Post by Dave on Dec 11, 2010 19:03:14 GMT
Newton United 2nd V Marldon 11th Dec 2010
Top of the table Marldon took on lowly Newton United 2nds on a very gray and miserable afternoon at Bakers Park. The pitch was like a glue pot and it’s a shame the game could not have been played on the other pitch at Bakers Park, as that one looked in much better condition.
Marldon were forced to make a number of changes in their starting eleven, one or two players had cried off before the match with injuries and their regular keeper Craig Hughes at gone to watch Wolves play of all teams.
Last weeks first goal scorer Maldons number 2 Simon Williams, took over the keepers gloves and on the whole had a good solid game and could nothing about the goals that were put past him.
I was told before the start of the match the Newton play good football and are a far better team than their league position suggests( where have I heard that before
) well I would have to agree with that as I felt for a good part of the game they were slightly the better team.They were always looking to play the ball on the floor whenever possible, but not afraid to hit long balls out to their speedy right winger. They nearly took an early lead after a poor sliced clearance by a Maldon defender; saw the ball land just outside the Marldon box. Newton’s number eleven ran into the box with the ball at his feet with just the Marldon keeper to beat. He hit the ball well enough but young Mr Williams made a good save with his legs.
Marldon were guilty of hitting too many long balls over the top of the Newton defence, when due to the condition of the pitch, they really needed to be playing balls up to the forwards chests or feet, or trying to use the more firmer parts of the pitch on the wings and getting balls into the box from out wide.
Ant Roach did get one or two good chances that he might have done better with that would have given Marldon a first half lead. One ball played to him he took just inside the box, but he was closed down so quickly his right foot shot got blocked with the ball going out for a corner.
A second chance came his way and he did well to shake of two Newton defenders and steal a yard on them hitting a good left foot shot that the Newton keeper just managed to save with his legs on the far post.
Newton continued to play the neater football and took the lead right on the stroke of halftime. The ball came into the box from a corner and went over everyone and dropped right at the feet of Newton’s captain their number four. He stuck out his right leg and lifted the ball into the net with Simon Williams (Marldon keeper) unable to get across his goal line to make the save.
The halftime whistle was blown by the ref and as I walked past the Newton team talk taking place to go and listen to the Marldon team talk, I could not help but smile with what the Newton manager was telling his players. “You have got to stop them getting the ball up to Ant Roach, or make sure you get the ball off him before he can get the chance to take a shot” Well they must have not heard him, or simply were unable to carry out his instructions. I did joke with the Marldon manager that maybe he should go on for the second half. He gave me three excuses why that was not possible. One too old, two too fat and I’m sure I must have misheard the third one as I thought he said he was in the middle of a sex change. ;D
On to the second half and Marldon soon found they were level and yes it was that man Ant Roach who scored another fine individual goal. The ball was played up to him ten yards outside the Newton box and on the right-hand side of it. He took the ball in his stride and when he got just inside the Newton box, held of his man and fired a very powerful shot across the keeper into the far left-hand corner of the net.
Marldon then went and got a second goal, the ball came low into the Newton box from a corner on the left and Ant Roach was trying to turn and swivel to get the ball over the line, only a Newton defender just got his toe on the ball first and turned it over his own goal line.
I felt after this goal, Marldon were playing a bit too far up the pitch and was worried they would get undone at the back by the pace of one or two of the Newton players. My fears proved to be very founded as a ball was played right down the middle to a Newton forward. He looked up and saw the speedy right winger Newton’s number seven, making a run and played a perfect through ball for him that put him one on one with the Marldon keeper. He coolly passed the ball past Simon Williams and I felt that Newton fully deserved their equaliser.
Both teams then had a number of chances to win the game and it looked for a second that Newton had scored a third goal. The Marldon keeper was beaten and has the mud on his goal line to thank for stopping the ball from going over the line. It looked a certain goal and I could not believe the ball did not go over the line.
Marldon had a good number of shots blocked in the very packed Newton box from a number on corners they had won. Ant Roach so nearly earned Marldon all three points right at the death.
He received the ball in much the same position he did for his goal, only this time the defender had managed to get right in front of Ant to prevent him getting a shot away with his right foot. Ant cleverly turned in front of the Newton defender and fired a curler with his left foot that only just missed the top left hand corner of the goal.
A good game played in very good sprits on a very poor pitch and both teams I feel should be happy with a point apiece. The result may just have kept Marldon on top of the table, or dropped them down into second place.
The light was so bad today I had to whack the film speed up to ISO 3200, just to try and freeze the action. Risky as the pictures were then bound to be a bit grainy, but on the whole they turned out not to badly.
