New Marske 5 - Richmond Town 6
Due to an unplayable waterlogged pitch, we managed to switch the game to Richmond in order to get it played. It also looked to be a very heavy pitch, especially right through the centre as the game kicked off. Within the first minute we should have been one goal up as Conor latched onto a forward ball and rounded the keeper. Keeping his composure he struck the ball goal ward, only to see the ball cleared off the line.
Shortly after we had another great chance as Liam broke down the left and delivered the ball to Frank who side footed the ball goal wards, but saw the ball just clear the bar. It was a good positive start to the game, but Richmond rallied with a corner. Pressure was put on the ball as it sailed through and out for a goal kick. Totally against the run of play after 7 mins we went a goal down. Half of the defence seemed to go missing, but Jack managed to win the ball laying it back to Andy, whose clearance only succeeded in hitting Jack, falling into the path of a grateful Richmond player who put the ball into the net. 1-0 to Richmond.
Richmond won a couple of corners, as our defence was looking a bit panicked, and there was a hold up in play as Greg received a knock. After treatment he was unable to continue and was replaced by Bash at right back. Frank was struggling to use his pace as the pitch started to get heavier and heavier. And unbelievably after 20 mins we found ourselves 2-0 down. Yet another comical goal as well, as a goal bound shot was saved by Dean, and his attempted clearance hit Jack flush in the face from point blank range before bouncing into the net. This was turning into a disaster.
We won a free kick when Jack was wiped out deep in our half. He got onto his feet and struck a superb free kick over the defence into the path of the onrushing Liam, who only managed to hit his shot well wide. Yet another great chance going astray.
Since going two goals down we seemed to be spurred into action, and on 26 mins we got a goal back, when Richmond didn't deal with a crossed ball that found Liam, who went past his man and fired into the net. 2-1 to Richmond. Two minutes later we were level. Danny won the ball in midfield and sent Frank away. It looked like he was going around the keeper but the ball only succeeded in looping up and fell toward joe who volleyed it into the net to make the score 2-2.
Two minutes later we took the lead when a cross from the left was only parried by the keeper and in the scramble that followed, Conor put the ball into the net. 2-3 to New Marske. The preceding 4 minute spell had completely transformed the game and finally it looked like we'd got out of our slumber. Another quick break nearly saw us score again but this time the Liam's shot was hit straight at the keeper.
Next up was an unbelievable miss from us when a Liam cross sailed into the box over the despairing reach of the Richmond keeper, looking like it was dropping into the net. Bash came running in to make sure and somehow, from on the line he managed to head it back out, as Richmond gratefully scrambled it away.
There followed a delay in proceedings for everybody to regain their breath, especially Jack, who was causing the delay as he received treatment following a shot to his 'crown jewels'. On the restart Frank was sent away but he couldn't get around the keeper. Two or three other similar chances occurred before half time, but nothing we could make count.
Half-time: New Marske 3 - Richmond Town 2
The 15 minutes before half time had seen us really start to dominate the game, however, missing some excellent chances to have put the game well beyond Richmond's reach. The question was, would we rue those chances? Well in the end, yes we would.
The second half started with the same line up as ended the first half, and play was split between both teams, but neither side could take one of the early chances. Danny looked to be through on goal as he raced into the box down the left, but a well timed Richmond tackle stopped him in his tracks before he could unleash a shot.
The opening goal of the second half came after 44 mins when Richmond got the equaliser. From the previous tackle on Danny Richmond eventually worked the ball wide left, and the recipient finding himself in far too much space ran forward and unleashed a shot from outside the box. 3-3. Not the start to the second half we wanted.
We came close again when a great ball by Liam sent frank away, one on one with the keeper. He couldn't beat him however, as the ball fell safe for Richmond. Another chance for us went by before Richmond came close again. From a corner the ball rolled out of the box toward a waiting Richmond player. With no New Marske players going to close him down, jack raced out from central defence, past the watching players, trying to pressure him before the shot came in. He didn't quite get to the ball before the shot came in, forcing Dean to make a save and push the ball past the post.
Frank got away again, but didn't manage to get a shot in, as another good chance went begging. On 50 mins Richmond showed us how to do it, when they attacked down the right before crossing the ball into the centre where an unmarked player put the ball into the net. 4-3 to Richmond. The confidence was flowing through Richmond now as they were finding far too much space and time in the centre of the park, enabling them to hit a number of shots at goal from outside the box.
We were getting totally overrun in the middle as Richmond mounted wave after wave of attacks, and they thought they had gone further in front, before the goal was ruled out for offside. We were struggling to get back into the game, but a chance did fall to Frank from a through ball by Matty, but his shot went wide of the goal.
On 66 mins things got worse when Richmond went further in front. Richmond picked it up wide left again, and the player waltzed into the box, evading non existent tackles before hammering the ball past Dean. 5-3 to Richmond.
Two minutes later we managed to hit back when we robbed the ball from Richmond and Danny played the ball out to Frank on the right. He managed to poke the ball forward to Joe, who rounded the keeper before shooting the ball into the net. 5-4 to Richmond. Richmond came back and had a couple of chances, before we incredibly got level in the game. Great battling from Danny to win the ball, saw him put a ball through to Joe, who once more rounded the keeper and put the ball into the net. 5-5.
There was still five minutes to go in the game, and nobody knew which way the game was going to turn next. We came very close, when a first time shot by Frank went narrowly wide of the goal. This was followed shortly after by Joe hitting the ball just the wrong side of the post as well. In the final minute disaster struck as Richmond for the final time regained the lead. Jack raced out to make a strong challenge on the advancing Richmond player, but the ball fell kindly for Richmond, and with no other defender coming across to cover, the unmarked Richmond player simply picked his spot to make the score 6-5.
Make no mistake this was a poor, poor game by us, with far too many chances missed once again. This was coupled with too many players having an off day, no doubt some of them not helped by staying up until the early hours watching a certain boxing match.
Final Score: New Marske 5 - Richmond Town 6
MOTM:- : Jack Lochrie
Other images from the game...
