SUNDAY 17TH FEBRUARY 2008

Just when PB reserves thought things couldn't get any worse, along came
Cudham United Reserves and an 8-1 hammering!

Cudham away is never a favourite fixture as it takes absolutely ages to
get there after driving down never ending winding country lanes. The
team all managed to get there however but were without T.O'Shaughnessy
who was recovering from his 21st birthday celebrations, Ashioti and
McCarthy.

Even before kick off, omens were not good with manager Pete Sparrow
having his car nicked the night before with all the training balls and a
kit in the boot. The pitch was rock solid and was more like an ice rink
when the team first arrived, but it had thawed out just enough by kick
off.

After conceding the first goal in the previous two matches and then
struggling to get back into the game, PB knew that it was vital to keep
things tight at the back or they would be left chasing. Unfortunately
the opposite happened and from a corner not long after kick off, the
tactic of using a spare man to attack the delivery did not pay off as
the unmarked Cudham attacker side footed the corner into the back of the
net. This was not the opening PB needed and was the start of a very long
day.

The second goal for Cudham came after a short goal kick was headed back
towards goal. The Cudham striker looked clearly offside but Vlasyuk who
was running the line, did not flag and the striker ran through to score
past Willmott. Rutherford expressed his displeasure at the ref and was
rewarded with a yellow card. This second goal, as it had last week,
knocked PB and they never really recovered.

The third goal came as PB tried to get their passing game going from
within their own penalty area only to be dispossessed with the resulting
ball across the goal tapped in at the far post. The forth came after an
error of judgement by A.O'Shaughnessy who controlled the ball on the
edge of the box rather than heading clear, with the ball being stolen
and slotted home past Willmott.

PB were now just trying to get to half time to regroup without
conceding any more goals but just before the whistle, a short free kick
following a Cudham offside, came straight back and was finished by the
PB striker.

Half time 5-0

Pete Sparrow who had already had a tough morning had to try and
motivate the team to keep going and show some pride. The problem with
the first half was that PB were constantly playing long balls with the
short passing game that brought so much joy at the start of the year no
where to be seen. This wouldn't have been so bad if they were getting
anything out of it, but with the average height of the Cudham team in
excess of 6 foot, this was never going to be an effective way of getting
into the match.

Things were better in the second half with some good passing moves
being put together by PB for the first time in the match. However, as PB
pushed forward looking to get back into the game, holes were appearing
all over the pitch which Cudham exploited scoring another two goals.

It truly was one of those of days as P.Partridge had a penalty saved
after Bioletti was flattened in the box and Paine also had a fine free
kick stopped by the deceivingly athletic Cudham goalkeeper. P.Partridge
knocked in a late consolation goal, increasing his tally for the season
and moving closer to the golden boot trophy but Cudham still had time to
score an 8th goal with G.Sparrow also getting booked for back chatting
the ref near the final whistle.

Full time 8-1

It really is crisis time for PB reserves who up until three weeks ago
had an eye on promotion. It now looks as if they might be fighting to
remain mid table and not finish in the bottom half of the league come
the end of the season.

Man of the match: Bioletti. Never stopped running all game and put 100%
effort into everything he did

Team: Willmott, Li , Rutherford, A. O'Shaughnessy, G. Partridge, Sparrow, Rees, P.Partridge, Paine, Knight, Bioletti

Subs not used: Vlasyuk