Greatham FC 10 New Marske 0
So the first game of the new year arrived, and a tough one it was. Even with having only the one training session since the Christmas break started, we were hopeful for a better performance than the first fixture of 2006 in the cup against Nunthorpe YC. In the end it was, but that just goes to show how bad that Nunthorpe game was!
In keeping with three out of the last four games, there was a really strong wind blowing to really affect the game. Due to the direction of the wind it looked as if the first half was going to be the toughest as we struggled to get the ball clear from our penalty area against the wind. An attack by Greatham down their left saw Joe make an extravagent step over ( not sure whether delberate or not) to let the ball run out for a goal kick. However he was well away from the goal line, and his face was a picture as he willed the ball to trickle out before a Greatham attacker got to it!
We managed to get the ball into the Greatham half but the move was curtailed by the referee pulling play up for offside. Greatham went down the other end and a half-hearted attempt at a tackle by Joe saw the Greatham player skip around him and slot the ball past Dean. 1-0 to Greatham. We were looking really really sluggish and hardly in the game as Greatham won a series of corners, that luckily came to nothing, although a clearance by Joe went inches past the post on one of them.
In full flight, unlike after the match when a trip to hospital was required for a suspected broken toe
Disaster struck after it looked like we had weathered the corner storm, when from a goal kick, Dean mishit the ball straight at Jack, who didn't control it as it bounced off his leg straight to a Greatham player who put the ball into the net to make the score 2-0.We did manage to get into the Greatham half and we were awarded a free kick. Jack lofted the ball forward and we knocked it around for a couple of passes, but ultimately lost possession again.
Back on the defensive facing a couple of corners, of which the second was taken short and the Greatham player unchallenged lofted the ball over Dean to make the game 3-0 to Greatham. Greatham were awarded a free kick not far outside the box when Jack launched into a challenge that the referee thought was late even though he won the ball. The free kick was hit into the box as Bash's attempted headed clearance missed the ball completely, but luckily it went through to Dean.
The game was held up for a minute or two as Hubby got some treatment for an injury. The game restarted with an attack down Greathams right that saw them get deep into our half before Jack held the Greatham player up before knocking the ball out for a throw. The throw saw a Greatham player turn Joe and hit his shot goalward, but went across Dean to safety.
A rare foray into the Greatham half during the first half of the game
The next attack was more productive for Greatham as they attacked down their right. A couple of really half hearted challenges came in as the ball fell to another Greatham player who totally unchallenged lined the shot up and struck it goalwards. The well hit shot wasn't handled very well by Dean who saw the ball squirm from his grasp and into the net. 4-0 to Greatham. This was as poor as a performance as any this season, with the defence under a lot of pressure and not a lot of help coming from the midfield.
It got worse shortly after when Greatham got another goal. We were deep in the Greatham half when a Greatham defender put his foot through the ball high into our half. Jack looked like he would head it clear, but the ball caught on the wind and sailed 5 yards past him to a Greatham player. David was putting pressure on him, but he shrugged him off to strike the ball firmly into the net. 5-0 to Greatham.
Greatham were really fancying their chances now and a couple of last ditch challenges by Joe and Jack were all that stood between Greatham and another run through on goal. The big number 10 for Greatham turned next and hit a shot narrowly past the post. It looked as if we were frightened to even put a challenge in on their players. A couple of free kicks to Greatham came to nothing, but our tackling was terribly poor in trying to clear the ball.
Not only did we struggle to get any passing and movement going Greatham closed us down at every opportunity
The sixth goal came when a Greatham player picked the ball up in the middle, totally unchallenged put the ball into space for a Greatham attacker to get through and score before Jack could even get close to him. 6-0. Greatham were getting so much time in the middle of the park, they were picking through balls out at will. It was a blessing when the referee blew the whistle for half time.
It was a very very poor performance in the first half, in which Greatham had all the time and space they required to knock the ball around, coupled with the determination to win the ball straight back on the odd occassion we did have it. Hopefully the second hald would be more competetive as the wind would be more in our favour.
Half-time: Greatham 6 - New Marske 0
Three subs were made at half time as Dougy, Andy and Liam came on to replace Jack, Joe and Hubby. The second half started with us at least getting into the Greatham half a bit more, but it was only a short time before Greatham scored again. They attacked through the middle, and an attempted clearance from Andy was sliced directly into the path of a Greatham player who ran through unchallenged to put the ball into the net. 7-0 to Greatham.
We were still struggling to get any possession of the ball, and when we did it was going straight back to the opposition. As if it wasn't bad enough being 7-0 down, within a couple of seconds of each other, both Bash and Greg got a 'stinger' on the legs trying to block shots! The game was held up for a minute or so while a Greatham player got a talking to from the referee, I'm not sure why though.
Time after time they broke through for a shot at goal
Once the game restarted, Greatham made the most of it to make the score 8-0. Greatham won the ball in their own half, and a long ball over the top completely caught out the central defenders, as a Greatham attacker raced away to put the ball over Dean and into the net. Things weren't getting any better. We did however get a semblance of an attack next, as we pushed on down the left, and Johnny back heeled the ball and a cross went into the Greatham box. It sped through and out the other side, where it must have touched a Greatham player as a corner was awarded. We couldn't make anything happen from the corner though.
Greatham looked to have broken clear again, however the referee flagged for offside. The Greatham player then kicked the ball away and ended up getting a talking to from the referee, which ended in him being subbed, presumably at the suggestion of the referee. Once the game started another ball cut the defence open again, but this time Liam got a challenge in before the shot on goal could be made. The ball did fall to a Greatham player who shot, only to be held comfortably by Dean.
We managed to work a corner from a neat passing move down the right, but the ball was cleared upfield which allowed Greatham once more to sprint away from the defence. Luckily this time the shot was put wide of the goal. Another goal was averted by a great double save by Dean on Greathams next attack.Greatham kept the pressure on as a Greatham player waltzed around our players in the box before we managed to get a tackle in and get the ball cleared. A couple of minutes later and it was 9-0. A Greatham player got the ball under control on the left, unchallenged he passed the ball across the box to another unmarked Greatham player who took his time before putting the ball into the net.
"I think it's one of those days son" - A rare moment when the ball was up the other end of the field
We pushed on and got a couple of balls into the box, but the Greatham defence cleared the ball without too much problem. Shortly after we had, by my reckoning our first shot on goal. Conor took the ball forwards and got what looked like a shove in the back. The ball rolled off to Johnny, who struck his shot goalward. Although on target, it didn't manage to trouble the keeper. It was a positve purple patch for us in the game as Frank pushed the Greatham defence back before having the ball taken off him.
Greatham attacked down the left and either Bash or Dougy (I couldn't make out who) trailing in his wake before putting a cross into the box. Dean came out, more like a sweeper to make a couple of challenges before knocking the ball out, that was cleared for a corner. The short corner was wasted, but they came back on the attack with four players camped around the box waiting to slot the ball away. Desperate defending by David eventually was enough to just get it away.We did manage to get back down the other end and a through ball by Johnny saw Conor nearly get on the end of it, however the defender came in to put it out for a corner. The corner was totally wasted though, as we took a short corner instead of getting it into the box, only to totally mess it up and let Greatham get away again.
A tussle for the ball
A free kick was awarded to Greatham as one of their players once more waltzed around our defence before Andy came in and wiped him out.Greatham couldn't make the most of it, but seconds later they did, as a player came in from the left, cut around three defenders before laying the ball across to another player at the far post. He went around a couple of players also before putting the ball into the net to make the score 10-0 to Greatham. The lack of anybody putting a tackle in was frightening. Luckily the referee blew the whistle to put us out of our agony.
All we need now is to petition for the TJFA to abolish the Christmas break and we should be alright! Oh well, it can only get better from here on in, and lets face it, it really can't get any worse.
Final Score: Greatham FC 10 New Marske 0
MOTM:- : Greg Wood