Division One (East)
Milton United 4 Binfield 2
Saturday, 14 December 2002
A very bad day at the office for the Moles!!!
With coach, Dave Evans, tied up with family commitments, Manager Glenn Duggleby made the trip to Oxford alone with his side, desperate to make up for last week?s poor showing in the County Cup and to get back on track in their challenge for the league title. Unfortunately the poor form continued against a strong, committed and talented side, whose league position is a mystery if they play like that every week.
Work commitments robbed Duggleby of keeper, Simon Harvey, but although the Moles other senior keepers, Walkington and Nixon are still on the long-term injury list luckily reserve team centre-half and ex-Bracknell and Wokingham keeper Keith Strong proves a more than adequate deputy. Further last minute blows came with Nick Kellaway failing an injury test on his bruised foot to drop down onto the bench and the late discovery that Osborne was not in a fit state to play, but the team sheet was already in. Attila Fodor was promoted from the bench for his first senior start and Kellaway joined Withers and Hume on the bench.
The whole game was dominated by the excellent movement and good use of the ball by the home side and the visitors? subsequent inability to deal with this. The home side took the lead with only 3 minutes gone when Jones finished well as they broke through the centre. The Moles response was instant as they attacked down the right and Kris Day was fouled. His brother Jason curled a superb free kick to the far post for HAVERMANS to rise and send a powerful header into the net within five minutes, game on. With less than 15 minutes gone Duggleby replaced the obviously troubled Osborne with Withers and the remainder of the half was much of the same with Strong called upon to save well twice and the visitors defending for long periods. Kris Day was put through on goal but saw his shot saved by the keeper?s legs and Havermans and Smith also went close. Honours even at the half but the Moles were lucky to be still in the game.
Half Time: 1-1
The second half continued in much the same vein, with the home side quicker and sharper in most areas of the park. Baker and his defence were working hard to defend Strong in the visitors? goal, but something had to give and in the 50th minute Baker was cleverly rolled by Jones and the inadequate referee gave a penalty that Culley despatched, just past the fingertips of Strong's valiant attempt to save. Again the Moles dug deep and equalised within 3 minutes. Similar to the first goal, Morgan-Jones was fouled and Withers served a deep probing cross to the far post where Binfield?s top-scorer, HAVERMANS, again rose to power home his header for 2 - 2. Hume replaced Fodor on the left-hand side to give more strength and shape, but the Moles were still struggling to gain any supremacy in the middle of the park. Milton took the lead on 78 minutes as they found space in the centre of the defence for Wheeler to finish well. Kellaway came on for Keough as an extra striker for the last 10 minutes in a desperate attempt to respond, however, this time the Moles could not find an equaliser, although Havermans went close and had one effort disallowed for offside. The result was finally confirmed in the 87th minute when a long ball through the middle found the excellent Brown, who controlled the ball and volleyed over Strong's head in one movement for the goal of the game. There was still time for the referee to award another dubious penalty, this time to the Moles. Their consistent failure to convert spot kicks continued again as Smith's weak kick was saved by the keepers feet and even when the rebound came back to him, the normally prolific scorer's recent 'slump' continued as he missed the ball completely and it was cleared to safety.
Binfield manager Duggleby was less than pleased after this display; "This was, without doubt, my personal low point of the season to date. Take nothing away from Milton, they are possibly the best side we have played in the league, with three or four excellent players, a combined desire to win and a great work ethic throughout, which we failed to match. We have some players not at the top of their games and I hope to be making some changes next week for the visit of Martin Bakers. I expect ex-Burnham and Thatcham attacker Johnny Norris to be available and we may also be bringing in a couple more senior players into the squad this week. What we need are more 'Winners', who have the desire to play and hatred of losing, that one or two are lacking at the moment, to get our challenge back on track. The League is very competitive this season, but we still believe that we can compete with anyone in it and will be working hard at training this week to put these things right".
|
|