Sportsmans League (Div 2)
Sunday 16 Dec
Wessex Rangers 5 vs Loko 3
JEKYLL AND HYDE LOKO LOSE TO BOGEY TEAM AGAIN
Loko took to the field on a sunny Winter day with 11 regulars and two newcomers.
This editor wishes for his match reports to be less predictable but, on this occasion, this won't be possible because, yet again, Loko started slowly.
Facing us was a team that seemed confident on the back of their win against us a few weeks ago.
This editor wishes for his match reports to be less predictable but, on this occasion, this won't be possible because, yet again, Loko started slowly.
Facing us was a team that seemed confident on the back of their win against us a few weeks ago.
Thankfully, on 13 minutes, Tony played the ball from midfield into the box for TERRY to chase. With a big defender facing him, Terry flicked the ball up in the air and scored with the outside of his right foot past the goalie.
Wessex Rangers 0 vs Loko 1
From then on, things got a bit chaotic. Our defence were struggling badly and the midfield being overrun by the composed Wessex team. Andre had to come off after 20 mns and on came Lucas.
On 25 minutes Wessex Rangers equalised from the edge of the box where their number 15’s long shot crucified John and found the top left corner.
Wessex Rangers 1 vs Loko 1
The lack of vigour and communication in defence was leaving Loko exposed and time and time again, Wessex were picking holes and launching attacks down the middle and the wings.
Wessex went up on 32 minutes when a relatively tame shot from the edge of the box found a hole in the defence and went in off John’s bottom left post.
Wessex went up on 32 minutes when a relatively tame shot from the edge of the box found a hole in the defence and went in off John’s bottom left post.
Wessex Rangers 2 vs Loko 1
This was followed by a third goal on 37 minutes when a long ball over our defence saw Ivan head the ball back in the direction of his own keeper but the bounce caught John by surprise and their tricky forward hit the ball in the back of the net.
Wessex Rangers 3 vs Loko 1
Wessex hammered the last nail in the Loko coffin when, following a foul by Lawrence on the left hand side of our box, Wessex scored from a freekick that rebounded off the post as their unmarked number 9 headed the ball into the net despite John’s desperate attempt to parry it.
Half time: Wessex Rangers 4 vs Loko 1
After such a torrid first half, surely things had to get better – and they certainly did. Adil came on for Ivan and added firepower and movement upfront from the word go.
On 53 minutes, he got fouled on the edge of the box and took a freekick himself that went past the right post.
Shortly afterwards, Lucas - who was having a cracking game for Loko - stormed down the middle of the park past three players, passed down the right to Adil who turned his defender but shot wide.
On 67 minutes, Said swanned past a Wessex player from the back, passed down the wing to ADIL who sauntered past his defender and keeper and scored from a tight angle.
Wessex Rangers 4 vs Loko 2
Loko were now up for it. Terry was launching attacks from the back, Lawrence and Kevin were pushing forward and the outlook seemed decidedly more positive…
Ill-fortune struck on 72 minutes though when Wessex launched a counterattack from the half way line. Marcel pulled a muscle as he was chasing his forward down the wing. As the man ventured into our box, he found himself unmarked and on the receiving end of a cross from the left which he slammed to the left of John and into the net.
Wessex Rangers 5 vs Loko 2
There was still time for a consolation goal when Adil passed the ball to Tony who strode into the box and scored with a low shot to the left of the keeper.
Wessex Rangers 5 vs Loko 3
Bizarrely, Loko lost their momentum and never looked like scoring after that.
Club Secretary Ivan said: “Wessex deserved to win following our catastrophic first half. We redeemed ourselves in the second half as we played much better. Because of this defeat we won’t be finishing top at the halfway mark this season but 2nd place is still very positive.
M.O.M: Said (in the first half in particular), Lucas and Terry (who showed great determination) all deserve a mention but, following a public vote, man of the match goes to Neil who was solid in defence and also good venturing forward. Well done!
Line-up:
John, Neil, Ivan (then Adil 45’), Said, Marcel – Ismail, Andre, Tony - Kevin, Lawrence - Terry
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