Game 10

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30/11/24 - League 

AFC 6 - 1 West Bridgford 

Attenborough made it nine wins in a row in all competitions with a familiar home display. After a scrappy first half hour which saw the visitors bang up for the challenge of taking on the league leaders, Boro conceded the first goal of the game for the fourth time on the bounce as a good move down the right from West Bridgford was swept home.

Graham Mee wasted no time in bringing on a couple of subs to liven things up and five minutes before half-time parity was restored after an intelligent header from Lewis Caine was tapped home by George Cuesta-Sarris. George had done little wrong to lose his starting slot and produced a typically industrious display off the bench to emphasise Attenborough's strength in depth. 

Just before the break a vicious in-swinging corner looked sure to put the away side back in front only for Luke Smith to produce a stunning goal-line clearance, this served warning that the Blues were not out of the woods just yet. 

The players demanded more from themselves at half-time and skipper Lewis Caine proved pivotal in inspiring the side during a second-half display that bore a close resemblence to many of the games that had gone before it. Top scorer George Pursglove had been largely anonymous during the opening 45 minutes but he came alive when Caine sent him through one on one shortly after the interval and his accurate finish had a sense of inevitability about it. 

From then on Attenborough went into overdrive and doubled their advantage when Luke Smith thrashed home his first league goal of the season. A deeper role at left wing-back this campaign has seen us less reliant on Luke's attacking output and made for a more balanced side overall, but that owes plenty to his work-rate and desire to help out the team. 

Just past the hour mark the game was well and truly wrapped up with the goal of the game, Lewis Caine winning a header in his own box and charging up field to meet the perfect Pursglove delivery with a one-touch finish. 

To rub salt into the visitor's wounds they would end up playing the final ten minutes with nine men after a Cuesta-Sarris overhead kick was handled on the line, the inevitable straight red and converted penalty by Caine were followed by a second yellow card after a melee before the restart. 

The final touches to another winning display were applied by Ollie Mee who is proving extremely productive in terms of goals and assists since being more regularly available. Add Pursglove and Mee to the pacey Louis Smith and stylish Brad Greatorex and The Blues look well stocked in the creative areas for the second half of the campaign. 

haywood; j smith, humphriss, r caine; savage, luke smith (55'); pearson, l caine (c) (64', 81p'), o mee (85'); louis smith, pursglove (50')

subs; cuesta-sarris (39'), greatorex, riley



        George Pursglove beats his man

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