LUCK NOT RUNNING WITH THE LADS...................

The 1st XI's fixture card did not get any easier last weekend as they welcomed Sevenoaks 2s to a wet and windy College Meadow in what proved to be a fiercely contested match.

It is fair to say that Sevenoaks came out of the blocks quickly and dominated possession and territory for the first quarter of an hour. The Blackheath defence held strong with some decisive tackles and neat touches but when caught on the counter and with the keeper beaten, two scrambling defenders could only get their bodies in the way of the ball leading to the award of a flick to make it 1-0. Upon going down, the game turned on its head. A more aggressive home side upped the pace. Time after time they broke down the left hand side easing into the opponents 25 but unable to get the ball in the back of the net.

It felt like a game on a knife edge come the break and eventually the pressure told. A saved short corner bounced around the 6 yard line until Andy Slack was able to put it away. Almost immediately, some smart stick work from Laxman Karan put Dave Lawrence 1 on 1 with the Keeper who neatly rounded him and stuck it in the empty net. Game on its head at 2-1 Blackheath. Sevenoaks upped their tempo again and with the luck of the gods not in the home sides favour 2 short corners within 5 minutes were converted and a yellow card given. Down to 10, a lethal forward line scored two more with their next two shots on target leaving the match at 2-5 to Sevenoaks.

The scoreline did not reflect the tight nature of the game but some clinical finishing proved decisive in altering the result. The 1's travel to Old Bordenians next weekend hoping to find their first 3 points of the season.

MOM - Ben Palmer