Just Back v Preston on iFlop

silverlion

Well-known member
Staff member
A dour game but an ugly win and a welcome three points.

We started quite well and pushed the ball forward quite well. An early attack saw a long range and miscued shot from Bod. They were trying to play some joined up football and we were helping a little by giving them the ball. The game was fairly even and then we pushed the self destruct button. Some fancy play on the left saw us over play the ball and they broke down the right. We were a bit short at the back and they had an overload on their left. The cross came over and Evans had two to mark. He did get his head to it but nodded it across the box. Ched Evans hit it sweetly on the volley and Bart had no chance and it was 1-0 to them.
We had the wind knocked out of our sails and really struggled to get back into it for a good ten minutes. They saw that we were out of sorts and knocked it about with impunity. We were chasing shadows. We tried to press forward and a cross from Romeo was over the top to Bod who had a swing and a miss but the ball was cleared. We had a free kick which Cooper nodded on but Hutch's shot on the turn was saved. They were containing us comfortably and we needed a spark or a clever pass to get a good chance. And then our luck changed. A good one two between Jed and Mahlon deep in our half set Mahlon free. He hit a good cross field ball to Molly who ran fully thirty yards. The defence backed off and then parted like the Rad Sea and Molly hit a screamer from 30 yards into the top corner for 1-1. They were gobsmacked and tried to get back into it but the rest of the half was played out and ended evens.

GR must have had strong words at the break. We were not competitive enough in the middle, needed to win second balls and play simple direct passes. We started better. We pushed up the back line ten yards and looked a bit more of a threat. A deep free kick from Evans was knocked on by Cooper but it was too far in front of Bennett for him to get his foot on it. We were getting our foot in more and good 1/2 from Jed put Molly clear down the left but his cross came to nothing. A long throw came to Cooper who nodded it on but Bod's header was straight into the keeper's arms. Some persistent play from Bod on the right saw him break free and hit a good cross to Bennett but his shot came off the top of the bar. Another good cross from Romeo found Jed but his overhead kick was wide. Romeo put in another good cross and Mitchell's toe poke caught their defender's hand and flew wide but the ref did not give a pen. Woods made a good run forward, pushed it inside to Jed but his shot went across goal and wide. Another good run from Bod saw him pass to Molly but his shot was wide. From a Molly corner the ball found its was wide to Mitchell but it was headed wide.

And then came the winner with 4 on the clock. A good tackle from Mahlon set Woods free. He carried the ball forward and then dinked a good ball over the defence. Bennett ran on to it, just beat the keeper and nodded it over him into the net for the winner. Smith came on to replace Bod and at the death Ben came on for Bennett but the added five minutes were played without drama.

Bart never had a shot to save in the second half and could do nothing to save their only goal. Mahlon had a poor first half but a better second half and his run set up our first goal and his tackle set us on our way for the second. Evans was tidy but his distribution let him down a couple of times. Cooper was his normal dominant self and was solid. Hutch was good second half and always in the right place at the right time. He shared MOM with Molly who was a constant threat down the left and hit a screamer for the equaliser. Woods had his moments and hit some good attacking passes. His set up for the winner was class. Mitchell was solid but didn't drive forward as mush as I would have liked. Jed had his moments, Bod worked his socks off and Bennett was aggressive and took his goal well. Smith hardly broke sweat and Ben didn't touch the ball in his 4 minute cameo.

So, this was no classic. A clueless manager changes things around and wins the second half to get three points and moves us to tenth. We have played much better and lost but this time we managed to get over the line. But....it was not pretty.
 
A dour game but an ugly win and a welcome three points.

We started quite well and pushed the ball forward quite well. An early attack saw a long range and miscued shot from Bod. They were trying to play some joined up football and we were helping a little by giving them the ball. The game was fairly even and then we pushed the self destruct button. Some fancy play on the left saw us over play the ball and they broke down the right. We were a bit short at the back and they had an overload on their left. The cross came over and Evans had two to mark. He did get his head to it but nodded it across the box. Ched Evans hit it sweetly on the volley and Bart had no chance and it was 1-0 to them.
We had the wind knocked out of our sails and really struggled to get back into it for a good ten minutes. They saw that we were out of sorts and knocked it about with impunity. We were chasing shadows. We tried to press forward and a cross from Romeo was over the top to Bod who had a swing and a miss but the ball was cleared. We had a free kick which Cooper nodded on but Hutch's shot on the turn was saved. They were containing us comfortably and we needed a spark or a clever pass to get a good chance. And then our luck changed. A good one two between Jed and Mahlon deep in our half set Mahlon free. He hit a good cross field ball to Molly who ran fully thirty yards. The defence backed off and then parted like the Rad Sea and Molly hit a screamer from 30 yards into the top corner for 1-1. They were gobsmacked and tried to get back into it but the rest of the half was played out and ended evens.

GR must have had strong words at the break. We were not competitive enough in the middle, needed to win second balls and play simple direct passes. We started better. We pushed up the back line ten yards and looked a bit more of a threat. A deep free kick from Evans was knocked on by Cooper but it was too far in front of Bennett for him to get his foot on it. We were getting our foot in more and good 1/2 from Jed put Molly clear down the left but his cross came to nothing. A long throw came to Cooper who nodded it on but Bod's header was straight into the keeper's arms. Some persistent play from Bod on the right saw him break free and hit a good cross to Bennett but his shot came off the top of the bar. Another good cross from Romeo found Jed but his overhead kick was wide. Romeo put in another good cross and Mitchell's toe poke caught their defender's hand and flew wide but the ref did not give a pen. Woods made a good run forward, pushed it inside to Jed but his shot went across goal and wide. Another good run from Bod saw him pass to Molly but his shot was wide. From a Molly corner the ball found its was wide to Mitchell but it was headed wide.

And then came the winner with 4 on the clock. A good tackle from Mahlon set Woods free. He carried the ball forward and then dinked a good ball over the defence. Bennett ran on to it, just beat the keeper and nodded it over him into the net for the winner. Smith came on to replace Bod and at the death Ben came on for Bennett but the added five minutes were played without drama.

Bart never had a shot to save in the second half and could do nothing to save their only goal. Mahlon had a poor first half but a better second half and his run set up our first goal and his tackle set us on our way for the second. Evans was tidy but his distribution let him down a couple of times. Cooper was his normal dominant self and was solid. Hutch was good second half and always in the right place at the right time. He shared MOM with Molly who was a constant threat down the left and hit a screamer for the equaliser. Woods had his moments and hit some good attacking passes. His set up for the winner was class. Mitchell was solid but didn't drive forward as mush as I would have liked. Jed had his moments, Bod worked his socks off and Bennett was aggressive and took his goal well. Smith hardly broke sweat and Ben didn't touch the ball in his 4 minute cameo.

So, this was no classic. A clueless manager changes things around and wins the second half to get three points and moves us to tenth. We have played much better and lost but this time we managed to get over the line. But....it was not pretty.
Cheers silver