Barrel
17-10-2006, 17:44
Whittlesey United Reserves 2
Leverington Reserves 2
Manor Leisure Centre
Att: 51
Whittlesey United went into Saturday's home match with Leverington looking to get their league campaign back on track after three consecutive defeats in Combination Division 1.
Whittlesey again started very brighly against a travelling Leverington side who had only picked up one league win this season away at Long Sutton on the opening day of the season. Some excellent passing moves in the Whittlesey team resulted in some fine chances that were either well saved by the visiting keeper or not executed by the home players. On the half hour mark, some fine work by Wsey right wing back Lee BAKER created a goalscoring opportunity for Ryan SMITH who was hauled down by the Leverington centre-half. The referee correctly pointed to the spot and up stepped young midfielder Stefan GREEN, who cooly slotted past the despairing lunge of the Leverington goalkeeper for his first goal of the campaign.
Whittlesey continued to apply the pressure and failed to take their goalscoring opportunities much to the frustration of everyone involved. The HT whistle was blown with the home side going into get their cups of tea accompanied by a slender one goal advantage against their Fenland neighbours.
The HT team talk focused on the excellent play from the home side but the increased need to learn lessons from the previous week's defeat where we had also led at HT only to head home after 90 mins with their French companion Neal Pwa!
The home side came out of the traps very sluggishly and handed the visitors the advantage, despite our lacklusture second half performance we were still managing to control the game until the hour mark when a ball in the box was not dealt with by the Whittlesey defence and Paul Brown volleyed in at the far post.
1-1 and the home side had given the initiative to the away side but failed to roll their sleeves up and fight for the 3 points and despite a one on one by Ryan SMITH which was unsuccessfully converted, their second half display was faltering as much as an on time stadium construction by Wembely builders Multiplex! The away side deservedly snatched a deserved second to put them in front when Wayne Wallis slotted home just moments from time.
Whittlesey pressed for an equaliser with Matthew HERON coming close with a diving header, and then with virtually the last kick of the game Whittlesey centre forward Micky BURCH smashed an unstoppable volley into the bottom corner to give the home side a share of the spoils!
So a point each, that old footballing cliche "a game of two halves" could aptly be applied to this showdown at the Manor. Whittlesey were excellent in the first half but failed to convert a hatful of chances and in the second half were not at the races.
Even though we snatched a point at the death, the dressing room was a very sombre one with a consensus among the lads that it was very much two points lost as opposed to one gained. However all credit to the Leverington lads at the way they battled back in the second half, and they may be feeling equally agrieved at not taking maximum points.
Despite the disappointing result the lads, can look forward to three consecutive Cup matches starting next week away at Hampton (pitch permitting). As always COME ON! :beer:
Regards, Barrel
Leverington Reserves 2
Manor Leisure Centre
Att: 51
Whittlesey United went into Saturday's home match with Leverington looking to get their league campaign back on track after three consecutive defeats in Combination Division 1.
Whittlesey again started very brighly against a travelling Leverington side who had only picked up one league win this season away at Long Sutton on the opening day of the season. Some excellent passing moves in the Whittlesey team resulted in some fine chances that were either well saved by the visiting keeper or not executed by the home players. On the half hour mark, some fine work by Wsey right wing back Lee BAKER created a goalscoring opportunity for Ryan SMITH who was hauled down by the Leverington centre-half. The referee correctly pointed to the spot and up stepped young midfielder Stefan GREEN, who cooly slotted past the despairing lunge of the Leverington goalkeeper for his first goal of the campaign.
Whittlesey continued to apply the pressure and failed to take their goalscoring opportunities much to the frustration of everyone involved. The HT whistle was blown with the home side going into get their cups of tea accompanied by a slender one goal advantage against their Fenland neighbours.
The HT team talk focused on the excellent play from the home side but the increased need to learn lessons from the previous week's defeat where we had also led at HT only to head home after 90 mins with their French companion Neal Pwa!
The home side came out of the traps very sluggishly and handed the visitors the advantage, despite our lacklusture second half performance we were still managing to control the game until the hour mark when a ball in the box was not dealt with by the Whittlesey defence and Paul Brown volleyed in at the far post.
1-1 and the home side had given the initiative to the away side but failed to roll their sleeves up and fight for the 3 points and despite a one on one by Ryan SMITH which was unsuccessfully converted, their second half display was faltering as much as an on time stadium construction by Wembely builders Multiplex! The away side deservedly snatched a deserved second to put them in front when Wayne Wallis slotted home just moments from time.
Whittlesey pressed for an equaliser with Matthew HERON coming close with a diving header, and then with virtually the last kick of the game Whittlesey centre forward Micky BURCH smashed an unstoppable volley into the bottom corner to give the home side a share of the spoils!
So a point each, that old footballing cliche "a game of two halves" could aptly be applied to this showdown at the Manor. Whittlesey were excellent in the first half but failed to convert a hatful of chances and in the second half were not at the races.
Even though we snatched a point at the death, the dressing room was a very sombre one with a consensus among the lads that it was very much two points lost as opposed to one gained. However all credit to the Leverington lads at the way they battled back in the second half, and they may be feeling equally agrieved at not taking maximum points.
Despite the disappointing result the lads, can look forward to three consecutive Cup matches starting next week away at Hampton (pitch permitting). As always COME ON! :beer:
Regards, Barrel