Well if you’d offered me 4 points out of the first 2 games in the league we just been promoted to from games against teams that were in that league the previous season I would have taken it. Haven’t this felt like a dropped 2 points.
First off before the match we welcomed Wilf to his first Men’s 4s game, he received his Kettering pin (belated as did actually play 5s last week) and also Ed awarded a pin (again belatedly as I forgot to do it last week) for his first senior game in a non-development team.
The first half saw a lot of endeavour, but not much to show for it. To many loose passes meant that although we dominated for the first 15 we allowed Newmarket back into it and had to absorb a lot of pressure towards the end of the half. But 0:0 at half time.
The second half saw plenty of action. Not long after the break a crash ball into our D saw an easy tap in at the back post for the Newmarket striker. From the side lines it looked like a perfect pass . What I hadn’t realised was that Mike had called “That’s gone” and stepped over the ball not realising there was a player at the back post. However he redeemed himself a few minutes later we a couple of great saves.
As with the first half our biggest issue was passing everyone seemed to giving the ball away with either really soft passes or literal straight to the opposition. When we did get it right and move the ball quickly we were causing problems but it was just not consistent enough. We finally got the equaliser through the combination of the two newest members when Wilf set up Ed W for his second goal in consecutive matches.
A while later we should have been awarded a flick, and goal line melee saw my effort hit the leg (deliberate long barrier) of the defender on the line. Only for the near umpire not to be able to see due to the melee of bodies in the way and the far umpire was too far away and was unsure. Oh well you win some you lose some.
With 5 mins to go we still couldn’t get any momentum due o the continuous sloppy passing. Wilf having an eventful first game was then injured, a coming together between players resulted in Wilf getting hit in the neck (nothing untoward he fell on the guys foot!) saw the game stop for a few minutes. Thankfully and in good sportsmanship one of the Newmarket players was a doctor and sorted Wilf out.
So final score 1:1. A fair result - probably, Newmarket battle hard (considering they only had11) and we were certainly not at our best.

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Captain’s thoughts – Umpires – we can’t do without them – and although sometimes we all think we know better we need to remember that they can only call what they see and are only human. It’s a thankless task they do but we couldn’t play matches unless they are there, so lets respect them and if they make a call we disagree with, let chalk it down, don’t argue and move on.
Player of the Match – Oscar –a dynamo in midfield. Joint with Ed W, but rules are rules and in the event of a tie and you not at teas then you can’t win.
D0D Shaun - Again awarded before (and to a playing not even playing this week) the pushback for the only member of the 4s not to pay his membership…not like he is on the Exec or anything.
Champagne moment – For the wrong reasons Mike’s “That Gone”-unfortunately the rest of the sentence was “..to the striker at the back post for an easy tap in”. Who would be a keeper.
Captain’s mention – Newmarket’s number 77 - helping out when Wilf got injured. Always good to have a doctor on the pitch!