BACK TO WINNING WAYS

Subs

• Mytton for Palmer

• Mcloughlin for Stokes

• Ryan for Hill

• Foster for Barnes

Our final home match of the season saw the improving Kings Heath team come to Damson Lane .  Kings Heath find themselves in bottom place but only due to Austin Sports folding. 

Our recent 3 league defeats against the top 3 sides meant that everybody around us in mid table had pulled up to our amount of points.  There are only a few points separating 4 teams.  The top 4 in our league have opened up a gap so we have found ourselves in a mini division battling out 5th to 8th place.  The challenge I have set our players is to win this mini division and in the next 3 weeks we are playing all of the other teams round us so it should be interesting.

It was nice to have a fully fit squad to select from.  Dylan and Henry now appear to be over injuries and the competition for places is strong.  Once again our subs bench was full of talent.  Possession of the 1st 11 shirts is now priceless and once you get in the team I think everybody has to perform week in week out as when you lose your place it can be a while before you get it back.

We swapped Graham into midfield for this game.  We have waited a while to try this out and this seemed the ideal game to do it.  Ryan kept his place upfront after good performances and Jim got the nod ahead of Jack at left back.

The game itself was made very difficult with a fierce wind and both sides struggled to get the ball under control on a bouncy pitch.  We had the better of the 1st half and we displayed the odd flash of brilliance with flowing back to front moves.

We looked very solid at the back but our midfield were struggling to find that killer pass in difficult conditions.  Mike Halloran looked as lively as he has all season and was giving the big Kings Heath defender a torrid time.  Most of our good things came up the right in the 1st half.  Matt B was twice involved in good moves.  Ryan was denied by a good save and Mike H fired over the bar.

We did get a goal when Mark smashed a 35 yard free kick into the top corner.  This is Mark’s 10th goal of the season and that was the target I set him.  Last season our only criticism was his lack of goals and he has more than put that right.

The game went into a bit of a quiet period for the next 10 mins and I also know this is bad for us.  I told Rachel that we would concede a goal and sure enough a long shot went over Steve's head.  We needed this to spark us back into life.  Shortly after Mike H scored a fantastic goal when he skinned his man and fired a cracker into the corner.  Half time 2-1.

The 2nd half started quite nervy and for 15 mins we were pinned back. Kings Heath made it 2-2 and we were up against it.  Scott and Mike C came into there own surging this period and really kept us in the game.  Steve made a few fine saves and we were clinging on at 2-2.  We had to make a change and boy did it pay off.  Dylan went on and completely changed the game.

Within minutes he had crossed for Halloran to score his 2nd.  Shortly after he was surging through the middle with great pace and was unlucky not to beat the keeper to the ball.  Finally he got the goal he deserved when he latched on to a through ball to finish coolly and then yet again a great finish when Matt B sent him through the middle.  Dylan’s return to fitness is a big boost for the team and he looked sharper and hungrier than he has all season in this 25 minute cameo.

So, a 5-2 win and a nice confidence boost for the tough final 5 away games of the season.  We played some really good stuff in tough conditions.  A big mention to all of the substitutes for good contributions when going on in a difficult game and it was nice to see us win a game that at one stage could have gone either way.

Steve