Sunday 27 January 2008 vs Creswell Parish (home)

For once it was warm and sunny up at Reignhead as we welcomed the league leaders, Creswell to our humble abode.

With 38 points from 14 games, Creswell sat remotely atop the league looking down on those below.

We had last played them back in early November and been given a hard lesson in doggedness, determination and desire to win at football.

I wanted us to steal a point from them and told the squad this in the run up to the game. We had trained up at Spinkhill on the Monday as usual, but also done an extra session on Thursday at Rainbow Forge where we had spent some time discussing tactics. One of the learning points from last time was the single-minded way they attacked, pretty much exclusively through the middle, where they rumbled relentlessly onwards right through our defence. So, my main focus was to ‘defend the defence’, to cut out as much attacking play as possible before it reached the back four. To do this, I had identified Ants and Connor Proctor, and given them a brief to hold back (to ignore any attacking tendencies) and defensively work an area across the centre of the pitch, breaking up Creswell attacks before they had chance to develop. That they did tirelessly and unselfishly says much about the way they are developing as players and getting to grips with the concept that (successful) football is not just about lining up in 4-4-2 and taking it from there.

Alex Hewitt and Mat were to work the wings – and I tried to impress on them that I really did mean to pull out wide, even if sometimes they felt a little bit uncomfortable. Danny was to push on the last man with Ross ‘in the hole’ behind him –picking up balls from midfield and feeding Danny, the wide men or going on a run himself.

But all this talk of tactics and preparation and what I contributed should not, in any way, detract from the disciplined bravery of the whole team. THEY made it work. THEY made it happen. THEY went out there and played superbly well.

OK so Creswell took the lead with a goal from a ball lofted over our defence that was, for me, clearly offside. As the first half went on, they got another from a poorly defended corner.

But that’s when the real battling started, and rather than heads going down, we fought back with goals from Mat and then from Danny to pull us level. Half time and so far so excellent.

We went out second half and I think we had them rattled. Maybe they had an eye on what had happened last time we met, but I’m certain that they didn’t expect us to go at them like we started to do! One of the real pluses from the game was that – whilst to be fair they too had a couple of chances go begging – we could have actually snatched a winner. But… that was not to be and the final whistle brought real pride, joy and satisfaction for everyone – players, parents, spectators, me and Neil - for a job well done.

Connor was ‘Man of the Match’ but once again in reality every last one of them deserved the accolade.