B GRADE MATCH REPORT

Lane Cove West (O35) 4 - 3 LindfieldA (O35)

Match Report

Lane Cove West 4, Lindfield A 3

I have a video of 7-goal thrillers from the Premier League. It takes several seasons worth to fill a tape. This season, of the 380 games 
in the Premier, there were four that finished 4-3. That’s about one per team every 5 years. Yet Lane Cove West Over 35Bs have now 
had three 4-3 thrillers in 6 games. So the obvious question of the day is: why do 60,000 go to see Premier games, whilst, today, 
our biggest crowd since my mum went home still numbered just 2? (Hello, Bill, hello Tony. You don’t get that at Old Trafford, 
either: the personal greeting).

And despite the late kick-off, something (the press of traffic outside the ground? that also caused our opponents’ 9th, 10th & 
11th players arrive after the scheduled time?) made the entire crowd miss the start of the game. Which spared them seeing 
humiliation: we made our all-too-frequent sleepwalking start, and just THREE minutes in were 0-2 down. And this against a team 
who had lost their previous games 7-1 & 5-1, and whose confidence should have been at rock bottom.

First, a cross-field pass from John found, not Eric, as intended, but a Lindfield midfielder, who pushed it up the right wing. 
A simple cross, and a simple shot from a forward whom we had granted the Freedom of Our Six-yard Box: 0-1. Then a corner on the 
right, poor marking again, and a second simple goal: 0-2. Surprisingly muted celebrations from Lindfield, but then you have to 
recall that, at 2 goals up, they were in uncharted territory.

Our only consolation was that there was certainly lots of time left, and we weren’t panicking. Unfortunately, something else 
that wasn’t happening was the good football that had brightened our season to date. We seemed reluctant to attack the ball; 
too many passes went astray; and too many passes weren’t attempted, as we dwelt too long. So it wasn’t a surprise when, after 
7 minutes, Lindfield threatened a third: again from a good move on the right, but the shot went wide.

Then our moves began to work. Peter had a good run then shot (or possibly cross!) from the right that just sailed past the far 
post. Mark L was admirably competitive, and Neil’s shot from Mark’s cross was well saved.

After 33 minutes came our first step back from the abyss. A Peter free-kick special from way out rattled the bar (Ernie claims 
to have flicked it on, but also that it hit him on the way: stories which, on their face, seem inconsistent) and there was 
Warren to knock in the rebound: 1-2.

And there was still enough time in the half for the woodwork (well, actually, it’s metal at Blackman, but “metalwork” doesn’t 
sound right at all, does it?) to be clattered again: after a delicate pass through from Neil, Dave B blasted the ball onto the 
bar.

We reminded ourselves at half-time that second halves are what we’re good at, and sure enough, just five minutes after the 
restart, we were level. A long clearance from Dave W, a head-on from Dave B, picked up by Neil, chased by two defenders; a cool 
shot low into the net: 2-2. Route 1, definitely, and as I observed last week, maybe we need a bit more of it, particularly when 
our prettier game is struggling: Dave B & Neil can certainly capitalise. Today there were times when the big kick from defence 
would have been not just a good attacking ploy: it would also have been better defending.

From here the script was for Lindfield to roll over & die, and for us to rampage to an easy win. Unfortunately, they seemed to 
be reading from another page, and we seemed to be fluffing our lines. Peter got caught in possession just outside our area, a 
cross met Martin C’s hand, and penalty was Ivan’s inescapable conclusion. Dave W dived the right way, but just too high: 2-3, 
and only 14 minutes to go.

But we only needed two of them to get level again. Dave B chased a through ball that should have been an easy take for the keeper. 

He dropped it, and Dave stabbed in the equaliser: 3-3.

By now we finally did have the upper hand, and threatened our opponents often. Warren had a good shot on the turn. Tim F steamed 
in for his once-a-season shot. Later, he even took the ball to the goal-line, and almost managed to pull it back.

And our afternoon was crowned when man-of-the-match Neil chased another through ball, and – once again – shot coolly under 
pressure: 4-3

Ironically, there now remained the 4 minutes of extra time that we had urged Ivan to grant for the earlier delay when a Lindfield 
player had gone off following a nasty clash of heads.

Frantic scenes ensued in those 4 minutes, as our opponents made last-ditch attempts to save the one that was getting away. Caught 
up in the excitement, we attacked too strongly, and at one point were stretched at the back, but the danger passed. 

Great relief greeted the final whistle. We were lucky, in a way: Lindfield might fairly think that they’d earned a draw. Certainly 
we will rarely play as badly, and still win. On the other hand, we never gave up, as we easily could have at 0-2 and 2-3, and the 
result was a reward for keeping positive in adversity. Dave B, John & Martin P, as well as Neil, of course, got favourable mentions 
in the man-of-the-match voting, but everyone put in a great effort: I suspect that most went home lighter than they arrived (even 
allowing for the beer or two to restore fluid levels).

So only Bill now has a 100% lose record this year, and only yours truly is on 100% success! Our six games have produced 27 goals, 
but five games have been won by a single goal: truly the stuff to bring back the crowds!

MARK BRYANT