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DAFC LKB report

Falconwood 3 DAFC 1

Sunday 22nd November 2009

With Dave Kersey at work, LKB manager Josh Waddell took the W&E side to Coldharbour to face Falconwood for the first league meeting between the sides. Falconwood have been victorious twice against Albion already this season with two cup victories and Danson were keen on revenge.
Albion were without a number of players meaning Pike, drafted in from the LKB team was a lone substitute. The team lined up as follows:

Silley
M. Radley Hewitt Haines Barry
T. Jarman D. Jarman  Davison T. Kersey
Potter
J. Radley

Waddell told the players the need to improve the team ethic and that message seemed to have hit home in the early goings on. Despite the torrential conditions making it difficult to get any fluency in the play, Danson were working hard for each other and communicating effectively. Kersey had recently decided to put the captains armband up for grabs and not naming a captain seemed to also have a positive effect on the team as a number of the players took extra responsibility.
The visitors got their rewards for a positive opening when a ball over the top saw a 50/50 challenge by Alex Potter on the Falconwood ‘keeper and the ball fell loose to Jof Radley on the edge of the area who chipped over the backpedalling defender to open the scoring. This Jof’s fifth goal in five games as the striker’s purple patch continues.
Rather than building on the positive start though Danson were soon on the back foot and their earlier hard work was soon undone when a ball over the top was latched onto and the Falconwood attacker who shot home to equalise.
With the increasing swirling wind and rain in their face, Albion were coming under increasing pressure and struggling to deal with the long throws from the Falconwood left back that flew right in on goal. Silley made a double save before the hosts eventually took advantage of their long throws. Learning from the previous danger, Barry took up a position on the back post but the spinning ball fell under his foot and into the net to turn the score on its head and put Falconwood ahead.
Not long after Albion gave themselves a mountain to climb. Silley misjudged a cross and could only palm into the path of the pressurising attacker who headed home to make it 3-1.
At half time Waddell asked his players to get back to what they were doing during the first fifteen minutes of the game and with the conditions now in their favour there seemed optimism that they could fight their way back into the game. The central midfield trio of Dan, Sean and Alex were competitive and strong whilst the team seemed more comfortable in possession. Alex, Tom Kersey and Jof saw chances come and go and despite being the better team for the entire second half, Albion were becoming more and more desperate for the breakthrough.
Waddell pushed Tom Kersey up alongside Jof in attack to provide greater support with Barry pushed into left midfield and the team going three at the back. Sean, impressive in possession  in central midfield was tiring and replaced with Pike as Albion continued to press.
However time ran out for the visitors and their efforts were to no avail as referee Ken Bailie blew time on proceedings. Overall Danson played well as a team for an hour of the game but that thirty minute first half period was ultimately costly. The team seem to become fragile after conceding a goal and they will need to respond to setbacks with more grit and determination if they are to succeed. If Albion can replicate their second half performance in future games they can look forward to the season with optimism and begin to work their way up the league.