Take The Title To The Bank

​BANK OF ENGLAND 3 - 3 NORSEMEN
 
Down to the Bank of England away from home, needing a point to win the league in arguably our hardest fixture on paper in our league campaign. And so we was proved right!  It was a lovely day on a beautiful surface with great hospitality. Certainly a club that we would like to play in future upcoming games, so good luck to Bank of England in their promotion chase.
 
The first half started as we have been doing so in the past weeks, slowly. Although we nearly scored in the opening minute of the game it was BOE who come flying out the traps with their season also hanging very much in the balance. We gave away another 2 goals early in the half, and could of easily been more if it wasn't for Jack Robery making numerous good saves. Both goals were again mistakes that were easily avoided to put us under pressure.
This predicament doesn’t seem to faze the boys too much as we found our feet halfway through the second half. A tactical switch swapping Matt Roles and Chris Morgan back into his number 10 role seemed to give us more bite in the middle of the park as well as more flair at the top of the pitch.  
The first goal ended up coming from an excellent team move before being finished off from Chris Morgan and assisted by Charlie King. Gavin Suddell found himself through one vs one shortly after, showing great composure getting on to the pass from Jake Lawrence, ending the half with only one team looking favourites to get the win.
The team have again showed great character, coming back from 2 goals down, however better teams in the premier division will not allow us back in and are all things to learn from going into next season. The simple mistakes in our decision making process is something to improve, our mistakes in execution is more acceptable as we all make mistakes.
 
On to the second half, and we started very much how we left off. We went a goal up with the in form Charlie King scoring ably assisted by James Bex who seems to be getting his form back in our set pieces.  A game that we should have gone on to win, with the introduction on Tyrese Reynolds looking sure to get us a 4th, looking a constant threat in behind their defence. Unfortunately Tyrese was then injured in a tackle, having to be substituted about 20 minutes after coming on. 
Automatically, as all teams seem to do when holding a lead at all levels of football, we went on to the back foot. A tring of saves again from Jack Robery maintained our lead. Then up pops the BOE winger with probably the best goal scored against us this season, giving Jack absolutely no chance.
The game then became very frantic with both teams going all out attack. A lack of shape, composure and belief in to keep doing what we was doing all season was most likely the reason we couldn't find the winner on this occasion.
The final whistle goes and we draw 3-3! The boys were all disappointed to lose our 100% record but WE ARE CHAMPIONS!! A Great effort from the lads this season winning the league with 4 league games to go! Yes we perhaps all wanted more this season, especially playing the way we were coming out of January, but in the end maybe a lack of game time over Feb and March stopped our fluidity. We still remain unbeaten in our league campaign and the talk of being the invincibles is very much on!! A polite reminder to they boys we still need full commitment and to take each game as it comes if we are to achieve together this record!
 
My man of the match goes to our keeper and club captain Jack Robery, not for the first time this season keeping us in the game so we can go on and get a result. Letting in three goals looks bad on a goalkeeper, but if Jack wasn’t on top form we could easily have lost the game. It was good to have Alfie back at left back and hopefully forgets being a midfield maestro.
 
A huge congratulations to everyone involved and sorry for being negative with our first dropped points in the league. I will try and be happier!
 
Gary Harrowell, First XI Manager