Team | Yardley Men’s 1st Team |
Opponent | Solihull Blossomfield 2 |
Date | March 14, 2020 |
Result | Loss |
Score | 1 – 3 |
Goal scorer: Jeevan Chagger
With time running out, this was a game that Yardley needed to win to keep alive their mathematical chances of staying up.
Once they had settled into their stride, Yardley began to create several probing chances in what proved to be quite a lively start. At this stage Blossomfield were largely playing second fiddle thanks to some resolute defending by the home side Zach Jarvis and Alex Makepeace were working hard to give their side some control of midfield. Eventually, midway through the half, a promising break-out saw Jeevan gain possession of the ball midway into the opposing half. Continuing to surge forward he entered the D to fire home a cracking shot to give his side a deserved lead at this stage. Gradually, Blossomfield began to gain more of a foothold into the game and an equaliser came via a bit of s scramble in the Yardley D and a shot on goal gained a deflection off a defender’s stick looping the ball out of Neal’s reach into the goal.
It remained honours even at the break, with Yardley feeling that perhaps they should have made more of their early grip on the game.
At the start of the second half. It was the visitors who began the stronger, forcing Neal into some excellent saves to keep his side in it. Midway through the half neither side was showing much of an upper hand. Then from a ‘long corner’ hit, Blossomfield forced the ball into the D and scored a soft goal (from a defensive point of view). From then on It looked more likely that they would add to their lead, while Yardley, strangely, seemed to accept their fate. They rarely troubled the visiting keeper at this stage. Late on, another Blossomfield foray forward saw a cross from the right make its way into the D to be met with a simple tap-in to clinch all three points.
Yardley will be very disappointed especially with their second half performance. With their fate seemingly now sealed, it remains a case of regrouping for a fresh start in October.