Just as with last week’s performance against Pensilva, this match followed a similar path. For 60 minutes we were the better side and played some good football despite a poor surface. But we stopped playing the football and allowed our hosts the upper hand as they won the aerial battles. We do need to improve our fitness levels.
Admittedly, we were up against it with 6 lads missing and with only one sub. Good to see Konstantin step up to FA Cup duty though and welcome to James Simmons who showed enough to suggest he will be of great value to us this season.
Ross Hamilton put us ahead from a corner as we controlled the early stages and defended with good shape preventing Lanreath from troubling our goal. Meanwhile at the other end, we had a number of opportunities and tested their keeper. Our passing was clever and George Warren in particular was putting in some probing passes. Just before half-time however, we conceded an equaliser with Lanreath’s first real opportunity. It was a good goal however as the forward’s header flew in off the post.
Second half, we created 3 or 4 excellent opportunities in the first 15 minutes but squandered them as we dallied too much instead of finishing with a positive strike. Lads, you won’t score unless you get over the ball and keep it on target. It would turn out to cost us! We stopped playing through our midfield, were too slow in moving the ball and so we went long! We simply can’t play that way against opponents who will always be stronger than us…. That’s why we have to be fitter.
As we sent it long, Lanreath were winning every ball; the dynamic changed, they were well on top and we couldn’t turn the tide back in our favour. A goal looked on the cards and when it arrived with 5 minutes left it was another well worked goal and finish. As we pushed for an equaliser, Bayley Williams was put through by Connor Spear and was taken down by the keeper. Appeared the foul occurred in the box but the referee deemed it outside. In the end Lanreath were worthy winners but we have to be more clinical. You were the better side until you stopped playing and the lesson is we have to get the ball down and play for 90 minutes.
This wasn’t a particular pleasant afternoon and I hope every away trip will not be as inhospitable. This ain’t the World Cup lads! Our opponents seemed to play the game in the right spirit on the park and deserved their win but off it, their manager clearly uses football as an excuse to scream abuse, wind up his subs and surrounding spectators, pressurise the ref to gain advantage and create a hostile atmosphere that ended up with the hosts disrespecting our supporters.
Ironically, a Lanreath spectator argued he was just ‘passionate’. Sadly that’s not passion, it was abusive and absolutely wrong! We spend the afternoon looking to improve our players, we analyse what’s going on and encourage, we think that’s passion. Hospitality extends to more than throwing in a plate of food afterwards lads. We did appreciate that gesture.
Busy week to come with a trip to Bristol against Keynsham Town in the FA Youth Cup on Thursday followed by a long haul to Shamwickshire Rovers on Saturday.
We will get better, come on you Reds!