Sunday 9 September 2007

The game started off scrappy with Swanley Cardinals looking the better team. This was hardly surprising though as it was the first game that the majority of the reserves had actually played together this season.

However after withstanding a few long balls over the top by Swanley’s midfielders to their front men. Paul Birch Reserves finally started to get into the game with the midfield duo of captain John Rees and Aaron Manning combing well with some good through balls, which the Swanley goalkeeper managed just to get to just before Lee on the first occasion and then Dan on the next.

The first of goal of the game came when Nick in the left back position had nobody showing apart from Ronan who had made a good run into the left channel. Ronan let the 20 yard pass go over him before holding of the incoming defender and lobbing the Swanley keeper who could only help the ball on its way. The finish was quite exceptional considering the angle.

This to be fair only encouraged Swanley more against a makeshift defence that Pete Sparrow had to put out due to players availabilities. The centre back combination of Ashley O’Shaughnessy and Gary Partridge looked less comfortable on many occasions and it wasn’t a surprise that Swanley drew level with an easy tap in after the ball wasn’t cleared by the defence. To be fair Swanley could have had a couple more if the right passes would have been played.

 Half time 1-1

Half time came and Pete encouraged everyone to have more composure on the ball and to talk more.

The players went out for the second half knowing that they can play better and certainly did. Everything in the air was being won by the Paul Birch midfielders who in Aaron and Rees who were having excellent games.

Upfront Bill Skamp was winning everything and allowing gaps for the Paul Birch wingers to get through but with the angle against them they really couldn’t trouble the goalie.

It was a disappointment to be on top and not finish the chances that we had. Again and again we were trying to score the perfect goal when we should have just put our foot through the ball. As always it came back to haunt us with one long ball over the top of the Paul Birch defence and the Swanley striker managed to just slid the ball under Barry and wrong foot Gary who was chasing in to clear off the goaline.

Despite this heads didn’t drop on the Paul Birch team and chances still came and went. We had bossed the second half but at the end of the day football is about scoring and they scored one more than us.

Full time 1-2

At the end of the game Pete could not fault the commitment of every single player and told us to score the scrappy goals first and worry about the spectacular ones after.

Man of the Match

Aaron Manning - Solid performance

Team:

Livingstone, Li, Partridge, A. O'Shaughnessy, Sheldrick, P. Partridge, Manning, Rees, Smith, McCarthy, Milton, Skamp, Samy

(Roll on Subs)