Match Report

League, 23^rd September 2007

Final Result – FC Brimington 0 (Home) vs. Southey Social 9 (Away)

Venue – Boundary Social Club, Sheffield

Manager’s View

Today was a grim day for me personally having witnessed a supposed game of football.

It should never have descended into the farce that it was. I say this hoping that it does not look like me sounding like sour grapes as I think I give a fair reflection on any given situation.

The match bore all the hallmarks of what we do not want to see in a game. So far in this league campaign of ours we have witnessed fairness and sportsmanship even in the face of defeat but I find it hard to digest today’s game.

Opposition manager and players undermining the referee, threats of violence and entering the field of play on so many occasions without permission from the referee led this game into the path of anarchy at one stage. The referee had lost control and was intimidated by the opposition at every instance. The referee of course did not help the situation, as decisions that he made were changed after protests. I felt that had all the nonsense beforehand made him nervous, with him subsequently claiming afterwards that he may not referee again. The defeat today may have taken place, but not at the score line of 9-0 if there was a strong referee officiating.

Southey’s game plan was to intimidate us and to claim for anything even if it was incorrect. Goals were ruled out on protestation and a linesman that flagged whether offside or not.

I would urge the league officials to watch some of their games to see that fairness and the spirit of the game are employed; a good strong official is a must.

The squad today was thin on the ground with both our centre halves missing through injury and our left back still injured since pre-season.

Players injured are as follows: Phil Hirons, James Towers, Neil Hall, Ben Leversidge, Chris Connor, and Tom Simpson. Players missing due to personal reasons: Dave Simpson, Lawrence Wragg and James Gebbie.

We decided to play the formation of 3-1- 3- 3

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

Match day reporter – Bev Bridgewater

Linesmen – Danny Palmer

First Half

The match kicked off at 11am, and within 2 minutes we got the ball up to Mikey Gartlan on the left who played a cross field ball to Nathan Gordon who was unmarked. Gordon entered the box 1-on-1 with the keeper and 6yds out scuffed his shot wide of the left side post.

Minutes later we won a corner and Matt Collier floated in a great ball. Chris Kealey, unmarked, rose and headed straight at the keeper.

10 minutes in and Southey’s first real attack down the left hand side where they made a run at Sean Gardner who allowed the winger to get the cross in. After some indecision in the box with Ben Thomas and Simon Newton, the Southey striker was allowed to hold the ball up and spin and shoot 6yds out. This resulted in the ball nestling in the back of the net.

0-1 FCB – Southey Social

Southey soon realised that strong arm tactics of hit them hard would reap the benefits. 13 minutes in and Southey mounted another attack ball by passing their midfield to our back line. Again their striker got the ball only to hold it up, spin and shoot in almost an identical way to their first but only 10yds out.

0-2 FCB – Southey Social

After 16 minutes, Elliott Christie collected a through ball from Kealey and played it to Gordon who got in the box and struck a strong challenge from behind. This should have been deemed a penalty but the ball went out of play has a result of that challenge that took him down.

After 20 minutes, Southey yet again played into our box with a long ball. They realised all was not well with the defence and decided to put it to the test again. They held us off on the edge of the box, spun and shot on target.

0-3 FCB – Southey Social

After 22 minutes, Gordon received the ball, Christie beat the offside and drilled it in, but their linesman flagged and the referee, being not fully compos mentis, agreed. The linesman being a player of the opposition later said they appeal for everything and invariably gets the decision. This we bear witness to.

26 minutes in and Andy Bridgewater goal kicked one straight to Gordon who went through but was tackled as he took the shot which keeper saved.

After 30 minutes Bridgewater cleared the ball up field. Standing 4yds offside was the Southey striker who was coming back from a recent attack. Southey played the ball straight back over the top to the striker who was off side. We all watched in amazement when the linesman expected the referee to call offside as it was obvious. The referee being the qualified person depended on the linesman. Whilst this was going on Southey put the ball in the back of the net. The referee did not know what to do and gave the goal. The opposition manager, at this point having behaved quite badly, stated we should relieve the referee of his duty due to his mishandling of the game thus far as it was clearly offside, but we opted to leave as it would get worse if either of us refereed.

0-4 FCB – Southey Social

First substitution of the match for FCB after 32 minutes where Kieran Maloney went off and Andy Bath came on

After 35 minutes Gartlan broke through and powered a strong shot which beat the keeper but not the crossbar. Bathy’s follow up blazed over the bar. 38 minutes in and Sam Taylor gathered the ball from our own half and made a run right through the midfield riding two challenges and heading toward the 18 yd box. Christie tried to overlap and one of their player charged in to thwart an attempt but Taylor was sandwiched between the two and suffered ankle damage.

Taylor was forced to be replaced by Luke Read who went in defence.

After 40 minutes, Christie went through from a ball into the box by Bathy and the keeper came off his line and took Christie down. A clear penalty but the referee looked at it, heard the shouting and abuse from their bench and waved a goal kick.

On a personal view of the situation the referee bottled a big decision because of the aggressive heckling he took earlier. The right thing was not done. Throughout this game I kept my humility and advised my players not to argue with the referee, I also aired the same view to their manager and players which attracted remarks conducive to the game so far.

43 minutes in, indecision in the defence led to a strike from 18yds out which our keeper didn’t even move for. A goal yet again.

0-5 FCB – Southey Social

After 44 minutes Simon Newton got hurt in a challenge on the touch line and got a great chunk of skin underneath is knee removed by a stud. Newton having made his comeback today from injury was again sidelined. The injuries have piled up this season with nearly 10 players out.

After 45 minutes, Florent Fadiga replaced Newton on the left wing and Kealey went right back. All 3 substitutions were therefore used.

Half time

We spoke about getting tough and real to their aggression and abuse, that we losing this game because of what they were doing to our minds. We said let’s try and get an early goal and see where it gets us.

Second half

After 50 minutes, Gordon got put through and kicked it over the bar. 55 minutes in and Southey attacked the left beat, Gardner and drilled in the near post pass the keeper. Yet another defensive blunder.

0-6 FCB – Southey Social

65 minutes in, and Southey are given a penalty when Read was deemed to have excessively shoulder barged the striker off the ball. Yet again the opposition shouts penalty and the players rush to the referee. Their bench and manager get on the field, the referee bows down to the pressure and rewarded badgering with a penalty when 90% would have said fair challenge.

0-7 FCB – Southey Social

Today was a valuable lesson for my young team, though many key players were missing and the heart of my defence was out. We have to get real to the fact that most of the games we play will not have a qualified official and Southey have learnt quickly that pressure to the right point gains success with any unqualified or indecisive referee.

70 minutes in and Southey attack on the right, their player is allowed to come across the box when a challenge should have been made by Read. The strike ended in the back of the net with Bridgewater again not making an attempt to save.

0-8 FCB – Southey Social

After 80 minutes we attacked on the right with Fadiga finding some inner belief that his skill could only be displayed if he believed he could inflict damage on the opposition without fear of a mistimed tackle. Fadiga got the ball crossed in the box and Christie challenged the loose ball as it came across the 6yd box. Their keeper didn’t get a hold of the ball and Christie headed it over the line whilst on the floor. The keeper and a defender scooped it from behind the line and yet again their linesman first flagged for a foul, then flagged that is does not go over the line. The referee again under immense pressure from the opposition gave in and disallowed the goal. Southey scored another goal.

0-9 FCB – Southey Social

Summary

I feel that the return game with Southey will not be the same, as we have to admire the defeat we inflicted on Brinsworth and their subsequent victory against us the following week. Knowledge is power and we now know the animal we face next time.

Character was not shown today and only a few can say that they dealt with the game. Injuries have hindered our progression there is no doubt filling someone’s boot is never as always as easy as it looks.

The team lacked togetherness after the defeat today, and some players distanced themselves disappearing immediately afterwards. We lost the game as a team and we have to deal with this as a team.

Further signings may be needed and there may be some departures as competition will invariably increase if we are to progress. A new direction is needed now as our aspirations have changed already so early in the season. The importance of team integrity feels slightly lost at present and we would like to see this return as soon as possible.

Winners never quit, quitters never win.