Game 14
01/02/25 – League
RED
SEA FC 1 – 4 AFC
With
several injuries in the camp and a couple of others unavailable for various
reasons, Attenborough begun the second half of their league campaign short on
numbers and faced with a difficult trip to Vernon Park. Having needed luck on
our side when beating Red Sea FC with a full squad shortly before Christmas, this
tricky fixture had the potential to derail any title ambitions.
In
from the cold came Saul Riley at left back, while manager Graham Mee had managed
to rush through the signing of Lewis Sanderson just in time for the game to
ensure we had an option from the bench.
A
4-4-2 formation fitted the available players best with the emphasis on a rigid
shape when we didn’t have the ball, ensuring the pacey Red Sea FC forwards were
unable to get space to run at our defence. While attacking responsibilities were
left largely down to the wingers and Brad Greatorex to feed George Pursglove.
A
frantic start to the game saw Attenborough ahead from the spot in the seventh minute
courtesy of Lewis Caine, redemption for his miss in the last match, but just ninety seconds later the home side
launched a flowing attack down our left side and a whipped cross was thumped home
in style by Adam Abdulaziz to level the scores.
Attenborough
responded well to that setback and a magnificent pass from Greatorex saw
Pursglove, who had also won the penalty, back on the goal trail with a routine
finish. The Blues 2-1 up after ten minutes.
Things
calmed down after that and our defence, including a disciplined display from
holding midfielder Riley Billson, performed bravely in the face of any
pressure. On the half hour mark, Saul Riley, who gave his all to help the side
on his comeback game, was replaced by new signing Sanderson and he showed
plenty of promise to suggest he’ll be a useful recruit once fully fit. The pair
then rotated for the remainder of the game as we made use of the rolling subs.
Shortly
before half-time some excellent play by Ollie Mee started an attack which saw
Pursglove bag a deserved second goal of the game.
It
is at this point that both the assistant manager (me) and first team coach, correctly,
opted to jump in an Uber to the City Ground for a memorable 12.30pm kick off. However,
manager Graham Mee, also a season ticket holder, showed his unwavering commitment
to the Attenborough cause by foregoing one of the few 7 (seven) goal victories
Nottingham Forest have ever achieved in their history.
Guest writer, Barrie Humphriss,
takes up the story of the second period.
The second half played out much
like the first with both teams getting in some dangerous positions, but the Attenborough
defence stood firm with notable highlights coming from two outstanding actions by
Reece Caine, the first just on the hour mark with a ballsey diving block just in
front of goal then, with only five minutes remaining, a perfectly timed double
stop.
Both close-range attempts may
well have made it into the back of the net without Reece’s intervention and
given the spirited Red Sea team the boost they needed to draw level and maybe
even try for the win.
Also worthy of note was the performance
of goalkeeper Fin Haywood, who had made two excellent saves in the first half and
probably had his best overall performance of the season displaying some
effective kicking, aerial handling and communication skills.
Attenborough did add one more
goal to their tally in the second period, Luke Smith wrapping up the game with
a lovely curling left-footed shot past the outstretched keeper into the bottom right-hand
corner after more good play by Pursglove.
As fantastic as it was to see our
talismanic forward back to form, creating or scoring all four of our goals, he blotted
his copybook late on when, having been tackled in the box on the byline, he elected
to display his annoyance at not receiving a penalty with a praying-like act on his
knees, which the referee was not having a bar of. The inevitable yellow card was
produced, more words were exchanged and Pursglove headed for the touchline, a
second yellow leaving the fans bemused and Attenborough with only ten men for
the last three minutes.
After some reflective time out on
a nearby park bench, it was good to see George approach the referee at the end
and the two of them kissed and made up on the walk back to the changing rooms
... but who can step up and fill those goal-inspiring boots in next week's away
cup tie against Linby Colliery?
haywood; cuesta-sarris, humphriss, r caine, riley; luke smith (70’), billson, l caine ©(7’ p), o mee; greatorex, pursglove (10’ 42’)
sub; sanderson
defensive hero Reece Caine and scorer of the fourth goal, Luke Smith
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