Mistakes Cost Reserves Points... Again

The pre-match talk started it all. Co-Coach Tony asked for our usual strong start to be converted into goals, so that we didn't fall behind after 20 or so minutes as we had done in each of our previous 2 games. Unfortunately that was the total opposite of what happened.

After less than a minute, a stray pass back to Trent (from a player who is still very dirty with himself) found its way straight to a Central striker who beat Trent to slot into an empty net. Not the start we expected.

After only 5 more minutes, another stray pass allowed Central an easy attack where our defence missed the ball, and Trent was left stranded again. 2-0 down.

The team looked as if it had found its way back into the game, and after 20 mins had started to create some chances. The best being a bouncing through ball which Wiz beat the keeper to, only to see it rolling wide. Jack Crane follwed in to tap it home, but instead felt the need to blast it into the empty goal and sent it blazing over the bar.

Jack made up for this early miss soon after, when again Wiz provided a chance. After harrassing the defence and winning the ball to the side of the box, Wiz put a low cross across the goal and Jack neatly finished.

At 2-1 down we looked certain to come back into this game, but then mistake 3 happened. The old addage of play to the whistle came to bite us when a high ball found a striker who looked offside but wasn't. The defence stopped as Trent rushed out to clear. Unfortunately the clearance struck the Central player and rebounded into the goal (from 30m!)

It didn't look as though it would be our day.

The second half started strongly for Puke, with Jack scoring his second after only 5 or so minutes. A drill practiced on Thursday paid off, as Jack received the ball with his back to goal, turned and shot. The ball defelected in, but was looking goal bound anyway.

3-2 down and we were back in it with plenty of time remaining. Chances came and went and players were tiring. We had lost JR and Wiz to minor injuries and Karl was shattered after his first game in 3 weeks.

With 15 to go Central struck the killer blow. A quick free kick saw Trent off his line and beaten to the ball by the Central player, his header bumbling into the goal.

Credit must be given to Central for taking chances, and they had some good players who held the ball up well, but to be honest we have now lost 3 games on the trot to teams who are man for man a lot poorer than us. We need to find the football which we played pre-season and pick up points.

Player of the day went to Elliot Clark for his work down the left, and up front late in the game.

At home again next week, the Reserves will look to end the losing streak against Eastern Suburbs. Kick Off 12:30pm.