Physically untroubled

The double was not to be as SJFC Year 1 football team’s winning streak of five games came to an end yesterday afternoon.

Moor Park, witnessed for the first in a long time, a scrappy game of football that was mostly played through the middle of the park, with a huge contest to win the ball.

Chris Plumb’s preperations for the game were dealt with several blows with the absence of top scorer, Tom Haile and attacking midfielder, Will Squires. Add to the loss of both keepers, Anderson and Mackley plus talisman, Peter Long and the team on paper lacked in depth. The further absence of a couple of late additions would would have at least given the team some substitutes, meant SJFC had just eleven. Dominic Fleming took the spotlight, making just his second appearance in goal this season, with manager, Chris Plumb and Chairman, Dan Birch both occuping the left side.

With Paul Cox, the winning goalscorer of the famous 2-1 win over the same team, playing up front in a 4-5-1 formation, the SJFC team tried to keep the ball on the ground in the first half. However, it was clear that the opposition had a threat on goal. It was soon 1-0 to them with Rob Bartlett scoring with a fine finish getting past three players before striking the ball home into the top right corner of the net.

However the first year’s slowly crept back into the game and were rewarded with an equaliser, thanks to some fine battling in the box. A Mike Boon headed goal also resulted in a slight facial injury for the commanding centre back, but this was also a fine piece of bravery. The scoreline was now 1-1, and thus that was it was at half time.

The second half was when the game came into life slightly with chances in the first half far and few between, from both teams. Making his first start in goal, Fleming was called upon to make a superb save tipping the ball over the crossbar. Chances came for the first year’s with Jonathan Croft narrowly hitting a shot over the bar after getting past two players. Tom Wilson also hit the crossbar with a good effort.

However, the injuries sustained to Gary Clark and manager, Plumb were perhaps a contributing factor to this defeat. Clark already having sustained a blow, gave the ball away at the halfway line allowing the opposition to score past the onrushing Fleming in goal. The third goal dealt the final killing, with the Year 1 players appealing for offside, thus allowing the opposition to score, with referee, Long allowing play to continue.

Despite this defeat which ends the winning run, stand in keeper, Dom Fleming believed that there was still positives to be taken. ” I just thought we played quite well seeing as we had quite a few players missing ” said the Exeter short wearing journalist. ” When we kept the ball on the ground, we played better than them “.

Dan Birch believed that no substitutes was a key factor in the defeat. ” Obviously when we had players missing, it was going to be hard. We had a few injuries during the match as well. They are a lot more physical than we are and also older. ”

The tournament scheduled ahead is now looking a no go according to the Scotsman. ” It’s not going to happen I don’t think. I spoke to the SU officer (Jonathan Fletcher) and he said that they have not been able to get it going. There will be a league after Christmas maybe, but now its important that they sort something out to rival Leeds and Loughborough’s intra mural leagues “.

SJFC: Fleming (gk), Lowson, Persico, Boon, Plumb, Croft, Hucker, Wilson, Clark Birch, Cox