Where do you go from here? 14 players selected on Tuesday with 2 players released down to teams below, the team had a strong look to it. Fast forward to Saturday 3pm, with 2 pull outs and 2 players no shows and non contactable we were left with 10 players to take on Old Actonians away from home. Further to this, one of the players who failed to show up had the kit bag! We were forced to borrow an opposition kit for the day. It defies belief that individuals in this day of mobile technologies have the gaul to let their fellow team mates down like that. It was an embarrassment.

To the game and Norsemen put up a pretty good show with 10 men causing a few problems to Actonians especially at set piece time. However, the good fortune wasn't to last as firstly a niggle to Andy Grant and then a quite major injury to Danny Hagan, later diagnosed as a semi dislocated knee, further decreased Norsemen's strength. Both players played on, showing dedication that some non attending players could use a dose of, with Hagan putting the team first and swapping into goal though he could hardly stand. 

The numbers did eventually tell though and Norsemen were to be 3 nil down before Mark Sarfo earned a penalty following some slippery work inside the box. Having earned it he stepped up and promptly converted to make the half time score 3 1 to Actonians.

More of the same followed in the second half as Norsemen were overrun as energy, enthusiasm and application started to fail. This occurred roughly the same time as every Actonian shot found the inch perfect corners of the Norsemen net giving most weekly goalkeepers no chance let alone Hagan on one good leg.

Norsemen did get one back when Grant was first to react to a Thenesh Naathen shot that came back off the post, heading into the top left corner. Lee Dawson also came close when putting a late free kick onto the crossbar. Scant consolation for the 90 minutes that had gone before.

All in all, 10 players who were let down badly by others. Injuries leading to withdrawals, personal matters, likewise, you can deal with losing players to those. But for players not to show up, not to answer phones and not to be in touch at all before letting their team/club mates down, it is an embarrassment to them and the club. An embarrassment that unfortunately fell at the feet of those who turned up Saturday.

Blues Twos  go down 2 -1

Norsemen Reserves got a lesson in mens football this weekend as straight up intensity and basics got the better of them. On top of that, once again we didn't help ourselves by having Saturday morning pullouts and players arriving late to the match. When you have up to 13 other players relying on you each weekend it simply isn't good enough to let them down at the last minute by pulling out or not managing your time properly to get the correct bus and arrive on time! 

On to the football and we feel we missed a chance this weekend. A hard fought first half heading for a nil all, all changed when the basics of defending weren't adhered to. The initial tackle was a good one, but to then be caught in possession after taking on an opposition player in the defensive third is a defensive no no. To compound that by conceding a penalty is something that is catastrophic for the team and something the player in question will I'm sure learn from.

Unfortunately the second goal came through the same channel shortly after and depleted the teams confidence further. It stemmed from no look square balls in midfield and giving the opposition to much respect and time on the ball. The Norsemen defender was isolated without help from his fellow central defender or right back and was easily turned allowing a free strike on goal which the goalkeeper was unable to keep out. 

2 - 0 EBOG's at the half.

Norsemen came out in the second half with two substitutions being made. They seemed to give Norsemen a bit more purpose and bite up top and helped the Blues Twos retain more possession in better areas of the pitch. A goal which would have placed them firmly back in with a shout was a huge chance when Larry Laniyan was bundled over in the penalty box. The tide was shifting and you could sense the sigh and discouragement when the referee awarded the penalty to Norsemen. The only problem was it was not a penalty but a yellow card for diving. Twenty-two players stood in disbelief.  Half felt they just dodged a bullet.

Norsemen had no choice but to continue to press and while conceding the odd chance were good for their equalizer when Laniyan bundled the ball home from a free kick. Debate rages about the possibility of it being an own goal but you try taking it off the big man! 

Unfortunately it was to be the last real chance for Norsemen and we were left ruing a chance missed. We need to learn quickly that concentration and commitment starts at 2pm, an hour before kick off rather than at half time. Next week is Actonians and I feel that if we apply ourselves and work for each other, communicating, responding to communication and working our socks off from minute one, we can go out and get the first 3 points of the season. 

Stand tall Blue Giants.

Player player players!

That has been the theme of the early season for Blues Twos and today saw some of them returning giving the team a more solid and settled feel for the first time this season. Twos captain Andy Grant even had the pleasure of calling on 3 subs (prior to kick off at least as one went down in warm ups!).

This Intermediate Cup game started brightly with an intensity that both sides were upholding. Norsemen felt comfortable and should have been ahead when Grant fired a header, from a Doug Zucconi free kick, back across the keeper early on. The keeper was up to it on this occasion, saving the first effort and making a brilliant second save from Wayne Bremner on the rebound. At this level and with the respective abilities of both players, Norsemen really should have been 1 nil up.

It wasn't long before Norsemen were rewarded though with the seas parting through the Hale End Athletic ranks midway through the first half. Having picked the ball up around the centre circle, Tom Collier strode forward to find firstly the midfield and then defence standing off him before unleashing a 'Bale like' laser into the top right corner.

Shortly after however the rust in the Norsemen ranks wore through. An opposition throw deep in Norsemen's half was not set up for quickly enough and Hale End were able to nip down the left flank behind the defence. A searching low driven cross was met by a striker at the front post to tie the scores. A goal that with a little intensity and foresight could easily have been avoided.

If the goal conceded was sloppy then the next goal scored was sublime. Starting deep in their own half, Norsemen swept forward through 5 different players before Mark Sarfo hit an unstoppable shot from the edge of the 18 yard box to inside of the left post giving the keeper no chance. No doubt the team goal of the season so far.

Half time 2 1 Norsemen.

The half time talk was about doing the little things well, communicating, marking, passing. For the most part of the second half this was achieved well and the result seemed to be in their hands. Unfortunately the referee, who was having an otherwise pretty good game, decided he would take the the influence of Norsemen center midfielder Dan Wilkes out of the equation. Both teams were finding decisions made against Wilkes baffling and it certainly affected his ability to dominate the central role through tackling.
Entering the last part of the match and the game changed. A diagonal ball over the top was out of Grant's reach and far enough away from keeper JJ to draw him slightly out of position. A very well controlled lob later and the game was tied and headed for extra time. Looking at the goal, Grant will feel disappointed he turned like an ocean-liner and JJ he got drawn into no mans land between player and goal.

The final goal of the match came just minutes before the final whistle and had a touch of the unfortunate that has plagued the team so far this season. An Athletic midfielder broke through the midfield after the game had become stretched and fired on goal. Grant got a block on the ball with the ball rebounding into the centre of the 18 yard box. JJ came out to collect in traffic but was unable to collect it cleanly and it was neatly tucked away by the opportunistic striker. A disappointing finish to a game that promised much for Norsemen.