It was a new week and another Saturday game was upon us and it was away game time for Lancs. It was an early start with an 8:45 meet which Cal managed to sleep through. After eventually getting Cal out of bed even if he was not fully awake yet we set off for the drive down to Neston. The drive was not bad, Egg saved us from some dodgy directions from our Captain who apparently does not understand maps. The eleven of us arrived way ahead of time and there was hope for the team that we may get a meaningful warmup in before the game. This hope was soon crushed by the realisation that Cal had forgotten the balls and so the boys came together and gathered all the balls they had ‘borrowed’ from other clubs over the years (mainly supplied by Luke) and had a warmup. The boys started strong slotting away a goal early in the first half with Egg poaching a quick short from Tom; lifting spirits and hopes for the game. However soon after Neston managed to get through the lines after a few soft tackles and ended up with two or three unmarked in the D allowing them to equalise. The boys played on though holding possession and attacking well with Fletch doing bits playing CDM. Neston then began to get a few more shorts after a brilliant diving tackle from Egg knocking the ball straight on to the Neston players foot which was not seen by the umpire. After a few warnings the boys were then talking about this on the line Jellis making the claim ‘that definitely hit his foot’ which the umpire took offence to but not knowing who it was who had said it asked ‘whoever had said that’ to go and see him. Not wanting the Keeper to be sent off Sam stepped up as expendable but only got a warning and went back to the short. They had a drag but Jellis made a strong save then in clearance booted it trying to kill Sam almost hitting him in the head which led to another short which was knocked onto Archie’s foot but the umpire decided it was off target so did not count. After some expert biffs from Mel and Egg the first half came to an end.
There was an intense team talk at half time about concentration and control and trying to get some passes together which Sam clearly was not listening to as the first pass he made was about 20 yards away from Egg and went straight off the backline. After this Sam followed up with the worst touch of the century miss-trapping an easy pass and sending it off the sideline. They then scored a non-memorable goal which made us realise we had to do something so in the next ten or so minutes we came back and scored three in a row. Neston then started to come back against the tired Lancs boys their four subs really helping them out with fresh legs. Whenever they pushed down the left Archie, who was hanging, kept shutting them down with some strong tackles. So much so that their right back shouted from the back ‘we know he can tackle don’t go through him’. They then got a few more shorts and after some very questionable decisions from the umpires including Mel getting one in the chest and being told that that was not dangerous. They put another one in after obstructing Mel and Egg making a glorious dive to keep it off the line but the umpire ruled it was over the line. They then scored another short equalising once again and the boys went for another attack.
It finished a 4-4 draw and the lads left disappointed. We had been driving for a good 10 minutes when Fletch realises he has left both his wallet and keys on the pitch so we have to return, best to say that did not go down well.
MoM – Archie
DoD – Sam
Report written by Sam
There was an intense team talk at half time about concentration and control and trying to get some passes together which Sam clearly was not listening to as the first pass he made was about 20 yards away from Egg and went straight off the backline. After this Sam followed up with the worst touch of the century miss-trapping an easy pass and sending it off the sideline. They then scored a non-memorable goal which made us realise we had to do something so in the next ten or so minutes we came back and scored three in a row. Neston then started to come back against the tired Lancs boys their four subs really helping them out with fresh legs. Whenever they pushed down the left Archie, who was hanging, kept shutting them down with some strong tackles. So much so that their right back shouted from the back ‘we know he can tackle don’t go through him’. They then got a few more shorts and after some very questionable decisions from the umpires including Mel getting one in the chest and being told that that was not dangerous. They put another one in after obstructing Mel and Egg making a glorious dive to keep it off the line but the umpire ruled it was over the line. They then scored another short equalising once again and the boys went for another attack.
It finished a 4-4 draw and the lads left disappointed. We had been driving for a good 10 minutes when Fletch realises he has left both his wallet and keys on the pitch so we have to return, best to say that did not go down well.
MoM – Archie
DoD – Sam
Report written by Sam