LATE GOAL NIPS OUR RECENT RUN OF GOOD RESULTS IN THE BUD

One aspect of our game this season that has been disappointing has been our tendency to concede early goals so it was encouraging to see us take the early initiative for once. Only 12 minutes had been played when Ollie Butler seized on a defensive mistake and laid the ball off to Chris Blunden who scored a typical poachers goal, squeezing a shot past a posse of defenders and just inside the post for his 8th goal of the season. Score 1-0.

Hope must have then surged through our supporters veins that we would now go on and win the game and continue the recent improvement in our form which has seen us go unbeaten in 4 previous games but it just didnt happen.

We rarely threatened the oppositions goal thereafter and their keeper Issac Hays had a relatively easy afternoon although Ollie Butler did produce some exquisite skills around the half hour mark to work himself into some space in the oppositions area and his fierce shot looked goal bound until a defender got his face in the way. Its probably still stinging.

Fortunately we were defending well with Ben Johnson doing a sterling job on the dangerous and speedy left winger Simeon Weekes who is Flackwell Heaths leading scorer. We should also mention David Saunders whom produced a super diving save to tip a well struck free kick from James Burrell round the post.

With 4 minutes to go to the break we looked as if we would keep our noses in front but a momentary lapse in concentration following a free kick deep into our guests half led to Adam Thomas levelling the scores. As we went off for the half time cuppa it was clear that we would have to up our game if we wanted to get something out of it. HT Score 1-1.

Unfortunately it was more of the same from us after the break and we had to dig in to at least get a point from the game and thanks to some stoic defending we were restricting our guests to few clear chances although we were hardly troubling their back line.

With 81 minutes on the clock the visitors finally made a break through with a cool finish from their impressive centre forward Fabian Orifill. Score 1-2.

We tried to respond and Tommy Twelves did try luck from the edge of the area but his shot went straight at the keeper for an easy save. We never looked like scoring and Flackwell Heath ran out deserved winners. FT Score 1-2.

A disappointing performance and result which could have been a reaction from our hard fought draw at high riding Hadley on Tuesday night but the games are coming thick and fast with no time for moping around.

One worrying incident was the sight of Harrison Cornick coming off in the second half to join Cam Brooks and Harry Seabrook on the injury list. With Captain Kieran Turner also unavailable for a few games it means our small squad will be put to the test against Broadfields United at home on Tuesday and then on Saturday when we travel to Ardley United in the FA Vase.

Teams:

TA:David Saunders, Harrison Cornick (James Ferguson 65), Tommy Twelves (Capt), George Carbery, Frankie Hercules, Ollie Butler, Chris Blunden, Emmanuel Gbejuade (Fraser Bryden 69), Ben Johnson, Evans Lamboh, Scott Bonner. Subs not used: Ali Mohiuddin, Jimmy Doherty.

FH:1 Issac Hays, 2 Tyler Gregory, 3 Ben Fraser (15 Jack Taylor 90), 4 Jamie Essex (Capt), 5 Brandon Eaton 6 James Burrell, 7 Adam Thomas (12 Usman Lalustani 79), 8 Alan Akerman (14 Sam Coles 79), 9 Fabian Oriffill, 10 Jack Shakespeare, 11 Simeon Weekes

Goals:

TA:Chris Blunden (12)

FH:Thomas (41), Orifill (81)

Crowd:135

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