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Well, it had
to come to an end eventually! We didn't play well and paid the price for
not marking as we should have and for trying to force through the middle
rather than passing the ball around. On the positive side we kept attacking
right to the end and came away with a well earned and hard fought point.
It didn't feel like the PB team we know and it certainly didn't look like
the team we know right from the start. Perhaps it was partly due to the
fact that the midfield weren't playing in their usual positions and this
contributed to poor marking and positional play. Whatever the reason we
found ourselves a goal down after 10 minutes following an unopposed Letchworth
break down the left side which left the defence outnumbered and a spare
attacker in the D to slot the ball home.
Matters became worse when again the midfield disappeared into thin air
and let through an attack where again we caught short-handed. This time
the attacker was brought down - a PF was awarded and neatly despatched.
2-0 to Letchworth and PB were in uncharted territory!
What was going wrong? Certainly we didn't hold our positions on the wings
leading to PB attacks being forced down the middle only to be easily cut
off by the Letchworth midfield and defence. While the lack of width also
allowed Letchworth freedom to play the ball around - their passing made
PB look distinctly ordinary on numerous occasions. A particularly good
piece of interplay took Letchworth into PB's D leading to a short corner
- but although the shot was on target, it wasn't good enough to beat the
diving form of Alan Field.
Perhaps this save and Terry's "never say die" attitude gave
some confidence to the Bar midfield as a couple of decent moves followed.
We had a couple of short corners of our own but our early season clinical
finishing was missing and it remained 2-0 until just before half time
when Andy Latham slipped the ball through to Adam Pigden who reversed
sticked it past the keeper. 2-1 at half time - things were looking up,
confidence was returning and there was belief that we could take the game.
The second half started better and Bar looked more composed but after
20 minutes of fruitless attacks on both sides the ball seemed to be hit
repeatedly from one end to the other with little hockey being played on
either side. Bar did hold position better in the second half but the stick
skills of some of the Letchworth players allowed them to move the ball
around the PB midfield.
In the last
10 minutes the Letchworth midfield and defence seemed to tire and gaps
began to appear. Bar managed to capitalise on this and attacked with more
purpose and in the dying minutes Chris "bring me on for the last
10 minutes if you need a goal" Edwards managed to find the end of
cross from the right side and flicked the ball just inside the right post
to level at 2-2.
2 points dropped or 1 point fought for and well won? It depends on your
point of view - either way we're back to 2nd on goal difference and next
Saturday's match against division leaders WGC4 has become even more focussed!
Team: Alan Field, Cliff Hawkins, Richard Atkins, Spencer
Hunt, Terry Mabbett, Chris Edwards, Andy Bye, Owen Hughes, Liam Frame,
Toby Seaman, Paul Brady, Chris Wood, Danny Becker, Adam Pigden, Andy Latham
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