Match Report

League, 16^th September 2007

Final Result – FC Brimington 2 (Away) vs. Brinsworth Whitehill 3 (Home)

Venue – Outokumpu Sports Ground, Bawtry Road, Rotherham

Managers View

I approached this game with caution, as it was easy to assume we would emulate last week’s performance having defeated them 6-0.

The team knew my view on complacency and I set about reinforcing them throughout week’s training. If you corner a lion, there is only one way it can react and that is to attack. Unfortunately for us, that is what Brinsworth Whitehill did.

Phil Hirons was added to our already lengthy list of injured after last week’s game. Hirons proved a vital missing part of our defence and was sorely missed. Michael Gartlan was also absent which was a major blow to the team dynamics.

With only 12 players available out of our squad of 21, we signed two more players, Sam Taylor, a striker who played for me at Handleywood and Kimberley Town, and Neil Hall, a midfielder who played for me at Sheffield University.

The pitch at Brinsworth was a sloping one which is uneven at that. The wind was swirling around but there was plenty of sunshine. Many players who were injured turned up to support us and we attracted more of a following.

We decided to play our favoured formation of 4  3  3

The starting line for today's match was as follows:   

Match day reporter – James Gebbie

Linesmen – Chris Kealey, Simon Newton

First Half

The game kicked off at 11am and the start could not have been worse. We won the toss and elected to kick up hill against the wind.

Within 1 minute of play, Brinsworth played the ball wide to the right in our half just outside the 18yd box. Sean Gardner intercepted the pass and played it back to Andy Bridgewater, the keeper who had enough time to redistribute the ball up field but chose to try to dribble the oncoming striker.  Bridgewater changed his mind at the last minute but the Brinsworth forward was moving in quickly. He decided to clear it hurriedly but it went to another Brinsworth player who also followed up and it was a good strike from 14yds out which nestled in the bottom left hand corner of the goal.

1-0 Brinsworth Whitehill - FCB

There was a sense of relief on the Brinsworth players’ faces after their goal, which seemed to spur them on. During the 5^th minute, Elliott Christie turned their defence and shot a venomous strike which their keeper could only parry. Nathan Gordon, a striker tried to get to the rebound but was too far out and the keeper recovered.

After 7 minutes, Hall made a sterling run through the heart of their midfield, he struck the ball hard and low but was off target and it went wide of the left side post.

After 11 minutes, we won a free kick that Matt Collier delivered into their box but bounced around freely. Gordon got onto it but the angle was too wide and the shot went across the goal out of play.

After 15 minutes, Flo Fadiga went on a run beating 4 players on the right. He came to within 10yds from the goal but the ball was bouncing away from him and he got the shot away which the keeper saved.

In the 16^th minute, another free kick was won which Collier delivered into their box towards Fadiga but he missed the target with his shot. After 20 minutes, Fadiga went on another run and chipped the ball over their defence to Christie who beat two players and laid the ball on for Kieran to strike but he shot it over.

After 22 minutes, Hall received a throw-in from Gardner on the left side and turned and ran past his marker. He shots from 20yds out but the keeper gathered the ball comfortably. After 23 minutes, Brinsworth got their first opportunity since they scored. They won a free kick, which they tried to take quickly, but they kicked it out of play.

After 26 minutes, Andy Bath dribbled the ball out of defence around the centre circle, got the ball caught under his feet and a Brinsworth striker pounced, relieved it off him and ran into goal one-on-one. Bridgewater came off his line and thwarted the effort with a spectacular save some 13yds out.

After 29 minutes, Bathy and Gordon played a 1-2 and Bathy struck at the goal but it was wide of the mark. After 31 minutes, Brinsworth launched the ball downfield into the right hand corner. Ben Thomas, Bathy, and Kieran Maloney knocked it around under pressure and Thomas received it back to play up field but chose to play across the 18 yd box. The consequences of this action was felt moments later when the ball was in the back of the net courtesy of their striker, receiving the pass unmarked in the area

2-0 Brinsworth Whitehill - FCB

Reality started to sink in that we were 2-0 down to a team we systematically destroyed some 7 days earlier.

After 33 minutes, Gordon received a pass from Gardner on the left hand side and ran at their defence. Beating three players and riding challenges he cut across the defender 8yds out, but as he was about to pull the trigger the defender made a challenge which prevented the shot going on target and it went out of play for a corner.

The rest of the half saw us huff and puff but nothing came of it.

Second Half

We had 65% of the possession in the first half but were 2-0 down through errors; the half time talk was not for the faint hearted.

Fadiga was substituted at half time to bring on Chris Kealey. We were kicking downhill so we instructed the team to keep the play in their half with the slope advantage.

After 46 minutes, we won the ball on the right which was played to Kealey who played a 1-2 with Christie. He squared it to Hall in the 18yd box. Hall composed himself and turned the defender who raced out to close him down, and side footed into the bottom left hand corner to score a debut goal.

2-1 Brinsworth Whitehill – FCB

In the 47^th minute the team found a new sense of purpose and besieged Brinsworth in their half. Gordon broke down the left and cut in the shot from an acute angle but it went out of play.

After 52 minutes, having dominated the game since the break, Brinsworth broke out of their half on the right and won a throw-in. They went up field where it was cleared again for a throw in. They kept possession and crossed into FCB’s box where there were 3 players versus 1 of theirs. With the ball bouncing awkwardly, our players took their eye off it and allowed it to stay active. Bathy finally got his foot to it and kicked it against their player which rebounded into the net.

3-1 Brinsworth Whitehill – FCB

In football games there are always moments which changes a game and this was it the final nail in the coffin. We were mentally beaten and the fight seemed to disappear off some players’ faces.

After 59 minutes, Bridgewater kicked the ball from goal well into their half. With the slope advantage the ball bounced over their defence where Christie found himself in front of their keeper who rushed out to stop him scoring. Christie elected to lob the keeper which was the right thing to do, but he put too much on it and it agonizingly went over the bar.

After 65 minutes Gordon was substituted off for Sam Taylor who came on up front. Formation was changed to 4-4-2 with Bathy in the middle as he likes to attack.

After 68 minutes Bathy drove into the 20yd area but got brought down on the edge of the 18yd box. Collier took the free kick which curled round the wall and hit the post. No one reacted quickly enough so Brinsworth cleared.

During the 75^th minute, we won a corner which Collier kicked over to the far post where Bathy met the cross. He headed it past the post, but he really should have scored as the keeper was at the other post and the goal was gaping.

After 80 minutes, with some great play by Hall, Christie and Taylor in triangular formation, Bathy got the ball into the box which he shot. The ball turns the defender. He should have struck the ball when he was only 6yds out but he tried to beat the next player to walk it in. The keeper came off his line and Bathy goes round him but the angle is now tight and the defender blocks the shot. It came back to Bathy and instead of squaring to Taylor, who had the goal open he chose to swing at it again but he was off balance. The shot was blocked again and it came back to him. Now on the floor, Bathy tried to scoop it in but they clear their line on his 3^rd attempt.

After 83 minutes, Maloney broke down the right and attempted a cross but he over hit and it went out of play.

After 86 minutes, Taylor received the ball from midfield and ran at their defence. He got into the box and pushed the ball past the defender to attempt to run around him, but the defender realised what was happening and bowls him over to prevent the attempt on goal. The referee gave a penalty which Brinsworth disputed claiming it was outside the area but this was dismissed. The decision was a correct one as the play was well into the area. Bath stepped up and slotted it away to the keepers right

3-2 Brinsworth Whitehill – FCB

With 90 minutes up and added time being played we delivered across from the right hand side which went straight over the top towards the left side post. It beat their defence and Bathy snuck in behind but headed it into the side netting.

Full time 90 + 4 minutes

Final Score - Defeat 3-2 Brinsworth Whitehill – FCB

The two debutants fared well today: Sam Taylor and Neil Hall.

Thanks to Thomas Simpson, Ben Leversidge, Simon Newton, Chris Connor, Phil Hirons who although injured turned up to support the team.

Special thanks to Phil and Buster from The Brickmakers’ Arms who came all the way to watch us.

To summarise

Brinsworth showed true character today and I wish them well in the campaign. They showed that the human spirit can achieve great things. There is an old saying: winners never quit, quitters never win.

FC Brimington has to get back to basics now and we have to find the formula for success. The injury list has hindered us so far but we have to not look at this has an excuse.

We need to regroup as a team to achieve the targets we set ourselves at the beginning of the season. We have to start and capitalise on the chances we are creating because despite the defeat today we still created the most chances but are off colour in front of goal at present. We need to minimize the errors at the back but the change of personnel has had an effect.

Our diet before a game has to be discussed as McDonalds is not the food of champions, unless you are training to be a sumo wrestler!

Protein and carbohydrates are what is required with glucose being the primary source of energy.

One game at a time is where our thought patterns are to lie and Southey Social at home next week is where we can put it right.