A Loss, 3 Goals and Nothing Much More......
" Susan Boyle had more chance of picking up a man than Loko "
Going into today's game we felt fairly confident off the back of recent results, as we were unbeaten since the first day of the season. Surbiton are a team we have played a fair few times and are more than capable of turning them over as we have done fairly recently. This isn't to say they are a poor team as they are well organised and have a big squad to choose players from.
We usually start games fairly strong but today was different. We just didn't / couldn't get into this game. Surbiton were first to headers first to challenges and attacked, admittedly with no end product but they were on top. Our only outlet was to go far right to Chris who would always push his defender out wide and the majority of times provide a cross into the box. This is exactly what he done after 15 minutes gifting Hayden a great opportunity to open the scoring, but it came of his Shin and the prevailing toe poke was easily cleared, as Gary pointed out, on more than one occasion, these are chances we need to convert!
Dave feeling under the weather made way for Wayne who slotted up top. A Surbiton attack was cleared behind for a corner. Our defence, since going four at the back has looked pretty solid, only conceding 2 goals in the previous three games, however, we don't do corners very well. As every player marks a man, from nowhere, a Surbiton player run free to the front post and without challenge slotted home the first goal. Shouts of " Who's man was that " came to no admittance so no blame was apportioned.
Going a goal down did however give us a slight lift. We started to play football a bit. Various surging runs on the right from Chris provided crosses into the box. One of which Gary met with a powerful header just over the bar, another fell to Wayne who got the ball caught up under his feet. A Cross from Hayden on the left met Matts head, again the ball ending up just over the bar. We sensed something was coming. Lee Stocker bursting forward from Left back crossed to the back with Chris lurking he connected with a volley that ended up wide. Again a ball across from Chris to Hayden who laid off for Wayne but unfortunately a Surbiton Defender closed down quick to prevent the shot getting away. We were on top, not playing that well, but still on top.
Half time 0-1
The half time talk consisted of a lot of well deserved criticism all round from both Captains and Players alike. We knew we were better than this and was all clearly frustrated with our performance.
For a change we started the second half really well. We passed sideways, back and forward keeping possession. Yes we lacked that final ball and push forward but we were playing football again.
People often ask me how I remember so much of what happened in the game to be able to do a match report and usually it comes easy, but from 50 minutes until James T came on for Danny after 70 odd minutes I cant really remember anything that happened? A few fouls a few handballs but nothing else much at all. Both sides just played some form of football. James T on, out on the left, renewed the special partnership between himself and Tony as he controlled the ball very well on various occasions to then turn his man / men at times, and push on with great skill.
As we were clearly not going to have a shot on goal this half it was left to Surbiton to help us out. Another great strong run on the right from Chris and again a ball into the danger zone led to their keeper and defender clashing and the ball dropping into their net. 1-1
With only six or seven minutes remaining Surbiton attempted to push on for the winner with a good save from Tony from a looping ball shot from outside the area as well as a fair few good challenges from Neil to stop their attacks as he ran back to goal. A cross from the Loko left saw an unmarked Surbiton player poorly volley wide. Another shot defended well by Mason went out for a corner.
With only a minute of the 90 remaining Surbiton swung a good ball from the corner in to our area and there center half headed home to win the game. 1-2
Full Time
Lokomotiv 1-2 AFC Surbiton
Weekly Three Questions
Did We Deserve To Win Today? No
Did we put it in today? No
Man Of The Match?
For the third week in a row it is not a clear cut choice as I think we can all put our hands up and say we made mistakes and just didn't give enough today, however, with more crosses into the box today than most of this season so far and for providing a great outlet to hold the ball up, Chris today, for the first time, receives this accolade. Well Played.
Final Thoughts
We lost to a team we should be beating. The fact it was in the last minute doesn't make it any worse this week as we all know we was just not good enough. Yes we should of finished a couple of chances we had, yes we should of picked our men up at corners and not conceded. Yes, undoubtedly, we did miss that midfield element of pushing the team forward. We had hardly no shots on goal. I think we lost the game all over the field and feel its unfair to pick out players / positions or even areas of play i.e. Defensively, midfield or attack. In amateur football, Its easy to measure the performance of an attack that doesn't score goals or the performance of a keeper or defence that lets in goals but a lot harder to measure the performance of a midfield, so who can truly say where the game was lost this week?
I don't do negative reports you all know that, it simply doesn't help, neither does singling out players, unless it is myself :) So don't look upon this report negatively but instead constructively. We win together, We lose together, We drink Together, We are Loko!
Quote Of The Week
" When you concede goals like that in the last minute of the game, it does make it feel like a loss "
Neil O'Brian 2016 Lokomotiv Londres
No comments:
Post a Comment