CADBURY V RAVENS

Subs

• Mcloughlin

• Grady

This was a strange game to watch from the side as at half time you would never have predicted that this was going to end up as such a 1 sided score line.  For the 1^st half hour neither team really took control.  Both sides tried to pass the ball on a good surface and it looked like this game could go down to the wire.

Then, just before the break Cadburys got in front when a fairly tame free kick ended up in our net.  This was a shame as we were now going to be chasing the game. 

The 2^nd half was a completely different spectacle.  I would love to say Cadburys turned it on and that we just could not live with them.  The truth though, is that they did no more than they had in the previous half.  We crumbled, gave up and a catalogue of basic errors cost us goals.

The 2^nd goal came from a cross which went across our 6 yard box.  Jacko thought Stevo was going to claim it and was a surprised as anybody when the ball found its way all the way across the box and onto his arm.  Penalty.  2-0.

Number 3 was equally bad.  A free kick on the edge of the box and it looked as though Steve and the wall were both covering the same side of the goal.  The Cadbury player couldn’t believe his luck and side footed it into the net.  This was real division 4 stuff from us.

By now, most, if not all players had given up.  Steve was replaced by Ryan who was quickly into the action with a good save.  More goals were on their way and soon enough 3 had become 6.

We could have had a few goals our self.  Mike hit the bar and Ross spurned 3 good chances. Everybody else looked too intimidated to try their luck.

The biggest concern to me was the fear that was struck into us by a centre forward with a “big reputation”.  We had players who would not go anywhere near him.  That is a real problem.

General Points

Bad decision making has cost us again.  There were at least 3 occasions that we had a 2 on 1 situation with a defender.  This is a simple opportunity to bring the player toward you and then release your team mate, who would then be one on one with the keeper.  Twice there was no attempt to even play a pass.  The player on the ball tried to beat the last man and was tackled.  The 3^rd time, the pass was played straight to the defender.

There were at least a dozen shots from distance that ended up very high or very wide.  Often there were players in better positions ahead of you.

Ball control -  I lost count of how many times a pass went under or over somebody’s foot.  This pitch was perfect.  No excuse.

We played and beat this team not so long ago.  Cadbury performed better on that day than this one.  The difference?  Simple.  We got in front last time and you played like you had something to hold on to.  You cannot fold every time you go behind lads.  These are 80 minute games. 

We need a reaction to this.  It starts at training and then we carry that effort and belief into Sunday.

Steve