Wolves beat us soundly. Captain Steve’s formation was therefore a cautious 5-3-2. Within a few minutes of kick-off, it was obvious that this was the right tactic for Loko were composed and soaking up South West Wolves’s pressure.
However, on 19 minutes a loose ball from the right somehow made its way into the centre of our defence and, with Steve tracking back, the ball spun into the air with our captain disorientated and stand-in keeper Terry exposed as their centre forward gave Steve the slip and crucified Terry from two yards out. This could have been a sign that the floodgates were about to open but Loko dusted themselves down and applied themselves even more.
On 31 minutes, Imants (pictured) shook off his marker on the right hand side of their box but his shot missed the goal by a few inches. On 36 minutes, Dave F drilled a shot from 20 yards out and it all but looked like a sure equaliser, yet it hit the upright and Greg failed to convert the rebound from two yards out.
Half time: South West Wolves 1 – Loko 0
As the second half got underway, Loko were on fire. The ball was being passed around crisply, the defensive formation was being as solid as ever whilst Loko’s midfield were launching numerous attacks and South West Wolves were on the back foot.
On 47 minutes, Dave F passed from the right hand side of midfield to Greg on the right hand side who lost his marker and cleverly back-heeled to ALEJANDRO who wriggled past a defender into the right hand side of their box and drilled the ball into the bottom right hand side of their goal with aplomb from a closed angle. Cue Alejandro’s ecstatic facial expression and smiles all around. South West Wolves 1 – Loko 1.
Smiles were wiped off our faces within a few minutes though as a cross from the left saw South West Wolves score but their goal was disallowed for pushing Morris in the back. A second disallowed goal followed within minutes when a long ball on the left hand side of our defence saw their winger slip past Marcel, Serik and Ivan and score from an impossible angle but the quiet yet decisive referee called it offside.
On 67 minutes though, an attack on the right hand side of our defence saw their left winger dribble past two Loko defenders and shoot from the byeline. The ball came off Serik and went through Terry’s legs and trickled into our goal. South West Wolves 2 – Loko 1.
Thankfully, this setback didn’t seem to affect Loko’s momentum. Marcel was playing out of his skin on the left side of defence, Steve was sweeping up left, right and centre, Greg was showing some deft touches up front and Imants was spraying balls around at will.
Loko’s efforts were rewarded on 72 minutes. Following a cross from the right, a scramble ensued in their box. Steve spun around from five yards in an attempt to shoot on goal but one of their central defenders took his leg. Penalty. Now Loko haven’t scored from the penalty spot since 2010 so this one had to be thought through. Dave F was up for it and so was Terry. However, Imants wasn't in the mood for negotiation: he grabbed the ball, placed it firmly on the penalty spot and despatched it confidentially to the left of their keeper. South West Wolves 2 – Loko 2.
A last gilt-edged chance to win the game went begging when Imants’s low cross from the right met Greg’s left foot but his shot went just over the bar.
Club Secretary Ivan Rahal said: “A good start to 2012 despite us missing a few key players. Steve got his formation spot on, the defence was solid, the midfield was inventive and the attack incisive.”
Man of the Match: “Everybody played well today. Special mention to Greg who, despite missing most of the season, showed great ambition today, whilst Marcel was dynamic and tackled hard in defence. But the M.O.M award goes to IMANTS for his exceptional distribution and composure.
Terry
Morris
Steve
Serik
Ivan
Marcel
Dave J
Dave F
Alejandro
Greg
Imants
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