Otterbourne Football Club First Team Match Reports

Saturday 21st November - Locks Heath 0 Otterbourne 2

Team: Flood, Kerr A, Willson, Kelly, JJ, Jakes, Beasley, Taylor, T. Kerr, Knight, Davies, Milne, Pervin, Bedford.

After a six nil defeat I was expecting a difference in performance compared to last week and I got it.

We were put under the cosh early and had to play against the wind and a very strong Locks Heath team.

Obviously they were boosted from beating Horndean in the cup midweek and their play showed it.

Resolute defending kept us in the game and although they were getting shots off they could not get them on target and after suffering twenty minutes of defensive work we managed to break out into their half and force a free kick after Knighter was brought down. He got up and fired a low shot straight at the keeper who saved easily.

Again we were put under pressure but when the ball was passed up front to Tom he turned and hit a shot which came back off the keeper to Knighter who smashed the ball home. This was probably unfair on Locks Heath who worked an opening after we had scored and their striker had the whole goal at his mercy but blazed wide then we nearly scored a second when on a counter attack Tom fed Knighter and he went for a chip over the keeper but the ball curled just over the bar.

Half time we were thinking they are going to come again and we weren’t disappointed it was all Locks Heath but they couldn’t breach the well marshaled midfield and defence and were restricted to long range efforts.

We were content to hit them on the break with Jakes and Taylor mopping up any midfield moves and sending the forwards away to a now stretched Locks Heath defence and Knighter and Tom should have done better when they were one on one with the defence. In fact if they had put their chances away we could have been comfortable.

More pressure from Locks Heath and JJ who admitted he was shocking last week and a really solid game at the back along with his compatriots of Floody, Kerr, Kelly and Willson.

I decided to introduce Milner for the tiring Knight who had worked his socks off and it paid dividends as Jakesy won the ball and fed Tom he drew the defence over to him before playing a defence splitting pass for Milner to run onto to, the job wasn’t finished as the full back managed to get back and cover but Milner wasn’t to be denied and he turned him inside out before finishing in the bottom corner to the delight of the team.

Again Locks Heath came back but couldn’t really force a clear cut opening and we hung on to win.

For me as the manager it was great to see real team spirit and everyone working for each other, looks like it’s going to be an expensive training night Tuesday!!