Lethargic afternoon.....

Bourton Rovers (3) v (6) Leckhampton Rovers FC

This was a perfect day for football. Unseasonably warm, blue skies and
barely a breeze. The pitch was large and wide and it should have been
a match against a team that was there for the taking. However, there
are no easy games....

Lining up with Will in goal, the back four of Tom, Ben, Lewis and Sam.
In front of them Ryan and Freddie. That attacking quartet was then
Jacob, Tommy and Dan with Jorge up front. On the bench; Luca, Alf and
Adam.

The game started quietly for LRFC who had no energy or zip. There was
no tempo to their play. This continued and as notorious slow starters
the coaches left it as it was, thinking that it would click soon
enough. Even when Bourton opened the scoring having run through the
middle of the pitch unchallenged to finish over Wills head as he
rushed out calm rained. One nil became two nil and still there was
little reaction from this LRFC side.

They did pull a goal back from the boot of Jacob who finished from an
acute angle close in. 2-1. The ball through was from Dan, returning to
the side from injury lay-off, who slid the ball in behind the defence
for Jacob to run on to.

Changes were made to the playing personnel. Lewis making way for Jacob
to drop back into centre back with Luca coming onto the left. The
source of our goals of late has been the wings Jacob scoring in this
game from the left wing and with Olly, Dan and Luca all netting in
previous games.

The change made an impact with Dan and Luca linking well and
tormenting the defence from two prongs. In midfield and defensive
position LRFC continued to look vulnerable with little by way of
cohesion. There was also frustration creeping in as the attacking
players were continually being flagged, correctly, offside.

Alf would come onto the right wing midway through the half with Adam
rotating through the full back positions with Tom and Sam.

Bourton scored their final goal to go 3-1 up. Before the half was out
Dan would score to make it 3-2 going in to half time.

At half time LRFC looked done in. Lacking confidence in each other and
struggling to lift themselves. There was little energy and next to no
enthusiasm. A couple of changes were made, Lewis came back on in
central defence and turned in a massively improved performance. Where
before there was indecision and hesitation he was far more aggressive
towards the ball and more dominant - just what the team needed to
settle down and restore confidence.

The second half performance was dramatically improved. LRFC equalised
through a penalty won by Dan and scored by Luca. Dan tormented the
defence down the right wing, as he jinked, tricked and muscled his way
into the area he was brought down. No dispute. Luca scored the penalty
firing to the keepers right. 3-3.

Tommy would then score from close range following more trickery from
Dan. 3-4. Having taken the lead for the first time in the game LRFC
then started to play better, much better. Dan would net his second of
the game and Luca would go on to score his second. 3-6 and how the
game would finish.

LRFC won a succession of corners and were unlucky not to score with
Alf going close on two occasions. Each time the keeper making an
excellent save.

Jacob was the MotM for a performance that was text book Jacob. He
started on the left wing from where he scored, then dropped back to
centre back, played holding midfield and then moved to the number 10.
He had a 5 minute breather and then resumed picking up where he
started back on the left wing. A excellent energetic performance when
most around him were floundering.

Dan ran him close, scoring twice and winning the penalty. He tormented
the defence particularly in the second half. Lewis was also up there
for turning around his own performance and being a different player
second half.

The result was all important. With the teams in the chasing pack not
dropping points this LRFC side needs to keep the pace.

So what was wrong today?
The simple answer is fitness. This LRFC team has good players,
excellent players. Players that know their roles, players that know
each other. Today they stopped running and stopped working for each
other in too many positions. Too often the ball was played forward for
one of the strikers to try to do something individual. While this can
work it should not be a game plan.

When that doesn't work the ball comes back to quickly and puts
pressure on the defence. When the defence doesn't communicate there
are gaps and this Bourton side was able to capitalise three times.

Too often there were no options for the LRFC player in possession as
the other players were static. Having played a pass or clearance they
stopped moving only reacting when the ball came back towards them.
There was no anticipation. Yet this LRFC passes the ball so well and
has real quality when they do. They did not have the energy to play
this way today.

This side sits at the top of the league with a 100% record - they are
there on merit and should play as such.

With training only once a week, and having missed a couple of sessions
due to half term, the squad needs to take much more responsibility for
their own fitness. On the evidence of today this cannot start soon
enough.