Match Report

Goals scored
Tony Bush, Paul Munyard

Man of the match
TBC

Another week, another game, another bitterly cold morning! This week’s game was against fellow strugglers Outward Common! With only 7 games left of the season, Manager Peter Smart needed anything but a loss, knowing his future at the helm was teetering on the edge.

Landsdowne seemed pretty disheartened knowing that they had the same ref as the previous game. After Dave Rix’s red card the week before he was a little anxious to say the least. Rav. then hit him with some more bad news. 5 weeks out and a £48pound fine! Upon seeing the referee’s letter, Dave found out that he'd ‘deliberately kicked out as the opposition’. Now we all know that Dave Rix wouldn’t do such a thing..

Same formation, a few different names in the starting XI, namely Dave R starting in an unusual left back role and the welcome return of Mr. Johnny Orme at right back. Skipper Mark Hart won the toss (for the 2nd time ever I might add) and elected to bowl…I mean.. Go up hill and against the strong wind. Landsdowne started out the first 15 minutes with a positive mentality and looked quite solid or so it seemed until a rush by the winger and striker down the left saw a few players being caught out of positions as they we’re playing some neat one-twos. The winger then struck a fierce (but looping) shot from the edge of the 18-yard box. Bewildering the Landsdowne goalkeeper, and seeing any effort to save it finish in the top right of his goal. 1-0 Outward Common.

Never seeming to get into 2nd gear Landsdowne struggled to get into the game. Things got a whole lot worse when Outwards 2nd goal went in. Some may think the goal scorer had a little too much time to take the goal, but regardless, he scored. Despite taking a terrible bounce goalkeeper Bling got low and was unlucky not to save it after he got a good hand then seeing it cascade into the net after it stuck the post….just. Following the 2nd goal came fewer chances for Landsdowne, struggling to gain momentum, trying to play balls over the top against the wind and up THAT hill. Landsdowne conceded a free kick in David Beckham territory and paid the price. 3-0!!!

Just before the half-time break Landsdowne won a freekick in the same area. Up steps Landsdowne very own Thierry Henry (Tony Bush) who scored a quick free kick after the nod from the referee. 3-1 down with a whole half to go out and win? After many arguments from the Outward team the referee decided to blow the whistle for half time. Good Work.

The second half began well with Landsdowne seeming a lot more commanding, decisive and solid (either that or we had the wind and we were going down hill!). Little in the way of goals though, the goal shy strikers not taking any of the opportunities they latched onto. Thus a change, the farmer on for the young gun Perry. Farmyard’s first game back from; injury, illness, hangover, tiredness, etc. and he received a welcome applause from the traveling Landsdowne contingency. How well he repaid them by notching his first goal of the season, a tap-in from 3cm from a Tony Bush shot. 3-2 with around 10 mins to go. Could they capitalize!? No. Another loss. On a brighter note you’ll all be glad to hear that Tony Bush picked up his 4th yellow of the season, cha-cha-ccccccchinggggg.