NARROW LOSS FOR YOUNG SIDE FULL OF PROMISE

This was always going to be a difficult day with an away game at Burnt Ash. Their 2nd XI are unbeaten in seven games and they are charging up the league table.

Moreover, it was a difficult day for our Captain and leading light of the Club Edd Thorogood. Sadly a week ago to the day his father Jasper died and today would have been his 73rd birthday. The social media posts describe his father as a much loved and respected man, as is his son Edd. Jasper Thorogood, although I never met him, I'm sure would have been truly proud of Edd. A minute silence was rightly observed and the welcome distraction for Edd of a hockey game began.

We started brightly, but the first half saw plenty of chances for each side to score. Our problem it seems is our struggle with maintaining our shape and playing a zonal marking game. Despite our frailties and at times good play we went into half time 0-0.

A good half time team talk was steamrollered by a completely brain dead start to the second half. A well worked move by Burnt Ash that any team on the ready at the second half push back should have handled with ease resulted in a goal. 1-0 down.

We fought back with a scrappy goal. 1-1. The physicality of Burnt Ash was high and at times excessive and penalised with merely a green card or two or three. The spaces began to appear and our discipline to maintain our shape and zonal marking withered. They moved the ball well with an extra man appearing on the right wing on several occasions. On the third occasion a tiny young boy slipped into the D and calmly slapped in a second goal for Burnt Ash.

We pressed for an equaliser and had a short corner deflected wide unintentional by young Jake. He protested the call was not clear to him and he was right, but you've got to expect the unexpected sometimes!

So a disappointing loss, but I keep reminding myself and those playing in this 2nd XI that, apart from myself, it's a very young side with huge potential and an excellent motivated captain.

Every game is won or lost by 1 or 2 goals. Every team in this league can be beaten. Perhaps we need a change in formation and indeed fortune?? We will see next week.

MOTM:
James Clarke

Special thanks to our captain Ed Thorogood for playing and captaining the 2nd XI on this difficult day.