Game 20
22/03/25 – League
AFC 4 – 0 Red Sea FC
With title rivals Newark and Sherwood recording a
comprehensive win the week before, Attenborough were once more tasked with not
just winning a game but also ideally doing so by as many goals as possible. Something
which is easier said than done against a talented and physical Red Sea team
that had already given the Blues difficult matches earlier in the season.
A fast start was just what was required for the home side
and an excellent pass from Lewis Caine saw Luke Smith set clean through within
two minutes and he produced a confident one-touch finish to put Attenborough a
goal up.
This early opener rather lit the blue touch paper and set up
a frantic end-to-end game that resembled more of a basketball match. Boro’s wing
backs remained high and the mid-fields for both sides were extremely stretched,
while the number of times early on that Attenborough were able to get
themselves into attacks with spare men available really should have seen more first-half
goals, a lack of quality when it came down to the final ball preventing a much
more comfortable game.
It looked as though Attenborough had doubled their advantage
shortly before half-time following a goalmouth scramble, but the ball was
deemed not over the line and, with Red Sea often looking dangerous on the
break, the Blue’s one-goal lead looked a precarious one at the interval.
After a strong beginning to the second period by the visitors, it soon became clear that just winning the game was now the main priority and a stretched defence performed brilliantly for the hosts, the returning Lucas Stentiford, Will Humphriss and Reece Caine putting in numerous tackles and blocks to prevent attempts on our goal, while Fin Haywood also made a couple of really important saves. All of which ultimately secured our first clean sheet of the season.
It was disappointing that the hosts could not put better quality attacks together in that first hour, but this really wasn’t a game for the faint-hearted with the pace frenetic and some impressive physicality on show which made for an entertaining watch.
With the game in the balance, Graham Mee used his bench to good effect and Brad Greatorex looked sure to double the lead when left with the freedom of Broxtowe in front of goal, unfortunately his shot was dragged wide and shortly after skipper Lewis Caine also blazed over from close range as frustrations began to arise, both chances coming from excellent play by Simon Savage down the right flank.
Fortunately for Attenborough that second goal did come just
in time to prevent a nervy finish. A Greatorex corner headed back across goal
by Lewis Caine and prodded home by game-changing substitute Harry Morgan gave
the Boro breathing space in the 74th minute.
Indeed, Attenborough’s attentions quickly reverted to improving
their goal difference when Luke Smith lobbed in to record his second goal of
the game and top off an excellent individual performance just a couple of minutes
later. With the visitors now
understandably dispirited, a fourth goal arrived when Morgan made the game safe
with a fabulous curling left-footed shot into the top corner.
Things could have got even better when Brad Greatorex had a goal ruled out for offside in the dying seconds, but a four-goal margin was as good as Attenborough could have realistically hoped for in a game which could have gone either way for large parts.
Once more the lads did what was required to keep firmly in
the league-table race, with whoever wins next week’s big clash with Newark and Sherwood (10.30 am at The Strand) set to go top of the league. Exciting times.
subs; louis smith, greatorex, morgan (75’, 85’),
stentiford
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