Match Report

Derby Ams (1) v Beeston AFC (2)

Date: 13/12/08
Team: 2nds
Match Type: League
Venue: Home
Opposition: Beeston AFC

It was a wet and muddy afternoon as we prepared to play Beeston at home, looking to improve on the solid performances in the past couple of fixtures. The pitch wasn’t best suited for passing football, but derby looked to do so from the kick off working the ball well across the middle. Trying to use the flanks and spread the play saw the ball being pushed forward to the strikers and then being played to the wing to put balls into the box, but with no end product.

Beeston too were also putting pressure on the Derby goal with a couple of good early chances and a succession of corners brought more concern in the home teams penalty area. With no side gaining a clear advantage a draw at half time looked likely, derby created a few openings the best of which fell to Perry who blazed his chance pasted the post.

The second half started better for the visitors with some early attacking opportunities putting pressure on the Derby back four; Beeston’s goal came with about 10 minutes of the half gone, Derby failed to clear the ball and a shot from outside the area beat the keeper. We were by no means out of the game and still continued to use the width with Hosker looking for the ball and Pateman running the line and looking to use his pace to good effect.

Derby didn’t let their heads drop and still probed forward, a reshuffle due to a substitution saw White going to left back and Perry moving to left midfield and Clay being replaced by Macmillan who slotted into right midfield. Some good play from both flanks were producing results with Macmillan making some good forward running and White putting in good crosses from the left but Derby still didn’t capitalize.

Derby’s goal came from a floated Hosker free kick which saw Jebbett head the ball home. The game was set for an entertaining finish. The referee lost control of the game late on with some poor decisions leading to frustration and a couple of nasty challengers from both sides with players lucky not to be booked on either side, considering Bravo’s long winded tirade about the ref’s poor performance did make the few of us on the side laugh. Beestons late winner came from an attack down our left and the cross although deemed off side by the linesman was ignored by the ref who gave the goal before even talking to the linesman.

Although this is a loss boys we were far from out classed and again showed that we won’t let our heads drop. The footballs still patchy but were now beginning to play our own game against opposition. Let’s keep up the good work and start to win a few games.