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30/09/08 - versusSpartac Reserves - Home - league - 3-5

Alex - Allyman - Pennell - Worby - West) - Ryan - Watson - Pinder - Grant- Maynard 2- Rose1

Same old story for Cuxton. They were warned before the game that Spartac would be a good team and would not give up for the full duration of the game. We were warned that the only way to beat them would be to compete for 90 minutes. The game started well enough with Cuxton forcing them to play the ball in their own half and then pressing them on the ball, which they did not like. The first goal came courtesy of Rose pressing a defender for panicked gave the ball to Rose who delightfully slotted beneath the keeper.

Cuxton quickly conceded though as we took our foot off the gas. Both our full backs were getting constantly caught out where they were having to press a midfielders goal, and as a result a quick to goals were conceded down our left side. It is becoming a regular part of our game that the midfield unit of four are all too happy to do the fancy work when we are attacking but when we do not have the ball, do not want to track, mark and press (with exception of Watson). No fault can be given to our strikers who did more closing down, tracking and marking than the midfield unit.

A third goal just before half time for Spartac came from a miss hit cross which lobbed in over the keeper from about 30 yards. At 3 -1 down at half time we only had ourselves to blame. However we came out at half time playing much better and Maynard headered in another goal from a good Pinder cross. Shortly after Cuxton who were much better at set pieces this game failed to deal with a throw in which was diverted into our own net for our first own goal of the season. 4-2!

Maynard who played his best game so far then got us right back in the game with once again a good through ball from Pinder , a great take down from Maynard and a finish Michael Owen would have been proud of. We had a good 10 minutes of domination of trying to get back into the game, which by then was too late, and all our pressing at this point led to the last goal conceded, to leave the final score at 5 -3 to Spartac. In amongst the action, Maynard had 2 disallowed, one a one on one finish, which even the opposing team said was on side and the other a chip from Rose which looked to be going in which Maynard touched from an offside position, so the game could have been different. Spartac were by far the best team we have played so far. Autos need to realize that defending is about the 11 players on the field, and not just about the back line. The difference between winning and losing at the moment is soo slim, and lady luck must change soon.

MY man of the match despite our loss goes to Maynard this week who just edges it over R Rose. Rose worked hard, closed down well and should have had 2 goals, but Maynard gets it due to the 4 scored (2 disallowed) and his efforts too.

23/09/08 - versus Rainhm Eagle Reserves - away - league - 3-3

Alex - Allyman - Pennell - Worby - Ryan(west) - Amusa(Adinloa) - Watson - Pinder1 - Grant- Maynard 2- Mchale(rose)

Cuxton started the game in blistering form, and found themselves 2 goals up within the first 15 minutes. The first was on 4 minutes when the keeper making his debut took a long kick which Maynard took down, and slotted straight in passed the keeper. Then on 10 minutes, Pinder who started at 100 miles an hour , went on a run, rounded a few players and smashed home a thunderbolt from 25 yards out. The opposing team struggled to cope with Pinder through out the first 15 minute period.

However in all fairness they they too had about 3 one on ones which they kept missing. Until on 20 minutes down the right side a run by the opposing winger who gave both our full backs problems lead to Grant (who tracked well through the whole game) giving away a free kick, which was finished sweetly by the opposing player, into the keepers top left corner.

Half time, with the score at 2- 1 to us and really we were lucky we hadn’t conceded any more. Unfortunately after half time we only went out with one of our midfielders working when we did not have possession of the ball (Grant) and as we all know, you need all 4 midfielders to work together as a unit when we do not have the ball. This did not happen and midfield failed to go press and look for the ball, and not only that didn’t bother tracking half the time too. Eventually after a catalogue of errors and lost possession, from one end of the field, in a good attacking possession, Pinder failed to release the ball out to Amusa out wide in a good possession, lost the ball, and their counter attack went all the way down the left side of out defense resulting in goal, 2-2.

The 2 opposing strikers caused us no end of problems with their pace and work rate, and on a number of times our keeper had to pull off many a good save. In the last half of the second half Pinder found space out wide on the right, crossed and Maynard who worked hard through out headed in well at the far post. 3 – 2 and we should have had game over. Mchale missed a great chance to finish the game off when with 4 players in the box failed to cross and shot wide instead. Also Adinola, and Rose all had chanced right at the end but just could not find the net. With 3 minutes to go Cuxton conceded a corner, and yet again failed to mark and track, with the header going in at the near post (who was on the post?)

On the day a fair result as chances could have gone either way, but Cuxton will be disappointed that they didn’t capitalize on the opening half. Midfield have to learn than to do more than just attack, and team have to learn to defend set pieces. Over all good performances from Alex in goal, and Maynard upfront, but Worby snatches the man of the match award for his continuing improvement over the last few games.

In the last few minutes of the game, a bad tackle on Pinder led to him retaliating, and the other player throwing a punch. Both were sent off.