View attachment 972440
Crashing Down To Earth
After last months fantastic start I reiterated the point over and over to the players to not get ahead of themselves as we were still perceived as one of the weaker teams in the league and boy did that show this month. If my talks didn't make them notice this month definitely did.
View attachment 216608
Looking at the table it didn't look so bad. 14th for a team expected to finish in the bottom two, where the odds had the down for guaranteed relegation. But it wasn't the table that bothered me this month it was the performances and the results.
View attachment 216607
First game of the month was the real eye opener. A team who had struggled this season somehow demolished our back 4. The only positive is that it was only the back 4 who were poor. The midfield controlled the game and our forwards were only stopped by fantastic defending. But it was Hemels fantastic defending which lead to their fantastic counters and goals. What made it more infuriating was that the first goal, which really opened the flood gates, was a penalty given from a needless challenge.
Hemel Hempstead 3-0 WSM
The next game was one which could easily have been a draw. The dominant midfield which was shown in the last game continued their form whilst the strikers continued to tear apart defences. However once again we went 3-0 down against Ebbsfleet. AGAIN(!!!) the first goal was a penalty! Another needless challenge. They then added a second from a fantastic free kick.
And you ask what is worse than conceding 2 penalties in 2 games.... conceding 3 penalties in 2 games! A back 4 which was so strong for the most part of that first month had collapsed so far this month and was letting teams take points away from us despite us being the better side.
WSM 1-3 Ebbsfleet
The next game saw us pick up our only points of the month and after a good draw for the cup I decided to play our best (fittest) side. An own goal had given us the lead early on but the Chelmsford defender shouldn't have felt too bad as if he didn't touch it Reid was there to tap it in. Reid then did find the net on the half hour mark after some fantastic play eventually saw him head home for his second of the season.
The dominant performance then took a bit of a knock when we got to the hour mark as 3 substitutions were made in which our 3 best players were replaced due to fitness. This saw Chelmsford have a couple of chances, one of which they converted to make it a nail biting end to the tie. An injury with 20 minutes left saw Jacob Cane, who replaced Reid, limping around (he would later be ruled out for 5-7 weeks with a twisted ankle) saw us clinging onto the lead desperately but we were the only side who almost added a goal as a crippled Cane hit the post with minutes left.
Chelmsford 1-2 WSM
The most infuriating game of the month was saved till last though. A team one division below us, Paulton, hosted us in the FA Cup qualifying. Fielding a weakened team I expected nothing but a win. My defensive tactics worked perfectly in the first half as I looked to settle the fixture down a bit and stagnate their attacking football which was exhibited from the get go.
However they were a very dirty side. 2 injuries in the space of 2 minutes in the first half forced me to make two changes, one in defence and one in midfield. Another knock to a midfielder forced me to change tactics and go all out attack. With the desperation of playing players out of position and Ash in an attacking midfield role I tried to claw a victory out after they had scored a free kick just after half time.
In the last 5 minutes Ash had scored an equaliser BUT (of course there is a but, there always has to be a but...) play was called back for offside, against ROMARIO REID! He never touched the ball, he was on the other side of the pitch at the half way line the entire time! After having the dodgy call against us for offside the players looked frustrated and failed to build up the motivation to claw it back leading to our 3rd loss in 4.
Paulton 1-0 WSM