Match Review: Loko vs Castle Hill Reserves

Chessington Sunday League, 
Division 3
Sun 11 Oct 2015
Loko 1 vs Castle Hill Reserves 3

LOKO FAIL TO DELIVER

From left to right: Lee, Ismail, a Castle Hill player, Miguel

School boys vs Grown Men. As the Loko men took to the field on this bright October morning, it was quite interesting to see that half of our team were about to play footballers almost half their age! Plus, on the virtual bench, the Loko subs were in a bad way with Gary and Tony not fully recovered from injury and Ivan not having fully recuperated from his game the day before. But would experience trump youth?

In the first 20 minutes, most of the game took place in their half.

On 11 minutes James forced a save out of their capable keeper with a rasping shot from just outside the box. This was followed by two further shots by Matt also from outside the box. Then it was Ash’s turn to glance a header just wide from a James cross.

On 22 minutes though, Hayden fouled their number 13 just inside our half. The resulting freekick saw a long ball float into our box where their number 11 lost Dave and slotted the ball in at the near post.

Loko 0 vs Castle Hill Reserves 1

Loko perked up quickly after this setback as Ash received a cross from the left, rounded his marker inside the box but his low shot went wide.

Five minutes later though ASH equalised with a well taken shot inside the box past the advancing keeper.

Half time: Loko 1 vs Castle Hill Reserves 1

Within 5 minutes of the second half, a Scott throw found Hayden who crossed for Lee who, with his back to the Castle Hill goal, headed the ball back but it flew over the crossbar.

Loko were now trying harder but too many passes were rushed or simply not coming off. On top of that, in the absence of a true goal poacher, our attack were unable to capitalise on our many chances.

If you can’t finish, you get punished – and this is exactly what happened when we didn’t clear our lines on 60 minutes and their number seven arrowed a long shot from just outside the box that sailed over Ismail’s head and into the roof of the net.

2-1 to the school boys who were now in full flow and gaining confidence as they saw the grown men moan to the ref and lose focus.

On 71 minutes, a perfectly valid Castle Hill attack and goal were aborted when Ivan the linesman raised his flag a bit too prematurely for offside.

Castle Hill were now carving our defence open left, right and centre and, on 78 minutes, a counter attack on our right hand side caught us out of position; Ismail came out of his area trying to tackle their forward who rounded him and passed into the empty goal where their diminutive number 7 simply had to touch it past the goal line.

Loko 1 vs Castle Hill Reserves 3

Frustratingly enough, Castle Hill had youth, energy and confidence on their side. Loko didn’t click, didn’t make the most of their chances and had more holes in the middle of the pitch and the defence than a Swiss cheese.

As the game was winding down, Miguel was unfortunate to lose a front tooth as he tried to head a ball out of danger. Sadly, there was no tooth fairy for our Peruvian anchorman today, nor the Loko-men who are going home empty-handed for the second week in a row. Time for a tactical rethink?

M.O.M: James, who tried his best throughout the game.

Line-up: Ismail – Danny (Tony, 65’?), Neil, Scott – Miguel (then Ivan, 85’), Matt, Ash, Dave F, Lee – James, Hayden.