In difficult conditions, with a blustery wind blowing straight down the pitch, we played some excellent football at times which was eventually rewarded in the goals warranted by our performance.
With the team shorn of our usual central midfield players, most notably Luke Berry, it was pleasing to see 17-year-old Jordan Johnson, a new signing, making his home debut, and old stager Rory McAuley stepping up to the plate.
Jordan coped well in his first start at the R Costings Abbey Stadium and Rory was superb, showing the versatility and ability that makes him such an asset. As well as giving the team a physical presence, Rory always applies himself properly to the task at hand, uses the ball intelligently and is effective in whichever position he plays.
On Wednesday at Godmanchester in the Ridgeons League Cup, he played at centre back and was the best player on the pitch.On Saturday, in central midfield, the same could be said. And this from primarily a right back. His desire, work rate and winning mentality is a tremendous example to our younger players and can help to influence their mindset.
The first half showed the value of rehearsing set plays.We have several options depending on the position of a free kick in the final third of the pitch and the players are empowered to make these decisions based on some guidelines that I won't elaborate on so early in the season! Suffice to say, we have left and right-footed players who can deliver quality balls, and in perfecting the movement in the box we can be very dangerous.
Our winner on Wednesday (at Godmanchester Rovers in the Ridgeons League Cup) came from a corner, with Rory glancing the ball home at the near post, and whilst the March Town United manager watched the game, it is one thing knowing what you are going to do and another thing stopping it. We also made sure that we only showed him one free kick and corner, and kept the variations up our sleeve.
The opening goal from Jack Bailey's volley came courtesy of an excellent near post flick and his run not being picked up. We have worked a lot at the timing of Jack's spin, so it was pleasing to see an end product to Daz Coakley's delivery. The second goal, from a short corner routine, was expertly flicked on by Alex Bevan and his header went in via the far post.
In between, we also threatened from open play with the increasingly threatening combination of our two Jacks almost adding to our tally. Eades sent in another perfect cross and Bailey was denied by a fine save, not catching his volley as cleanly as his opening goal.
With half time fast approaching, and our goal rarely threatened, Adam Marriott all but clinched the tie by winning a penalty and Rory (above) converted the spot kick with no fuss.
The second half could have seen our lead reduced within seconds but Martin Davies denied Ashley Brand in a one v one courtesy of a defensive gift. We got ourselves together and applied more pressure and really should have put an end to any lingering resistance from the visitors, but our finishing in this spell failed to match our approach play and the NRE goal led a charmed life.
You would have got good odds at this stage that March would have scored the next goal, and on the hour that is what happened. Ashley Brand this time found the top corner with a rasping drive from 25 yards.No complaints about the strike; it was a great goal but we should have pressed the ball far better in the passing movement that proceeded. Martin Davies was alert in thwarting another possible 1v1 with a well timed advance off his line and we shook ourselves out of our temporary lethargy to re-exert our control on the tie.
Jack Bailey held off an opponent and his left footed cross shot presented Maz with a close range tap in. This was definitely the pivotal moment of the half, completely knocking the wind out of their sails. As March tired and spaces opened up, we exploited these holes with some scintillating one touch football around their box and ran away with the game.
No one is better than Maz in these situations and he tormented their defenders with his subtlety, intricate touches and disguise around their box. At the same time, Jack Bailey was enjoying his best display since his hat-trick at Histon Reserves, rivalling Rory McAuley for the mantle of our most influential player.
He really looked like a proper no.9; holding the ball up, setting and spinning, turning adroitly and posing a threat all afternoon. Sure of touch, Jack was the focal point of our attack and gave our regular watchers a glimpse of the talent we know he possesses but, like Jack, are frustrated he cannot produce more regularly.
He deserved his second goal and whilst it was aided by a deflection, it proved the point often made by Nolan and me regarding the importance of getting your shots off early. An extra touch is often the difference between a blocked shot as opposed to a potentially decisive deflection. You make your own luck and deflected goals are the result of early shots on target, so more to do with good technique than fortune.
Jack also played a part in our final two goals. Firstly, he used his strength to dispossess a defender, turned and stood a fantastic ball up to the far post which Daz Coakley finished with a textbook downward header. He then set up Maz to complete the scoring with a picture book goal. His deft flick over the advancing keeper was a fitting finale to our last 20 minutes but you had to feel for our opponents.
March Town worked their socks off for 70 minutes, before finally capitulating after the fourth goal as fatigue set in. When we play at a tempo and move the ball quickly, it is difficult for any team at our level to live with us for 90 minutes. It was also achieved without our version of perpetual motion, Luke Berry, who missed the game as a precaution as we await a scan to assess a back injury.
Our task now is to maintain these standards.Since our defeat on 15th August to Kings Lynn Reserves, we have won 11 and drawn 1 of our next 12 matches in all competitions. In the past, we have needed the "kick up the backside" of a defeat every ten or so games for the players to be reminded that a small drop in our work rate and intensity leads to a massive decline in our performances.
Nolan and I ram this point home every day but unfortunately, the players have always needed proof! Defeats against Mildenhall, Stanway & Felixstowe at home were cases in point last season. Success should lead to an increased desire and motivation to work hard and perform. The danger is that it can also lead to complacency.
We must prove the mentality of players has improved beyond the need for an occasional defeat if we are to sustain this run. There is an interesting few weeks ahead of us in the league then before we can think about this competition again next month, when we play Enfield 1893 at home.
Team:
Davies, Bevan, Coakley, Carr, Hudson, Johnson, Eades (Kessack 70), McAuley, Bailey, Marriott, Patrick (Bennett 80).
