This hard fought encounter may have ended in defeat for the Oaks, but overall we can be satisfied with what the manager considered to be a very good performance. To be up against the league leaders was probably the last game we wanted after a month without playing (which would have included the traditional Christmas over-indulgence for most), but at least the recent Artic conditions had meant a lengthy lay-off for all teams. So although there was noticeably less room in the changing room due to expanded waistlines, we were still confident that we were capable of giving Blackshots a good contest.
The sunshine encouraged a good turn-out, with Milesy picking the following line-up from a squad of 14:
pppppppppppppppppppTyrone (GK)
pppppppDeano (RB) Milly (CB) Rob (CB) Eye-Ball (LB)
pNathan (RM) Jimmy (CM) Stu (CM) (c) Jordan (CM) Scott (LM)
ppppppppppppppppp Sharpy (CF)
Subs: Parker, Aaron, Gollum
Blackshots had inflicted the Oak’s heaviest defeat of the season in a previous cup game, and Milesy had obviously been studying the video footage intently as he chose to pack the midfield in an attempt to disrupt the fluid passing moves that had caused us so much trouble before.
The plan seemed to be working well as, although the Oaks were obviously rusty, we allowed the opposition very little time on the ball, and restricted them to speculative balls over the top which the Oaks defence were more than capable of dealing with.
It was therefore disappointing to go a goal down through being slow to get out of the area after seemingly clearing the danger from a cross. However, the ball was played back in and the blackshots players were played on and literally queuing up to put the ball past a stranded Ty: 0-1.
The Oaks created some good chances after going behind with the best falling to our very own Alan Shearer (Newcastle fan, good in the air, rubbish goal celebration etc.). When Sharpy leapt to head Rob’s pin point cross goal-wards the inside of the post cruelly came to Blackshots’ rescue. Sharpy wasn’t finished there, and was first to the ball again only to see his well struck shot blocked on the line. The Oaks had to therefore settle with going into half time with a one goal deficit, when they really deserved to be level.
The Oaks struggled to find the energy required to really threaten Blackshots’ lead in the second half and if it hadn’t been for a superb one-on-one save from Ty we would have been 2-0 down early in the half.
There hasn’t been much opportunity to introduce the Oaks newest recruit, but Scott has made a real difference to the side since joining before Christmas. Scott is a proper left winger, with a few good tricks and a super left foot. He was involved in the best Oaks move of the game, when he linked up with Sharpy on the left, who then crossed agonisingly close, but just out of reach, of Nathan.
Unfortunately when the next goal did come it was at the wrong end for the Oaks. An in-swinging corner hit the crossbar and fell fortuitously right onto the foot of the Blackshots skipper, who had the easy job of lifting the ball into the roof of the net: 0-2.
Blackshots seemed to take their foot of the gas following the second goal, and when Stu found the bottom corner with a well struck free kick from the left hand side we were in for an interesting last 10 minutes: 1-2.
The game had been competitive, but had been generally played in a good spirit. The one unpleasant moment came when a nasty collision between Ty and the Blackshots forward left Ty with a cut below his knee. He obviously felt that he had been the victim of an atrocious tackle, but whether or not there was any intent is not for me to decide. We should just be thankful that nobody was seriously injured.
Although the Oaks were in the ascendancy for the last 10 minutes they were not able to find the equaliser, and the game finished 1-2 to Blackshots. Although the result wasn’t what we wanted, the performance was very satisfying, and a good indication of what we should achieve in the rest of the season.
Eye-Ball
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