Clements started brightly as they looked to capitalise on the one man advantage. The lead came early when some good link up play between Eye-Ball, Liam and Dale on the left resulted in a corner. Ryan swung the ball in and Liam glanced his header into the far corner: 0-1
The lead was soon doubled when Dale picked up the ball on the left and played a delightful ball into the space on the right for brother Ryan. He controlled the ball first time and finished superbly across the keeper with the outside of the right boot: 0-2.
Lakeside's eleventh man had turned up by this point, but was undertaking an extended warm up on the sideline. Clements should really have been four up by the time he came on, with Foggy and Niki coming close to scoring. If there was a prize for miss of the season we could have awarded it to Foggy at half time in this match, as when the ball was played into the middle across the line Foggy somehow managed to lift it over the bar from 0.0001 yards out. Now Foggy and Dale had been discussing Foggy's baron goal scoring record before the game, but I would have put it down to lack of opportunities in front of goal for a player who usually plays at the back. However, I now believe he must be cursed as no one can be this unlucky! Niki's chance wasn't as clear cut, but as he charged into the box from the back the sound referee's whistle harshly judging him offside must have led to him scuffing his shot.
The game was briefly contested between 2 teams of 11 players, but only for about ten minutes before both sides were reduced to ten men, with Lakeside's late arrival also leaving early for a much needed warm down.
The game was now a very open affair, with lots of space and increasingly tired legs. Clements defended well and restricted Lakeside to speculative efforts from outside the box, mainly from their nippy midfielder who was determined to dribble past our whole team single handed.
Foggy had more chances to break his curse, but the force-field in front of goal remained as his efforts hit everything apart from the back of the net. Foggy shouldn't feel too frustrated at still not having broken his duck for Clements. Some like Niki have been waiting an awful lot longer to make a dent in the goal scoring chart. 45 games without a goal or assist was el-capitano's record before this game, so when he hooked a ball back into the mix from a corner, and Rob pounced to prod the ball into the net you would have thought Niki had scored the winning goal in a cup final: 0-3.
The three points should have been well and truly in the bag by the time Lakeside spoiled our attempt at a clean sheet, but their keeper was having an absolute blinder. Liam - who definitely deserved another goal for his constant lung bursting runs - was one of many Clements players to be denied by the flying shot stopper.
Any fears of Lakeside causing an upset were alleviated when Tapsell put H through on goal and he finished first time from a tight angle. His goal celebration wasn't one of his finest moments, but if it made him feel better (and he can afford it) then why not: 1-4.
It's a shame we weren't able to put one over on Lakeside in a proper game, as we have always narrowly missed out on three points to them in the past, which should have made victory feel that bit sweeter. Still, three points is three points at the end of the day and hopefully the outcome (if not the circumstances) will be the same next time.
Eye-Ball
Next game: Sunday 8th December - Away v Purfleet Old Boys @ Belhus Park
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