3s vs Broomfield – 15.10.16

After a good result last week the 3s sleeked another good result at the hood. Kick off was delayed by 5 minutes as the oppo had a couple of players still finding their way from Enfield.
The first 10 or 15 minutes or so Merton were on top, working hard, pressing high up the pitch and making it tough for Broomfield to get in to any kind of rhythm.
Having said that the boars failed to really get the passing game from the week before going although Tony the captain was making his views known on the pitch.
The 4-3-3 formation was proving to be going okay and it was a pretty even first half if the truth be told. Ricardo and Walshy the Left and Right backs respectively were looking after their wingers and Jack and Tony organising the team from the back winning the headers every time the oppo lumped it up to their forwards.
Mustard, Neal and Alberto all working hard in the midfield three taking it in turns to press the ball and move up to support the forwards.
Ian and Glenn (not sure if its one n or 2) were given a license to support Donno (whose boots were outrageous by the way – bright pink)
After about 20 minutes or so and Merton restricting the oppo to long range efforts Merton sustained some pressure on the Broomfield goal. Good work from Glenn (with 2 n’s) on some good attacking play on the left as he teased the oppos right back and what seemed to have been making things happen. Ian worked hard on the right hand side of the pitch and played some neat football with Neal and before sending the ball over the top for Donno to latch on to, only to be given offside. Some fans on the touchline argued with the ref as it was impossible to see anything with those pink boots dazing everyone’s vision.
3 or 4 consecutive corners led Mustard to act like a man possessed. Glenn whipping in several good corners with Walshy and co getting nowhere near them as usual, the ball bouncing off everyone like a ping pong ball and eventually falling to Mustard. He smashed it each time low and hard and again it boomeranged back to him but eventually slicing one wide of the post.
Broomfield lived through that bit of pressure and Mustard was penalised for another handball but this time in their penalty area. The Merton lads found the funny side.
He then also repeated the incident again whilst blocking a shot from the oppo as he chased down their midfielder shooting from the edge of the box but this week no penalty was given.
Towards the end of the half Broomfield get a corner. Whilst everyone was marked they cross the ball on to our 6 yard box where their player heads the ball home. 0-1 Broomfield.
It was a scrappy goal, another set piece we didn’t attack or deal with but the header looped over Fitz and one of our lads on the post couldn’t reach it. It is worth noting that Fitz pulled off a couple of great saves.
Second half we made a few changes in personnel and formation.
4-4-2 with Ian moving to centre Midfield with Neal. Frankie replaced Alberto as a winger and Denys came on for Mustard but playing up top with Donno.
Frankie’s instructions were simple… run at their full back and connect up the play. Denys to hold the ball up.
We began okay second half we started to create a few chances but never really got in behind them. Except when Tony (I think) pinged a ball about 30 yards over the top when Glenn controlled like Messi with his left foot and shot across the goalkeeper from about 10 yards out. The keeper pulls off a worldy and knocks it around the post with his shin. Pressure was again mounting and whilst we were not showing our true quality we were doing our best to grind out a result. .
Soon after this the oppo countered and spent several minutes in our half where their winger skipped around Mustard who battled hard to catch him before Walshy dived in and gave away a pen. 0-2 Broomfield.
Heads began dropping but we only had ourselves to blame.
Frankie continued to upset the oppo by acting like a raging bull and chasing everything and leaving a foot in here and there. In doing so though he got injured (ankle) and the boars were forced to take him off.
Mustard came back on for what seemed like moments before Frankie decided he was fit again and wanted to go back on. Vin pulls mustard off AGAIN who seemed extremely upset to have been asked to be sub again. Walshy also goes down and hobbles off after a possible broken toe.
Another shake up required, mustard and Alberto back on and jack off.
New formation 3-4-3.
Ricardo is asked to push on and does a good job of providing a more direct route.  Neal was booked after having a disagreement with Tony and taking out on their midfielder with a lunging challenge. Ian got a yellow for grabbing the oppo players face (accidentally)
Right near the end of the game and with our lads having to go up field and gamble Broomfield  broke forward, Ian was our last man back but being turned inside out before their bloke  passed it in to the top corner. 0-3 Broomfield.
Bad result but we didn’t really deserve anything if we are honest.

Team

Fitz
Ricardo
Jack
Tony (capt)
Walshy
Glenn
Mustard
Neal
Alberto
Ian
Donno
Denys
Frankie