After the battering we took last week we were looking for a response from the boys this week. We had already lost Christian, Seb, Martin and Ollie to other commitments and we lost Ben as well on Saturday night to injury so this meant call ups for Blues players George Collett and Tom Oldland to the Saints team and both of them had fine matches.
Only Ross started from our normal back four with the ever dependable Matt and Tom O forming a central partnership with George at right backs. Nathan, Julien, Alex M, Mike D and Joe formed the midfield and Tom R started on his usual role up front. Right from the off we were on the offensive and Tom, Joe and Nathan all had shots at goal. Alex M went close before Tom R opened the scoring judging his run perfectly onto a Matt free kick and slotting home. Knaphill had a good spell midway through the half but Tom O and Matt were extremely resolute and George added pace down the right - Ross was just back to excellent best!! Nathan was doing a great job as the holding midfielder which allowed Mike, Alex, Joe and Julien to raid forward and Tom R was looking very bright up top as we continued to look dangerous from every break - how it was only 1-0 at half time we'll never know!
Right at the start of the second half we upped our passing and it paid huge dividends when neat interchanges between Tom R, Nathan and Joe played Joe in and he very coolly slotted beneath the 'keeper. This signalled a change with George and Joe making way for Connor and Jamie, with Mike slotting in at right back. Almost immediately it paid dividends with Ross sending Tom R away and around the 'keeper he went to put away his second of the match. Saints fourth was really great with neat one touch passes between Jamie, Mike and Tom R setting up Julien who swept it home. What happened then I don’t really know!! Tom R crashed a shot home which was ruled out for a foul, Ross shot with his left when his right would have brought him a goal, Tom R went round the 'keeper again but rolled it wide, a Tom R free kick was tipped over by the 'keeper and even Tom O had one pinched off his toes when scoring would have been easier. After almost total domination it was a disappointment when we failed to clear our lines and a Knaphill forward drilled home. Josh then pulled off a great one handed save but right at the death Knaphill scored a second when we did not get out quick enough and left time and space for a Knaphill player to score.
This was a much better passing display today and a really good defensive display from George, Matt, Tom and Ross - the guys coming back may find their places are not easily given up by those players who had them today. We were certainly quicker to the tackle and must carry this kind of commitment and discipline into the last few games to get any reward.
Man of the Match - Ross Pearn
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