LRFC 3 v 2 Gotherington
Naunton Park
Gary Lineker once said of playing Germany that "two teams kick a ball for 90 minutes then the Germans win on penalties". Our games against Gotherington tend to have a familiar path too. We take the lead, go two goals up then Gotherington come back and we draw 2-2.
Today was almost like that. It was an own goal away from that exact scenario. Same as last season. At 2-2 with 6 minutes to go you could have been forgiven for leaving the stadium(!). You would have missed a lovely free kick from Sam that the defender, under pressure from Alf, headed into his own net.
Yet, as it always does it started so different. The early exchanges were dominated by LRFC. Pressure high up the pitch. The wide players hugging the touch line and the outlet every time even if they couldn't be found.
A new back 3 looked comfortable.
Gotherington play one way and keep playing that way. They do not let up. They keep plugging away and they get back into games.
Tom opened the scoring, rounding the keeper he slotted in coolly from a tight angle. A nice opening goal after maybe 6 or 7 minutes. The lead was doubled with Sam heading Luca's corner kick beyond the keepers dive.
Rather than push on LRFC started to show some nerves in possession. There were two debutants in Connor and Seth and a returning player after a year playing rugby in Lewis. Add to that a new formation and maybe it was harder once players stop playing instinctively and start to think.
Gotherington, as the half wore on pushed LRFC back towards their own goal and scored an improbable goal. A free kick from deep that Will looked to have caught on the wind and eluded him. In conditions such as this just one of those things. The equalising goal came in the second half from fine individual work by the Gotherington striker.
Just before the equaliser LRFC had a goal ruled out for offside despite the ball coming back off the crossbar from where the keeper had pushed it. This denied Connor opening his account but his chance will come.
Connor and Seth Beth impressed on their debuts playing the wide midfield role. It takes energy and reading of the game to play there and they both will take a lot from this match.
To start with a win is all you can ask. LRFC played well in patches and showed great character and desire to come back after being brought back to a drawing position. As fitness and understanding of the pattern of play develops there will. W more to come from this team.
A solid start and flashes of plenty to come.