League: Colts 2 v Croydon 3

It really was a game of 2 halves!

 Today was always going to be tough, but a great comeback from Croydon in the second half took both points from a Colts team that played well, on a pitch that doesn’t help our pass and move football. All 3-league defeats have come at home!

As soon as the whistle went Colts were on the front foot and all over Croydon. Playing 4-3-3 as usual we really did play totally in the opponents half and after 6 minutes we deservedly took the lead from a corner.

Remy swung the ball over and it bounced around for a minute in the box until James got hold of it and smashed it goal bound. It took a deflection off a Croydon defender and looped up and over the keeper into the net. 1 nil but we deserved it.  Jack O and Richard were on top of their game but Scott was magnificent today. He closed people down early and won all his 50/50 tackles.

The defence were rarely tested and when they were, Rhys was at hand to tip an early effort round the post and into safety. The Colts continued to dominate a first-half, which saw, Jack A-B, James and Stuart all have chances to extend our lead before the break. But it was Nathan who was first to react to Stuarts flicked pass, and slotted it home for a 2-0 lead as the whistle was sounded. Things were going to plan but we knew Croydon could play better as our scouting mission had seen from a few weeks earlier. They flooded the midfield in the second half in that game but we were ready.

Croydon changed the destination of the two points inside the first 13 minutes of the restart with 3 identical goals. (33,38 and 43 minutes) A strong, unopposed run, from #7 straight down the centre of the pitch was enough to create the chances the forwards needed and the Colts were now on the back foot. We just couldn’t win those 50/50 tackles now and when we did we couldn’t keep hold of the ball long enough to take the game back to Croydon.

We tried to push them up to the half way and condense the midfield, which would bring our forwards into the match again, but it was Croydon who were bossing the game now as they held out to complete a great comeback. We had played well enough for a point in hindsight but Croydon’s second half display was too good in the end.