Following last weeks relatively easy victory against Windlesham, we were certainly going to be facing a much tougher test this Saturday as we faced Elstead. Elstead were runners up in D3 last year, have made a good start this year and are unbeaten to date.

Saturday again saw us starting the game without some key defensive players, meaning that Moo and Baynezy were again forced to provide cover at the back rather than playing in midfield and after a long period away, Jarv was back in the squad and in amongst the subs.

This week’s team; Will, Baynezy, Moo, Furno, Ryan, Jordy, Butters, Sean, Tom L, Jiz, Jamie. On the Bench; Dockers, Jarv, Si, Spooner.

Before the game kicked off, Phil made it clear that we would need to make a good start because having looked across the pitch, Elstead were “well up for it.”

We started the game reasonably well, but with only five minutes on the clock, a ball that fell between defence and keeper was not properly dealt with, as we hesitated and as per usual a striker was quickest to react, nipping in and bravely heading past Will to put us a goal down early on. 0-1 Elstead. Picture HERE

Having conceded early on, we still failed to wake up and Elstead quickly put us under more pressure, winning headers in midfield, probing our wide areas and generally exposing our soft underbellies.

Ten minutes in 1-0 became 2-0 and Elstead were quite rightly discussing that they needed to make it 3-4 before half time and put the game to bed, and realistically if we carried on in the same manner it probably would have been 3 or 4 before the break. Thankfully, following the second goal we, bounced back quickly and barely a minute after conceding the second we got one back.

We broke down the right hand side of the pitch and having got to the corner of the box and near the goal line, Pete Butler made time and space to put in low cross and Jiz was first to it, finishing well from six yards out. Picture HERE

After the all action goal-fest start to the game, things settled down and Oatlands now had a foothold back in the game. Across the pitch, we started to match Elstead FC and it was beginning to look like it would be a fairly evenly fought match for the remaining 75 minutes.

For us there were good and bad parts to the way we played the rest of the half. We weren’t helped when right midfielder and in-form Jordy, was forced to leave the pitch with a knee injury forcing us into an unplanned change.

After a shaky start to the game, we now looked very solid at the back. Elsteads attacks were swift and decisive with their wide midfielders quickly joining the strikers to make it four v four at the back, but out wide for Oatlands, Ryan Kent and Bayenzy looked very solid, not only preventing pressure on Moo and Furno, but also coming away with the ball and linking up nicely with midfield. In midfield it was a hard fought battle. Very often Elstead were winning the ball in the air and we were winning it on the ground. Probably as a result of the close and competitive nature of the game, there were also a lot of free kicks in semi-dangerous areas for both teams. Sadly for the watching spectators, there was little in the way of goal mouth action as both defences were seemingly winning the battle against the strikers.

As we edged toward half time, there was reason for Phil to be pleased. After an abysmal start to the game, we’d picked ourselves up, got one back quickly and were seemingly in the ascendancy, if we could keep the ball out the air in the centre of midfield and string a few passes together, surely there would be one or two opportunities in the second half to get level.

At half time Phil was pleased with the way that the team had got back into the game. Everyone was playing quite well and we weren’t carrying any injuries, so there was no need for changes.

We started the second half well and began to turn the tide in our favour. Elstead looked like they had made one or two changes to the way they were lined up and it seemed to significantly ease the workload of our full backs who were now increasingly becoming involved in our attacks rather than focusing on defensive responsibility.

Following Phil’s instructions, regarding goal kicks, we started to get the ball into wide areas which took out the threat from their central midfield who had won almost every header in the first half. With the ball on the floor more often than not, Pete Butler started to find more space in central midfield and was increasingly beginning to be the platform from which our attacks would start.

Ten minutes into the second half, Oatlands were now well and truly on top and Elstead FC were now facing wave after wave of Oatlands attacks. Unfortunately for Oatlands, despite the possession advantage and the fact that we were pressing Elstead hard, genuine opportunities in front of goal were rare. This was probably a combination of our failure to play the killer ball and Elstead’s resolute defending on the edge of their own box. On numerous occasions, great build up play took place, particularly down the left where Ryan, Tom, Sean and Butler all combined well, but we just couldn’t get on the end of the crosses that came in.

The referee, who was officiating his first ever game was put to the test midway through the second half. Tom Lloyd had picked the ball up wide left and cut in to drive towards the box. On his way he skipped one challenge, but upon entering the penalty area he appeared to be uprooted, surely a penalty! We looked to the referee in hope, but he waved play on. We were disappointed, but it looked like it would only be a matter of time before we found the decisive opening.

Entering into the final quarter of the game, it was very much a case of defence versus attack, with Elstead offering little more in an attacking sense than a hopeful long ball from the back.

The onslaught on the Elstead back line continued, but still we couldn’t find an equalizer. About the closest we came was when Jamie hit the outside of the post and we had another shot that just went wide. In truth we just hadn’t tested the keeper enough and every time we did pull the trigger or try to slot the killer ball through, and Elstead body or boot would be in the way.

Finally with 10 minutes left, we got the breakthrough our efforts deserved. I think it was from a throw in down the left, which found Pete Butler. Having received the ball he drove across the edge of the box and unleashed a low shot. On its way toward goal, the ball took a ricochet that wrong footed the keeper. With the keeper wrong footed, the ball then found its way in to the bottom corner of the net and Oatlands were level. Picture HERE. 2-2 and nothing less than our efforts deserved.

At 2-2 we tried for a winner, but with only a short time to go, we could not afford to concede ourselves or the efforts of the last would be totally wasted and I think that given our start to the game we were pleased to have gained a point.

Overall there were more positives than negatives in this fixture and it was definitely a point gained, rather than 2 lost. A poor start cost us dearly and going forward we need to get out the blocks quicker.

On a positive note, it was a good fightback against a team that will probably prove to be closer to the top than the bottom of the league and we showed good fitness and determination to keep going until the end.

Phil was unable to give just one man of the match award as there were two players who played equally well. The first was Baynezy who made a number of great tackles at important times. Baynezy also provided a great platform from which to start our attacks after, very often winning the ball and driving into midfield with the ball at his feet.

On the other side of the back line, Ryan Kent earned a joint man of the match award for an outstanding performance at left back. Ryan defended solidly throughout and provided options every time we were in attack with numerous overlapping runs. In possession, I can’t think of a single occasion when he gave the ball away to the opposition. At the beginning of this year we were concerned about finding a cover across the back with Fraser likely to be away for much of the season, in Ryan we seem to have found a superb replacement.

Next week we play a tough fixture away to FC Shepperton who are based no more than a mile away from the village. It is likely that we will have the likes of Sonny, Pod and Prycey available to the team. Last season these players were very much first choice, but given the performances of those who have pitched in for them in recent weeks, Phil will probably have some tough decisions to make.

Please make the effort to get to training. Having spent nearly 8 years trying to drill the basics into the team, Phil is trying to use training to work on some of the more advanced areas of the game which can only work if we have as many players as possible in attendance.

A big thanks to all the supporters that came to cheer on the lads.