We always have a good game against Ambassadors, and this one was no different. The Gaffa took a chance in the first half with the famous midfield triangle formation (3-5-2) and it looked like paying immediate dividends when Danny, Jez and Bran exchanged slick passes in the midfield to put Keithy through on goal. Unfortunately the shot went over the bar. There were more early chances for Lee Good and Jezza, but gradually the Ambassadors (kitted out in Crystal Palace kit!) started to get on top.
Geoff had stepped in to fill the vacant (and extra long) goalie shirt and pulled off a couple of great saves as the pressure mounted. Chalky, Tim and Scholes worked together at the back with Jon and Joe supporting down the wings and looked like keeping the Ambassadors out. The first goal came from a corner and a series of deflections and finally ended up in the back of the net off Danny and Jez. The second came after Tim thought he was playing basketball and conceeded a free-kick on the edge of the box. The kick was out of the top draw and was desptached into the top corner giving Geoff no chance.
At half-time Simon and Brian came on and we switched to a 4-4-2, which settled us down and we pushed forward and continued to create chances. Despite some good efforts from Chalkie, Geoff and Lee the score was still 2 v 0 with five minutes to go. The goal finally came from a low Keithy drive, but despite a valiant cavalry charge we failed to snatch the equaliser. Joe performed miracles in goal in the second half (coming out of a collision with Simon with no broken bones was pretty impressive!)
Next week we play Amberley and hopefully we should stem the losing streak. Last time we lost four games in a row was back in 2001, and the next game we scored 20 goals and Danny got a hat-trick (and Bran scored six!)....you never know?!?
Scholesy took charge of the game on saturday. Geoff and Bran scored for the Coalie but a combination of good play from Witterings and our favourite dodgy ref meant that the Witterings ended up 4 v 2 winners.
Read Scholesy's Full Report Here.
By all accounts this was a game of two halfs. All the lads gave 110% and ran their socks off for 90 minutes. It started well with dynamic midfield pair Jez 'Lampard' Bullen and Bran 'Steve Foster' Nicol creating chances for Keith 'Luther Missett' Russell to sky over the bar. Joe 'Stanley' Matthews made his debut and weaved some Old Skool Magic on the right. Lee 'Ginola' Farndell dazzled down the left and helped create more chances for Lee 'Trench Foot' Jacobs and Luther, but still the opening goal was illusive. By half-time the mighty Coalie should have been 4 v 0 up.
After the break Boxgrove took control and put the Coalie centre backs Tim 'Peter Crouch' Warner and Andy 'Des Walker' Steward under pressure, and it took a cracking shot off the post to beat them and Mark 'Bartez' Lawrence in goal. Full backs Sam 'Primus' Wedderburn and Jon 'Taylor' Simpson worked hard to prevent a second goal. Alan 'Gerrard' Sanderson (our only sub) came on for Jon, and five minutes later Bran 'Soft Lad' Nicol had to come off after he laughed so much at one of Keithy's shots that he ruptured a rib. Jez 'Ron Atkinson' Bullen switched it to a 3-4-2 to try and force the equaliser, but it just never came and the team came off the pitch sick as the proverbial parrot. They recovered over a beer in the Coalie!!