football rambles

 Well, I have been to a lot of poor games this season including the Solihull Moors one the day before. However, this one was a classic and one that will live in the memories of both sets of fans, but probably longer in Villa fans'.  The game got off to a blistering start when John McGinn found Ollie Watkins in space and crossed the ball for him to head home with only two minutes on the clock. However, if Villa thought it was going to be a rout, they were to be mistaken as Chris Rigg scored on 9 minutes to make it 1-1. For the next period of time Sunderland looked the better of the two teams, but with just under 10 minutes left in the half Ian Maatsen found Ollie Watkins in space for him to head home and put Villa in the lead. Finally, Villa really had the bit between their teeth and looked to increase their advantage before halftime. the second half started as the first half had finished and with the half only 2 minutes old, a lovely placed shot saw Morgan Rogers put Villa 3-1...

 11th v 12th in the National League in a dead rubber game at the end of the season was never going to be a classic and so it proved. It was one of those spring days where it felt more like November and threatened to rain but never quite managed it. Getting on the bus at the airport going in the wrong direction to the ground was an omen of things to come. The game itself didn't have much life in it as both teams cancelled each other out in central midfield and it was short on action or entertainment. The catalyst of change was in the 66th minute when Conor Wilkinson of Moors was sent off for an alleged racist remark. Hopefully there wasn't. It seems that the Moors coach was confident enough as he brought the players off the pitch in protest. He was also backed up by the Boston coach, so it seems there could well have been a misunderstanding. After a lengthy break in play, the teams came back out, but pretty much everyone had lost interest apart from a few of the Boston players, ...

Downham started off the game with the slope and the wind in their favour, probably hoping for a repeat of the good fortune that they had with it last week against Witham. However, things didn't go to plan from the start when Shane Temple leapt on a defensive error after only 6 minutes to give the visitors the lead. What Downham lacked in defence though, they made up for in attack and Charlie Royle grabbed an equaliser in the 17th minute. However, another defensive error led to an own goal on 40 minutes and Brightlingsea were 2-1 up at the break. Downham came out firing in the second half, but now the slope and the wind was against them and on 55 minutes Finlay Adams all but put the game to bed by giving Regent a 3-1 lead. Downham continued to chase the game, but it never felt like they were going to get back in it from this point - and they didn't. This was the day when the somewhat inevitable relegation was confirmed.

 The second day of Easter and my second game saw me go up the road to see Downham take on Witham in what will probably be one of the last few games for Downham in the Isthmian North. The wind was high and in the first half Downham had the double advantage of the slope and the wind. Due to these factors they dominated the game and the ball was pretty much in Witham's half for the entire of the half. They must have had at least 10 corners.  On 28 minutes Downham finally took the lead when Nathan Davies converted after a corner found Jake Miller. The ball might have been already going in when Davies converted but anyway Downham finally had the lead they deserved. Downham continued to dominate but you did worry that going in at the break at only 1-0 might not be enough as Witham would have the slope and the wind in their favour in the second half. They didn't have to worry too much though, as Downham were able to frustrate Witham, and keep them at bay. They clearly were frustrated...

 The bank holiday weekend kicked off with a somewhat arduous trip to nearby Peterborough thanks to public transport chaos, so thankfully it was an entertaining game. Sports have been on a bit of a downward spiral and are looking like relegation candidates. It's been a disappointing season for King's Lynn but the away supporters who travelled in numbers would have expected a win. Lynn probably had the best of a tetchy first half but their failure to get the full backs forward and the midfielders on the ball mean there were not too many clear cut chances. Just as it looked like the half was going to finish 0-0. However, in the last minute of the half a dreadful error from Aaron Chapman in the Lynn goal let Luca Miller in to give the home side a halftime lead. The second half saw Lynn spring into action and after 5 minutes Morgan Williams had an equaliser. Lynn clearly fancied the win and started to pepper the Sports' goal. However, as soon as they were in the lead, the defenc...