Lodway 5 Wrington Redhill reserves 1

With a week off from coaching the First Team, Mark Brown turned out for the reserves on Saturday and although he put in an assured performance including an outrageous backheel volley(attempt) , a nutmeg and a curling freekick he couldn’t stop them sliding to another heavy defeat. After heavy rain overnight on a heavy Lodway pitch conditions were difficult but Wrington Redhill started well and could have gone ahead with Paul Burnett’s header going narrowly wide from a Nico Anderson corner. With the conditions in their favour, the visitors were playing some good football with Asa Viney lively up front and Jake Eggington giving width on the left and combining well with Rory Thomas. It was therefore unfortunate that a foul throw in an attacking position led to a quick break out from Lodway with several defenders out of position anticipating a long throw into the box. Andrew Law Smith took his chance and once clear slid the ball under the keeper to put Lodway in front. Things went from bad to worse a few minutes later when Lodway were awarded a disputed penalty. There was no arguing about the finish as Tom Dziekanowski buried the spot kick. After last weeks fine win, It was a bitter blow to the visitors to be two down after 10 minutes having started so well.

As always the reserves showed great spirit with Paul Burnett and Dean Rix battling hard and Fin Taplin settling back into the right back position with aplomb. Andy Smith just failed to get to a Thomas cross which landed inside the Lodway 6 yard box and Joe Moore also had a header go narrowly wide. It was no more than they deserved when Thomas and Viney set up debutant Eggington whose low shot went in at the near post to bring Wrington back into the game just before half-time.

However, straight from the whistle to start the second half, the visitors defence switched off and it took a fine save to deny Lodway going further ahead. As the visitors tired, Matt Lenny, Dan Foan and Ben Hurst provided fresh legs but the home side would not be denied and two rather soft goals in the 55th and 60th minute settled the game. On both occasions it seemed that the bounce of the ball fell to the attackers but as this has become a regular theme of these reports….it might just be that the constant chopping and changing of the Wrington team…44 players have been used in 9 matches and the lack of fitness always seems to lead to soft goals in the second half. Regular training and giving out name badges might be the answer.

There was still plenty of time left and Brown, Moore and Anderson all had good chances to reply but somehow shots were blocked or saved when they seemed certain to score. With 10 minutes to go substitute Liam Leonard rubbed it in even further with an outrageous lob making the final score 5 – 1 which even the ref commented was a little harsh.