MISSED CHANCES PROVE COSTLY

Subs

• Hay for Palmer

• Cardall for Abbott

• Palmer for Stokes

• Abbott for Foster

I have to say I have seen this coming for a while now.  I have raised concerns after the Sheldon Colts, Lakeside and Oaklands games.  We have looked less and less like scoring and this was confirmed against a Halesowen team who have put themselves in with a promotion chance with 5 wins on the trot.

After not playing for a while I knew that this was a really important game as the next few weeks we would be playing cup football.  This 3 points would have seen us stretch our lead at the top with the other teams around us all having games in hand.  That is why I opted to play our “cup” team.  The players that have done so well against the big sides this season. 

We never played our best stuff but that was to be expected after a long lay off.  We did create the games best chances.  Dayle went through and fired wide, Dylan twice went through and had a shot saved, with the other going wide.  Henry had two chances to head in from corners.  Rob tested the keeper from distance and Halloran was brought down when he looked like scoring.  Add to that Mark’s two free kicks and we can count 5 or 6 good scoring opportunities against Halesowens 1 or 2.

On a plus point our defence was excellent.  Jack and Peter seem to be improving by the week and Mark and Matt were impressing everybody, particularly the Halesowen parents who were raving about how good our back 4 was.

The central midfield area lacked a bit of composure but the effort and commitment was there as normal.  We looked a little clueless in other areas.

We have 5 league games to go and 2 quarter finals in the next 2 weeks.  7 massive games.  All winnable.  All losable.  It just depends which Ravens side shows up.

We lacked belief and desire.  When we were a goal behind we showed no urgency in taking quick throws and free kicks.  We didn’t even get the ball for our own corners.  That looks like you lads don’t believe in yourselves enough to get back into a tight game.

One defeat is nothing to panic over but we don’t have long to rediscover our touch.  Particularly in front of goal.

Steve