North Regional Cup

This is getting depressing !!

The game started off well enough, right from the off the lads were pushing forward with the wind at their backs. Immediately from kick off we won a thro which Mark took to Richie and his shot took a deflection for a corner. Just after the ball was running through to their keeper and as Gibby challenged he seemed to be fouled but the ref didn’t give it. Then after 16 minute the pressure paid off when a long ball from Bruce over the top of their defence where Dane ran onto it, controlled it and slotted it past the keeper for the opening goal. Three minutes later we got a free kick about 20 yards out which John Willox hit hard and low into the net for the 2nd goal, at this point Stoney wood weren’t really in the game  but it took until the 22nd minute for the next chance  when Zander collected the ball about 25 yards out and slotted it through to Dane but his shot was deflected wide for another corner. On 36 minute Zander again on the left sent in a shot/cross (you pick!) which just skimmed the corner of crossbar and post. On 38 minutes another chance when good interplay between Zander and Dane resulted in a through ball to John coming into the box but his shot was wide although it did look like he was being held back. So half time came with no real threat from Stoneywood but knowing how frail the confidence has been recently the game was definitely not over, which was proved later !

Again we had a a chance to add to the tally when John had a shot from the edge of their box which seemed to come off the post and was cleared. Then another really stupid gift of a goal to them. They got a corner on their left, it was well taken and hit towards the near post which John shinned away for another corner, unfortunately the 2nd effort was inexplicably left at the front post again and went straight into the net, why John let it go is anyones guess, answers on a postcard !  They now sniffed a chance to get level, our defending was getting more frantic with the stronger wind now bringing play back into our half most of the time, and our inability to clear our lines. On 18 minutes they got a free kick about 25 yards out in the middle, it was hit high to the far post where their forward beat our defenders and headed it back across goal where they were lining up to score the equaliser, why the defence didn’t follow the ball in from the header is anyones guess because they were all alone in the middle to score unchallenged. On 26 minutes Richie ran into their box on our left and put a great low ball across which was missed by everyone, it ended up on the right where Usher, who had come on for John Willox on 63 minutes, collected it and went past the defender to the goal line, hitting a low ball right into the goal where the keeper flapped it away from Zander who looked like he was about to score, but didn’t. On 35 minutes Ush was sent off for a stoopid challenge on one of their players after he won the free kick ! It was followed soon after when their No.8 did a similar thing to even the teams up. And that was it, penalties.

Stoneywood 1 - 0 Maud

Stoneywood 1 - 1 Maud (Dane)

Stoneywood 2 - 1 Maud

Stoneywood 2 - 2 Maud (Gibby)

Stoneywood 2 - 2 Maud (Stoneywood miss, hit bar)

Stoneywood 2 - 2 Maud (Zanders effort saved)

Stoneywood 3 - 2 Maud

Stoneywood 3 - 2 Maud (Razor effort over the bar)

Stoneywood 4 - 2 Maud

So that was it, another defeat, after a good first half the second half couldn’t have been more different and was just like last weeks game.

The lads are really going to have to get their arses into gear next week because the game against Buchanhaven Hearts will NOT be easy and they are going to have to show a lot more character than has been evident over the last two weeks.

Match Stats