Worcester City vs Gresley Rovers
Saturday saw us pit our wits against Worcester City Reserves for the 2nd time in two weeks at their place in the 1st leg of the league cup semi-finals.
Previous to our last visit we had taken little to nothing from our games against Worcester in my three years at the club, so to come away with all three points and more importantly to have played a great side off the park in the manner we did, well that gave me more pleasure than the points.
So to be beaten at home the week after by a very mediocre team, well I was quite alarmed if not baffled.
So coming into this weekend's semi away to a good Worcester side fielding, shall we say a few more first teamers than last time, I was a bit apprehensive to say the least. The art of surprise we had from the previous visit was now gone and they would be ready and up for revenge.
We took to the field short of a few players from the league game due to them not having had enough appearances in at that point to qualify for this cup game, the influential likes of Villers, Brevitt and Derek Sinclair. This gave the opportunity for the return to the squad of Pryce, Sandar and Clarke.
I expected Worcester to come out of the traps at a rate of knots so I’d told our lads to weather the storm, but they sat back, so for the first 20 minutes we pinned them back in their own half.
We scored to make it 1-0 through a very fortunate drive from about 20 yards by Zak Jackson. This was followed by a spell where the lads dug in and weathered the most one-sided 20 minutes of pressure I have ever witnessed. They threw everything at us, we cleared off the line time and time again - Brad was at his finest saving point blank shot after shot, bodies were thrown in front of shot after shot, we could easily have conceded a dozen but we didn't. (HT 0-1)
I’d told the lads to keep up the good work and be patient in the second half and it would pay off, after all they were at home and they needed to come at us to make the home advantage pay off and when they came at us we’d exploit the space left in behind them.
What our boys served up in the second half you wouldn't call pretty, but what you would call it is sheer determination and grit, never knowing when to lie down.
So when they did score it was very disappointing as it was a simple case of picking up a man at the far post from a cross. 1-1, 10 minutes left.
We then started to take the game to our hosts and we took the lead again due to a great turn and volley in a crowed box from Todd Perry. 2-1, 5 minutes left.
We managed to have position for most of the rest of the game and maybe we should have scored again as we ran the clock down.
The result has pleased me, but it's more about the manner in which it was achieved. In the previous game we played them off the park and the whole team played to their potential at the same time, but in this game we didn't have the most technically gifted of days, but we showed that 100% effort will win through every time and although every one likes to see a great technical game, I believe it is more character building and more pleasing to me for a team to be a tight unit and maximise their efforts in a positive manner.
Well done lads you have know set a level of technical ability (in the league game) and after this win you have set the level to be achieved in future for effort. Well done again I’m very proud to be associated with you all after that performance, we now have one foot in the final; let's not let it slip away.
Well done boys.
Clarke - Commanding & Shot stopping best
Shakespere - Controlled
Guiney - Composure its self
Perry - Determination / Pride
Sandar - Grit
Jackson - Swash buckling
Dunn - Our Leader
Moussa - Top effort
Smith G - 100% er
Ryan - Stronger & Tougher than ever
Smithen - They had no answer to you my friend
Pryce - Busy & Effective
Mawbey - Maturing every game
Hurr - Hunger & Engine
Simon Van-de-Broucke
Reserve Team Manager
