An appallingly slow and lack lustre start from St Albans found us 1 nill down after 8 minutes ., and Indian Gym bossing the play in our defensive quarter. All three of our forwards were coming back deep into our half , we were standing 10 m off their players , allowing them to make good easy passes and run at pace with the ball. After about 15 mins we had all upped our game and effort levels. Tim and Ian worked hard as a pair in the middle and James pushed up well to assist the mid field an limit their attacking options to over hit passes to there right winger, Graham and Mike worked well together to shadow and intercept . John at right back had a thankless job marking their very high winger, this actually worked well as although John couldn't play as an outlet or an attacking support, by dropping deep and Mills at right half tucking infield, it allowed Dave Sheridan to drop form right attack into a big gap wide right on the half way line allowing good out balls all afternoon. As the half went on we were able to hold the centre strongly attack either left or right with Geoff being a good release for either Mills or Tim and David pressing into the D and Mark as a wide left option - I t was one of David's drives in to the D that gave us our second short corner that Mills' was able to firmly put away. The only really feisty tackle resulted in a little pushy shovey but nothing too angry , unfortunately Mathew saw a bit too much red and travelled 20 yards to remonstrate and was quite rightly shown a green. Th rest of the half was rather scrapy with out either team putting together any attractive moves although Graham did a lovely arial towards the base line that was picked up nicely. they went 2:1 up via a very well hit short corner, and then Tim drove along the base line from the left hand side and the ball was worked well across the goal to the far post area for Geoff to smartly put the ball in the net. Grahams load was a good piece of Half time and a change to put Mathew up as a roving centre forward and Geoff back to left half . We then played a 20 min spell of hockey that was probably the best we have played in over a season great pass selection , lots of support and options , very controlled mid field really putting them on the back foot, 3 good chances created with Mathew rampant and making opportunities by great positional play and key Movement, With Mark offering wide support for an out ball on the left hand side it was the tidy passing around and through the midfield that gave lots of great options for David. But Indian gym were skilful on the ball, and a number of solid takes by Mike, Graham and John kept them at bay , but it only takes a ball on the foot to give them the opportunities from short corners their third came from a short corner slipped to our left and firmly hit just inside our right post , with their injector making a good line if the shot had been wider. But with the pressure we were now exerting we were awarded another short and Mathew struck a nicely dipping hit - and boy did he celebrate - At three all we were looking for the win and looking the better team, space was staring to open up , and they finally hit their right winger as he moved into the D , he was held up by the keeper, and as the forward tried to manoeuvre he played the ball onto his foot , not noticed by the umpire but was awarded a PC for a tackle coming in from a defender. they were able to put the ball in the net from about the 4thor 5th phase of play , very unfortunate . Even though we were lagging we still pressed and had a couple of good chances at the end that just didn't find the net. and a cast iron short corner wasn't awarded and on a day where P,C, were going in could have made the difference
Unlucky to have lost but a second half performance to be proud off.