We went into Saturday’s fixture against Robin Hood Allstars desperate for a win. So far pre-season and the early part of the season has seen us banging goals in left right and centre, but our defence has been a bit shaky to say the least, with defensive mayhem accounting for most of the goals that have contributed to a run of defeats.

A few players out this week due to work commitments etc, but we still managed to put out a strong side with a solitary sub to warm the bench.

Starting. Will, Bayne, Jon, Prycey, Kylo, Arron, Pod, Lloydy, Alex and Jiz. Reedy on the bench.

I didn’t see the first 2 minutes of the game as I had to go and collect all the balls our team had smashed past the goal, over the trees and into the road, but I when I got back we were doing the running, playing the better football and bossing the game. The opposition were quite a big side and early on we found ourselves on the losing side of a few tasty challenges.

We should have scored five minutes in. The ball was nodded back across the goal following a corner and Jiz was there inside the 6 yard box and underneath the goal. It looked like a tap in but Jiz somehow smashed it over – chance gone.

In the opening minutes of the game we created some other great chances, particularly from down the right where Kylo and Baynezy were running the left back ragged, but the final ball was just failing to find Alex and Jiz in the centre – often the ball in being cut back just a bit too far.

20 minutes in and we were ruing our missed opportunities. It was a rare occasion for one of the opposition players to go in our penalty area with the ball under control, as up to this point the main threat had been from the numerous soft free kicks the ref was giving to them. Anyway there was some marginal contact, maybe the sort where you accidentally brush into someone in the street and feel obliged to apologise, but the referee thought it harsh enough to award a penalty which was promptly dispatched to Will’s left by their right back. 1-0.

A few more shaky minutes later and we were 2-0 down. This time a cross cum shot from the right hand side of the box managed to loop its way over Will towards the far post and into the back of the net. The opposition were now 2-0 up, fired up and it looked like this might turn out to be a tough day at the office. When Tom Lloyd came off injured it looked like it might be an even tougher day at the office as we were forced into make an unplanned change with Reedy coming on to play at left back and Prycey going forward to left midfield.

Not long after going 2-0 down we got one back. It was a move that was started by us driving at the opposition defence from the centre of the pitch. The ball was then pushed out left and squared into the box. It was no picture book goal but after our first shot was well blocked, it bobbled out to the back post where Jiz smashed it in. 2-1.

Getting back into the game seemed to lift the team and heading towards half time, Robin Hood were forced onto the back foot. We were not brilliant, but we were extremely effective. We were picking up all the loose balls, making reasonably good use of possession and Kylo and Alex were proving to be an absolute nightmare for the Robin Hood back line. In midfield Pod and Arron didn’t do anything spectacular, but they kept winning the ball and kept finding other white shirted players with their passing.

At half time we seemed a little frustrated with our position and decided that we were going to cut down the possession in our half and put a few balls over the top for our attack to latch on to.

We started the second half well. From the off we dominated the ball in midfield and space seemed to open up all over the pitch for us – particularly out wide. 

It was a nice move that saw us get the equaliser. We nicked the ball in midfield, there was a quick exchange of passes and the ball was slid into the channel down the right hand side, cant remember whether it was Kylo or Alex, but the left back got skinned and the ball was whipped across the box where Jiz was again in the right place at the right time at the back post. He hit it first time and the ball clipped the post and nestled in the back of the net. 2-2.

At 2-2 Robin Hood were clearly rattled, rapidly running out of steam and making errors at the back. We might have taken the lead through Alex who hit the bar from a corner or through Arron who hit a cruise missile from midfield that just shaved the bar, but it was Kylo who finally did put us in front. We had forced a series of attacks from the right hand side, but on this occasion an attack broke down and supplied Robin Hood with the opportunity to clear. Unfortunately for them, the defender dithered on the ball and Kylo nicked it off him. After supplying a lot of opportunities for others throughout the game, our winger saw the opportunity for glory and after taking a touch to set it, he arrowed a low shot from the edge of the penalty area into the corner of the net. No chance for the keeper and 3-2 to us.

At 3-2 it looked like there would only be one winner. We really should have scored many more but Robin Hood’s kept themselves in with a shout as their central defence made several vital interceptions when we got round their full backs. We were also slightly guilty of missing the occasional simple pass, and on the left hand side OFC fan favourite Tom Pryce seemed to have a little bit of trouble controlling the ball when faced with little pressure from an opposition player.

Towards the end of the game Robin Hood desperately tried to get themselves an equaliser but we defended very well across the back and reduced them to pot shots from distance that never really troubled Will.

Overall it was a reasonable performance and best aspect was probably the fact that we came from 2-0 down to win and didn’t concede for 70 minutes. Kylo was our man of the match with a devastating display down the right hand side, but there were some other very good performances as well from other players, in particular Pod who did a great job in the centre and Alex up front who probably deserved a goal for his efforts.

It’s obviously pleasing to get off the mark in the league, but we still need to improve. There have been a lot of comings and goings from last year and a lot of very talented players joining the team, so it’s hopefully just a case of the team needing to gel together and perhaps a bit more consistency in terms of the back four we put out each week.

We are at home next week against Hersham Elm Grove and if previous seasons are anything to go by, the pitch should be a carpet at this time of year – so no excuses on that front.