We headed away again this week to Crowland, full of confidence. Crowland have added two new players to their squad since we last met which was a close game, especially the second half, and their results show they are on a great run of form, so we knew we needed to be focused and put on a good performance.

Back to a full squad again, with Ethan Hughes and Brandon Westgarth back on the team sheet for 2013. A welcome luxury to have some subs again, has we have found out this season that they are very much needed at this level

Jack Roberts took up his role between the sticks, supported by Callum McCauley as centre-back, Alfie Rogers was right wing-back, Riley Deadman as left wing-back, Brandon Westgarth and Ellis Horn took up the centre-midfield positions with Omar Ellis in the strikers role. Ethan Hughes and James Bulter were our subs.

Before the first half kicked off, we had a few issues with a lot of the lads complaining with painful toes, yes it was very cold on our feet, perhaps it was from the very long grass which was tall than their footwear. I only say this because the first half saw us in a lot of trouble, Crowland were all over us in every area of the field. We struggled with our passing due to the long grass, any passes just weren’t getting anywhere near the receiving player. We tried to dibble far to much, against a very well organised opponent, we would go around one maybe two on occasion just for another Crowland defender to take it off us with ease. We were slow to the loose balls and we showed a lot of hesitation , we didn’t defend as a unit, far too many times Callum was left on his own to deal with a very fast attacking player. This lad was just using the space left open to his left and right, allowing him to by past Callum completely with his pace. The guys were told before kick off that the grass would kill the pace of the ball, and not to give up chasing down the loose ball until it had crossed what ever line it maybe. Unfortunately the lads didn’t take this on board, as one attempt from many was heading out of play across our goal, Callum and Jack had committed their selves and done just enough to pressure the Crowland attacker to shoot wide, but the run of the pitch took a lot and I mean a lot of pace off the shot so the ball sat dead in the middle of an open goal with not one of us on the move towards it apart from another Crowland player. A soft goal to concede, but well deserved by our opponents. They were much more hungry and much more use to the pitch conditions than us. We created a few chances, but nothing really solid. Omar didn’t receive enough support up front, finding it difficult to breakthrough the wall of yellow before him. Jack and Callum were kept busy at the back and did well to keep the score down to one by half-time.

Half-Time Crowland 1 Pumas 0

Finding ourselves on the back foot again, we had a lot to cover and implement if we were to get back into the game. We swapped some positions around, moving Riley to centre-back so we could keep up with the pace of Crowland’s attacks, Callum moved up into centre-midfield with Ellis with orders to stretch the play and pick up the pace of our passing. Ethan had come on in the first half stayed on the left with James playing as the right-wingback, they were instructed to get wide when we had the ball and make sure to get back in position to support Riley when we lost it. All the guys were told to close down quickly and support the player on the ball as first half who ever had the ball was very isolated.

Second half we looked a changed team, gave a little thought for James who hasn’t been with us long and will need plenty of time to settle in, as talking to him, he is still nervous on a match day and Crowland are now a team who can give any team in this league a hard time. But when he got the ball it was sent forward fast to a team mate to start off many of our attacks, he was also very strong in the challenge. Callum and Ellis got their passing flowing, which in turn saw Omar receive better quality chances. Very soon we got back on level terms with great play through the middle, finding Omar in space, still with a bit to do, he finished in style. Now Crowland were still going for it at this point, full of confidence from their first half performance, and with us now playing more like the way we can play their opportunities were far and few between. On the attack once again, ball through to Omar, he showed a nice bit of footwork and sent us into the lead. Alfie had come on in the left wing-back position, played his role for five minutes then drifted over to the right, did put a couple of good crosses in and made lots of his usual powerful runs. Omar was now getting good service, and the lad was putting it to great use, showed great composure in the box, taking it around the closing keeper with his right then finishing with his left, hat-trick. This now saw him marked by up to four players at one point, and with us stretch out wide we made use of the extra space in the other areas of the pitch. Riley was having a great second half and wasn’t letting anyone through, Jack wasn’t really threatened second half and the few times he was, he looked comfortable. Ethan was another one playing really well, stepped off the plane from the sunshine the day before into the cold, he showed no signs of not touching a ball for a couple of weeks. Put in lots of good crosses and had two great chances to score from crosses from the right from Alfie and then Brandon, he hit both first time and sent them wide. Both moves were very good pieces of football and with the space he found himself in just a touch of control before the shot would have seen him on the score sheet twice. Brandon who had been out of sorts in the first, came alive in the second and showed his best passing game to date and played his part well. Another attack from the right saw us force a corner, delivered by Riley and met by the head of Callum for our forth. As for the toes, didn’t hear many moans after the final whistle, although Riley had to spend the afternoon in A & E with his foot twice the size as normal, looking like something was broken, good news just very badly sprained.

Full time Crowland 1 Pumas 4

We seem to be making life a little hard for ourselves at the moment, perhaps a bit of pressure is creeping in. Now I know we stand top of the table which is brilliant, hopefully that’s where we finish, but lets remember what has got us there. It’s not going out on pitch to win, win, win, it’s having fun, developing, trying your best for yourselves and the team. We can’t ask anymore of you and what ever happens this has been a very successful season.

Great character showed by all to comeback and completely turn the game on it’s head, you looked too hot to handle, and that second half was simply awesome. Please lads can we have some more!

Well Done Lads!

Go Go Pumas!