I'll assume you didn't watch the video of the game before writing the report Lol? I haven't had a shot for 3 games let alone a chance!!

drop him!!

No, I didn't watch the video of the game before writing the report. As I said last week, I never do !
However, I have now finished editing the video and the Match Report has been amended (as usual).

No, you didn't have a shot Steve, but you certainly had a chance from the rebound when their keeper saved Conor's low shot and you collided with Del on the goal-line and allowed their No.3 to clear.
I heard Conor say afterwards that was the worst miss of the game, but it didn't look quite as bad on video. The ball was spinning about and their No.3 did really well to get a challenge in. Either you or Del still should have scored though !

We actually missed 10 clear-cut chances in total.
Six of them were by Del (including the joint one with Steve) and four by Conor. Nobody else had a worthwhile shot apart from Paul Ellerker (our first goal) !
Not all of those clear-cut chances were bad misses. Some were good saves and others we were unlucky with, but apart from their two goals, Northmet only had one good shot (which Darryl saved diving low to his left) and that free-kick in the last minute...which Darryl should have come off his line and claimed easily from what I have just seen on video. (See the pic I have just put on the Match Report !).

I spoke to their Secretary in the evening (who wasn't at the match) and their Manager/Lino/Sub had told him that they deserved a draw on the balance of play ! That's obviously because they kept battling, didn't give up and had a bit of 'excess euphoria' from getting a last-minute equaliser, but in reality we deserved to win that game 5 or 6-2 and it was painful to watch all those chances going begging on video.

I have changed a couple of marks out of 10, but it was definitely one of those games where it was difficult to decide whether to give certain players a high mark for creating chances (which Del was actually the best at) and a low mark for missing chances (which Del was probably the biggest culprit). I think down the pub, the rest of our players didn't realise that Del had actually created so much, so I have upped him to a 6.5 in line with Conor (who was not as creative) and Steve, who didn't miss any 'sitters' (because he didn't have any !) and played well, but did too many attempted passes which ended with the comment 'Oh Bollocks' ringing out across Hazelwood as a result !! (clearly heard on video ! ).

The other mark I changed was Murf from a 6.5 to a 7. Although he didn't touch the ball for the first five minutes, I noticed after that he didn't give the ball away once for the rest of the match until just before he came off in the 80th minute. He was also excellent defensively (as was mentioned down the pub). Our younger players need to learn from him about how to keep things simple and keep possession. If he was 15 years younger and could get forward more, he would be a real star player for us.

Finally, Paul Ellerker's goal is now showing on Clip Of The Week.
Watch out for the 'quality' assist from Conor !
(Not just where he tackled himself, but the seemingly aimless cross !? )
Hope that doesn't spoil Paul's chances of winning Goal Of The Season because of a 'naff' build-up, although well done to Terry and Del for their part in it.

See you 'all' at training tonight !?

Sorry - can't make training tonight.

Thanks, Lol....the upgrade is much appreciated - it's nice to know the veteran's game of keeping it simple isn't going unnoticed...and I was getting fed up with 6.5 out of 10!!

Murf

Several of our players can't access the Forum any more because of security software on their work computers, so I always e-mail them the 'Video Notes' I put on here, then ask for them to send me any comments.

Speller has e-mailed me back to say:
' Elleker's goal was such a sweet strike, not even his brother could done it better!
Good to see Murph getting recognised for all his unselfish defensive work on and especially off the ball, playing sweeper you really notice it!! '

....cheers Lol...and Tony....I have to say I feel I work hard getting back so that, with Terry naturally tucking inside, we basically form a five when we lose the ball...nice to know it's not just my imagination!!

Murf

I heard Johnny Mac say on video somewhere (can't remember if it was at Half-Time or Full-Time) that he was getting too many players running at him because we had 'nobody' playing right midfield...the 'nobody' being Del of course.
However, if you play more defensively on the left of midfield Murf, if Terry tucks in and the rest of our defence 'shuffle across' when players are running at John, he will always have cover behind him, so it is not a problem. I don't know if Trev told him that ?
When Del 'wanders' from a set right midfield position it creates loads of chances for us, so we don't want to take that away from him and tell him to get goal-side at all costs.
It's a bit tough on whoever is playing right-back, but we are definitely now starting to play better as a team.

Won't be at training the astro and the cold are really doing my knees in at the moment.

The reason i did not claim the cross was because i lost the flight of the ball. I did however do enough to put the "geezer" off from scoring. I did this by expanding my already expanded waist and i can only imagine he saw what looked like Homer Simpson running towards him with my yellow top and wobble. I thank you!

....impeccable goalkeeping skills my dear Deej....use whatever you've got in yer locker....

thats one hell of a locker Deejay!

I recomend you do not enter!!!

Wardrobe more like!