Jez George reports:
CRC - a week that was goalless & winless but not pointless
After two tough away games that have seen us take only one point, not score a goal and lose our first match in the league since Saturday 8th August, we are going to abandon our principles about development and sign as many senior players as possible before our trip to Needham Market next weekend. Are we hell!
If our primary aim was to win football matches, this would not have been a good week. The fact that our primary aim has always been development, with good results the by product of talented young players working hard within an organised team structure, means that it has been a fantastic week.
Our league programme has had very few setbacks, with several runs where goals and wins have come freely. To maintain a 27 match undefeated run is a superb achievement. To score in every match since that defeat on the opening day of the season also takes some doing. For a team comprising of 16, 17 & 18 year olds, this level of consistency is incredible.
Now we have another test; how do we react to losing this air of invincibility? Can we maintain our belief in how we play to create chances and score goals? In essence, with a team more depleted than ever, we need to show character. The end result will always look after itself if you focus on the detail that is required individually and collectively. The pleasing aspect of both games has been that our work rate and desire have been beyond reproach.
Now we need to add quality in possession of the ball so we can add the cutting edge and incisive forward play that saw us score more goals than anyone else prior to this week.
These two games were like chalk and cheese. We found a hostile atmosphere at Leiston against a team that knew their season was over with anything but a win. We handled ourselves well in the physical stakes, in the face of challenges that crossed the line between aggression and intimidation.
The discipline shown by our players was excellent and we stood our corner, whilst probably not fighting fire with fire to the extent that a more experienced team would have done. In giving free kicks but not punishing tackles any further, the referee allowed the home team to set the rules for the day. Whilst no-one took a step back, we should have gone over the line once or twice ourselves to get amongst them.
Our biggest problem throughout the afternoon was that we allowed Leiston to dictate, with the game descending into a scrap rather than us being composed and good enough to play our football in these circumstances. "Fire in the belly, ice in the mind" is a saying that springs to mind.
We had the former but not the latter. We played with angry heads, not cool heads in a game that required controlled aggression but then the ability to create our forward shapes to play football. As a result, especially after they scored an early goal, we failed to create any clear chances. In the second half, for all our pressure, we never once tested the home keeper.
The final whistle sparked greater scenes of celebration than were seen on a balmy day in August at Walsham-le-Willows. Our stock has risen!
On Tuesday, we travelled to Dereham without the services of Martin Davies & Lewis Carr (both out for the season with ankle ligament and back injuries respectively), Adam Marriott & Sam Ives (on first team duty) plus JP, Christy Finch & Remi Garrett (shorter term injuries). Add to that our long lost friend, Rory McAuley, it makes 6 of the starting XI from the start of the season.
I say that only to put the result in context. Last season we lost 4-0 at Aldiss Park. The reaction to the defeat on Saturday was excellent in terms of resilient defending, work rate and desire. We also showed more composure in possession against a team who actually wanted to play in a football match. Unfortunately, clear cut chances from open play were still at a premium.
Alex Bevan denied the home side with a fine recovery header after a good cross by their right winger and Jack Eades stood up the perfect ball on the angle in the second half but Jack Bailey was outmuscled at the far post. In earlier games this season, we have always "got out of jail" when we have needed a goal from set plays. Even in our last game against Wroxham, our first goal was a 25 yard free kick from Daz and the winner originated from a wide free kick. Against Leiston, our deliveries for once were poor.
At Dereham they were back on the money but the final touch was lacking. Luke Berry should have done better with one header and other flicks evaded all of our onrushing players. That said, a draw was a fair result and credit should go to the home side. They played a 4-5-1 formation, flooding midfield and making them tough to break down. We are finding this scenario more and more as teams pay us the compliment of changing their tactics to stop us playing. It's something we need to overcome and is a great test of our belief and ability.
On Saturday we welcome Woodbridge to the R Costings Stadium and with rain forecast, we look forward to playing on a pitch that will allow us to pass the ball at pace. It is no excuse, but after the bad winter, many pitches have little grass on them and when they dry become very lively. It then becomes much easier to stop a team scoring and goalscoring opportunities become harder to create. It is then that half chances are vital; shots need to be reigning in from 20 yards and set plays are even more important.
On the other side of the coin, Josh Coulson and Rory McAuley's contribution towards the first team's recent unbeaten run is evidence again of how success will really be measured for our young team.
