A healthy crowd of 256 assembled for this top of the table clash. Both sides had familiar line ups with the exception of the Lambs having Sam Davey lead the attack in place of Josh Grant who was on the bench writes Eric Pinch.
Each was on a run of unbeaten league games, the home side 8 and the Lambs on 10.
The lilywhite’s were soon into their stride and took a 4th minute lead, Rogers ball into the penalty area flew off a defender and drop invitingly for Goldworthy to slot pass Josh Oak from close range.
Minutes later Oak tipped over a free kick from Watts to keep the Lambs in the game. A great chance for the visitors to draw level presented itself on 17 minutes. Luke Brown’s cross was headed into the path of Warren Daw by Jack Crago but his shot from 15 yards flew over the bar. A Dave Hallett corner was headed wide before the home side increased their lead on 25 minutes. They appeared to be a little bit more sharper in all areas of the field and opened up the Lambs defence as Slateford and Tinsley combined on the edge of the penalty area for the latter to place the ball across Oak and low into the net at the far post.
The Lambs were further denied to open their scoring when Hallett put Davey through but was forced wide and his shot lacked power as Chapman saved. Both sides had opportunities before the interval with Eddy for the home side shooting wide and Chapman saving from Crago.
The second half started well for the Lambs as they tried to get back into the game. Daw headed over from a Hallett corner, Crago’s run and low cross saw defender Carver clear over his own crossbar. Matt David then headed over from another Hallett corner. Daw and Josh Robbins efforts went wide all this before the hour.
On 64 minutes there was one of those “Arsene Wenger” moments when I can say “I did not see it” At this moment the man on the microphone decided to announce the 50/50 draw numbers and as I was writing them down the next thing I saw was Eddy lying prone in the area and everyone surrounding the referee. After much consultation with both his assistants a yellow card for both Eddy and defender Ben Davies. I was expecting a penalty to be awarded prior to that and possibly a red card. I then even missed the restart of the game.
Moments later Davey and Brown were replaced by Grant and Tallon Burns as the Lambs pushed again to get back into the game.
Any chance rapidly disappeared with 10 minutes remaining. Eddy got possession off a defender in the area and slid the ball over Oak and two minutes later slid home again from close range.
The Lambs looked finished but the home side went searching for a 5th, Tinsley squared the ball for substitute Lloyd to shoot over in the 85th minute. Crago went on a final run and appeared to be fouled in the area but play continued to the other end and Lloyd twisted and turned in the box to squeeze the ball home to end a miserable day for the Lambs and their loyal band of supporters.
Manager Stuart Henderson summed up after the game and said “Naturally disappointed with both the result and performance. As much as score lines don’t lie I felt that key decisions went in favour of the home side which did influence the game.
I don’t want to take anything away from the home team, on the day they played with a higher tempo and passion which in turn got the vocal large crowd in good spirits, they deserved the win and we take it on the chin and move on. Our lads were nowhere near it, which is very uncharacteristic of us, we looked subdued and lack lustre particularly in the first half.
Despite this, both Warren Daw and Sam Davey missed good chances which could have put a different spin on the first half. I felt we dominated the first 30 minutes of the second half and we had two great headed chances from set pieces which we should have done better with. At 80 minutes the score line was 2-0 but I felt we were toothless at times, and despite a great deal of possession didn’t cause them enough problems.
I certainly don’t think there were 5 goals between the teams and basic mistakes let them in for their third and fourth goal which effectively killed the game. We still took the game to the home side and piled players forward and a clear penalty was not given, which both set of players were in disbelief to the point of comical. Immediately the home side broke to score again to complete a 5nil drubbing.
I feel for our camp that no one is under any illusion that this level of performance will be nowhere near the level required to obtain promotion to the Western League.
With a number of injuries throughout the season the lads have been fantastic and before yesterday’s result we had won 10 on the trot.
We are entering the business end of the season and we know as a group what we need to and where we want to be, and we will be giving everything to achieve this”