Men's 3rd XI Vs Ashby 4

Following last weeks walk over - 3 points & 5-0 win vs Boots 6’s without the need to lift a stick in the new league after promotion to Div 9, South found themselves travelling down A42 to last season’s 3rd placed team Ashby.. 

A much changed team to the only pre-season match saw the Brydon brothers reunited at the heart of the defence, flanked by their esteemed teammates, Adam Hopewell & Andy Wallace..  The Central midfield unit of Ben Walker & Brian Blackmore - usually more accustomed to life closer to Goal keeper Alex Heron, but needs must due to the ever complicated issue of player selection!  These stalwarts were supported by our amazing youngsters, Thomas Brackenbury & Will Bingham (whose Dad, Craig B waiting dutifully on the sidelines to relieve any weary legs) out on the wings looking to feed the front pair of Captain Stuart “Grozzy” Croston & Neil Batty making his league debut up front.. 

A slightly delayed start saw South make early inroads a create a number of chances for last seasons record goal scorer Grozzy, who fired wide on two occasions, the pressure continued from the experienced South unit as aerials rained down on the Ashby defence, leaving Grozzy through 1 on 1, but the skipper found the keepers chest pad on two more occasions, one shot rebounded back to the striker who’s attempted lob unfortunately found the top of the net… Would these missed chances be telling come full time? 
Great work across the pitch from every South player who performed magnificently against a well drilled Ashby side filled with a blend of quality experience & youthful energy made it to half time with the deadlock yet to be broken. 0-0

A frustrated, apologetic team talk from the skipper was reinforced by wise words of the perennial Will Brydon who brought the energy up and made sure South came out of the blocks in the 2nd half.. 

Ashby pushed back to start the second half,  but within seconds the ball was intercepted and some slick play between Batty & Tom B saw South earn a PC.  A well worked “slip right” 1-2 between Ben Walker & Grozzy was finished with aggression by the out of form skipper.. 0-1!

The following exchanges saw Ashby come more into the game and a couple of missed tackles by the usually strong South defence saw a scrappy goal conceded. 1-1

This goal seemed to spark both teams into life to go hunting for the win - but the task was made harder for South as defender James Brydon suffered a recurrence of a calf injury, so South were down to a bare 11 for the rest of the match. 

A break down the right saw South penetrate the D, the ball found Grozzy on the right who squared to Batty under pressure who fired into the Ashby net past the keeper (Leicestershire U-16 keeper apparently). 1-2!

A further 1 on 1 for Grozzy was saved AGAIN by the advancing keeper to maintain the frustration levels for the skipper. 

Another South break saw Batty drive through to the top right of the D but the attempted shot/pass to the back post was drilled at head height and nearly knocked Grozzy’s red sweat band off his bonce! 

Ashby turned the screw and took advantage of South’s draining fitness levels with another scrappy goal that pinballed its way into the South goal. 2-2

Some last gasp attacks saw both youngsters, Will & Thomas have chances that just missed the goal, one more fell to Grozzy who tried to sweep in from close range only for the ball to hit the cue end of his stick to complete the frustrations of the afternoon. 

Final score 2-2.

Great effort from everyone, especially the youngsters who showed great composure on and off the ball, if only Grozzy had his shooting boots on and taken one more of his many chances, this may have been a different report - but all in all a decent performance and a point in the bank! 

Onwards and upwards to next week!