On paper this one should have been an OFC victory, but Mytchett is not a place where we do well. This week we travelled with the full compliment of 16 players and there were only a few changes from last week with Sonny, Clarky and Harps all starting. Pod, Baynezy and Pete H were all out.

This weeks team; Sam, Fraz, Ross, Sonny, 2-Gun, Clarky, Pete B, Gravy, Joe, Jim and Harps. The bench; Andy, James, Jordy, Sam C, Dan R.

Having played Mytchett before, we knew exactly what to do and how to play against their physical and not particularly attractive football style, but as soon as the referee blew his whistle to start the game all Phil’s instructions went straight out of the window and this match looked like it was going to be an uncomfortable one.

We were playing on a pitch that was both short and narrow meaning that unless we made space it was going to play straight in to the hands of our opponents who looked much better prepared for a physical game.

From back to front we made things difficult for ourselves. Firstly given the short nature of the pitch our starting point at the back four was way too high up the pitch and on almost every occasion their keeper punted the ball up the pitch we were back peddling and struggled to deal with it in much in the same way we were against Woburn. Against a team that mainly played long ball, our defence was disastrously out of shape.

In midfield it was like a battlefield and a battle that Oatlands were unlikely to win. The referee let the game flow and the tackles flew in from a very determined Mytchett side. From the side you got the impression that we were almost a bit scared as we made too many half hearted attempts to win the ball. Basically we were second to everything.

Up front it wasn’t any better. There didn’t appear to be any cohesion, our strikers were miles apart and unless the referee fell for one of Jim’s dives and gave us a penalty, a goal looked highly unlikely.

In-between long periods of dreadful football there were some bright moments in which we moved the ball quickly and Clarky looked like he might set something up from the right hand side. Given time and space, Butler and Gravy also played some nice passes. Unfortunately the net result of the first 40 minutes of the game were a couple of pot shots and Ross hitting the side netting. Mytchett had got in to some promising positions, but hadn’t really threatened in the manner their efforts deserved.

It was in about the 44 th minute that we took an undeserved lead. We’d worked the right hand side with a series of throw ins and gained quite a few yards. Then the ball fell to Pete Butler who cut in nicely from the right and ran at the penalty area. From the edge of the box, he hit a curling left footed effort, which beat the outstretched keeper, clipped the inside of the far post and put us 1-0 up.

Having seized the initiative, we should have crusied into half time 1-0 up and with the psychological advantage, but following some chaos in the our box which was difficult to make out because of the sun, it was Mytchett who went into half time in a buoyant mood having got one back almost immediately and with the last kick of the half.

Phil’s words at half time were a lot more pleasant than the ones he was using on the touchline, but everyone got it in the ear. Second to everything, not making space, failure to call time, man on etc, dicking around on the ball and lots more individual errors.

The start of the second half was no improvement on the end of the first. It was an extremely low standard of football, ugly to watch and Mytchett looked the more likely to score.

15 minutes into the second half we went for our first change. Off came Chris Harper and a debut for new lad James Robertson up front.

It was with about 20 minutes left that we took the lead. For one of the first times in the game we won a header up front, setting free James Robertson who had gambled in behind. Approaching the edge of the box, the ball sat up nicely and the keeper was in no mans land. James made the lob look easy and it was a great finish. 2-1 Oatlands

Having taken the lead we probably had our best spell of the game. We moved it round quickly, started to win a few first and second headers and if it wasn’t for some fine defending from Mytchett inside there own box we might well have taken a 2 goal lead in the game.

Sadly our decent spell didn’t last too long and we were back to our old ways of moving the ball too slowly and getting caught in possession, failing to compete sufficiently in the air and although the ball spent a lot of time in the Mytchett half, they hit us several times on the counter and forced some great saves out of Sam.

Our luck ran out with about 10 minutes on the clock. After an OFC attack broke down, Mytchett broke from the back at pace and down their left hand side. Unchallenged and with other Mytchett players now overtaking their Oatlands counterparts in a bid to get in front of our goal, the player on the ball cut in toward the centre of the pitch. Mytchett now had overwhelming numbers up front and following an accurate through ball, their striker broke our defensive perimeter and entered the OFC box. Sam did his best, but it was a good finish to his right. 2-2.

Phil tried to change things by putting Jordy and Dan on and although we toiled away for the last 10, it was Mytchett who had the better chances and probably deserved all the points.

Overall it was a poor performance in which we undid all last week’s hard work. Phil gave his instructions prior to the game and they weren’t adhered to. Subsequently every time we picked up the ball and took our time before deciding who to pass to, there was a Mytchett player clattering through us. We were either scared of them or didn’t want it as much, because they were first to everything that was there to be contested and defensively we looked extremely susceptible to long balls. I don’t think anyone would have had any complaints if Mytchett had won. On the plus side it was a great debut for James Robertson who made some great runs, showed some nice touches and topped it off with a great finish and goal.

Thankfully, we will have the opportunity to put things right when we play Mytchett shortly after Christmas. In the meantime next up are Emmanuel who we might have beaten but for a controversial offside flag in the dying moments of the game.

Last time we played Emmaunel, we were terrible. Like on Saturday, we were second to everything especially after we discovered that they were fairly aggressive and physical. Next week we either need to “man up” so to speak or move the ball with the sort of pace and speed that we did for long periods against Knaphill, otherwise we can start waving goodbye to any talk of promotion.

Sorry if this report is a bit negative but Saturday really was poor. A big thanks to those that made it all the way to Mytchett to come and lend their support.