[JonInMiddleGA]

Oct 22, 2011 (afternoon)

Blyth (6th, 7-1-5 ,+6) at Corby (4th, 7-1-5, +11)

We're underdogs on the road, what a surprise. The Steelmen are 4:6 faves at home on the Steel Park pitch, we're 7:2. Not sure how the drizzle might affect things, or even if it will. A 4-4-2 with a Defensive strategy to open. Random note, today marks the 300th career league appearance for Armstrong, the 100th for Mole and the 50 for us for Groves.

GK - Hartley
D: Kendrick - Mellish - Purvis - D'Laryea
MF: Matondo - Groves - Vipond - Emms
F: Armstrong - Mole

11:00 - They've taken a couple of long shots that went wide, we've had a couple of longish shots that went over
21:45 - Corby's Jordan Smith left Mellish in the dust and went in clear, shooting from the right of the arc but Hartley punched it away
25:02 - Smith again on a bit of a break, outrunning Kendrick to a casual ball in the right channel, he cuts loose a shot but is flagged offside. It was wide anyway
29:04 - Free kick from the right by Mayo, floats it into goal area, header by Gulliver looks easy peasy (0-1) D'Laryea lost contact with his man on that one
32:00 - Tons of pressure by Corby, Kendrick blocks a shot & then recovers to head another opportunity clear in about a fifteen second span.
34:30 - Matondo plays a long ball ahead to Armstrong, he's on it but Gulliver marks him ... the captain comes ahead cautiously, spots the keeper inching out and lobs one ... it's in !(1-1)
40:00 - Emms speculates from about 40 yards out, just goes over the crossbar
43:40 - Mayo too casual with a clearance attempt & Armstrong blocks it, takes a quick shot that's saved by MacKenzie
45:00+ - in the final seconds of extra time, a Corby corner gets them a header that goes just inches high
Halftime - Playing surprisingly well frankly. These guys are faster than we're used to, that's led to a lot of longer passes that we normally run onto becoming turnovers. Outshot 8-6 and we've had little possession (38%) but they're foul prone (10, to our 3). I'd happily leave here with one point, so we'll remain defensive for now at least.

46:21 - Corby threatened right off the whistle, Vipond has three touches in the sequence and kept them just out of synch enough until they get flagged for offside

50:45 - Emms corner gets to Vipond's head charging into the middle, the shot bangs off the crossbar, they concede a throw-in that comes to naught

57:00 - Give and go between Mole & Groves produces a quick shot from 30 yards out by Mole, MacKenzie blocks it and Armstrong is just a stride too late to snag the rebound before a defender knocks it out for a corner. Emms plays it too long & over the touchline

60:00 - They earn two more shots, Mellish blocks one, Hartley gathers up the other

63:40 - Sub Slaughter on for a tiring Vipond ... they'll also have to replace DC Cavener who took a hard tumble that required treatment while trying to mark Matondo

67:35 - Matondo down the left sideline, cuts a pass over to Armstrong in the middle, he trots closer, fires a shot that's agonizingly close but just wide & over. That's our best opportunity to make something happen, Matondo is fast enough to get a little room if we can only finish what he starts

They sub, so do we ... Phillips on for Kendrick (Matondo to LCM, Slaughter to LWB)

70:25 - Phillips gets a half chance near the spot, it's blocked and cleared away.

82:53 - Corby's corner goes right into the middle of the box ...Jones has the better of Mellish and the header is past Hartley ... damn (1-2)

Our end game woes continue ... Sub Taylor on for an exhausted Mole and we'll switch to Attack mode to try to get an equalizer

90:00+ - We'll have four minutes of added time to work with ... and do nothing with it

Fulltime - Fought hard, no lack of effort today, just not enough horses. Got outshot 16-10, gave up 60% of possession, but they were something we hadn't really seen: a team that was quicker than us in our offensive end.

Hartley 6.3
Kendrick 5.7, Mellish 6.7, Purvis 6.7, D'Laryea 6.1
Matondo 6.9 & 1 assist, Groves 6.0, Vipond 6.8, Emms 6.7
Armstrong 7.2 & 1 goal, Mole 6.7
Subs: Phillips 6.7, Slaughter 5.9, Taylor N/A

Oct 22, 2011 (post-match)
No presser but we hear in the hallway that Altrincham has fired Lee Sinnott. At least I'm not out of a job yet