[JonInMiddleGA]

Dec 8, 2012(afternoon)
Blyth (3-6-11, 23rd) vs Ebbsfleet (4-10-6, 17th)

Would you believe they're on a six match streak without a loss? That's why they're four points ahead of us now (although with a match in hand for us). We need to score early & make them sweat, they've only managed 13 goals in 21 games, even we've done better with 20 in 20. Problem is tired players & the need to be able to have lineups that can contend with Cambridge in b2b matches on Wed & Sat, first a league tie and then an FA Trophy matchup. 4-4-2 Attacking to open.

GK: Knight
D: Kulsten, Jones, Antwi, Sinclair
MF: Phillips, Morrison, Groves, Richards
F: Armstrong, Clarke-Harris
Bench: (Purvis, Matondo, Stamp, O'Connor, McDonald)

8:30 - They cross into the box & rattle a shot off the golapost
11:30 - Armstrong with a chance for us but he's offside
17:00 - Switch to Standard
20:30 - Morrison gathers a loose ball in the arc ... and FIRES ! (1-0)
29:00 - Ebbsfleet on the counter ... rattled the post again
45:00+ - Added time winding down ... Phipp shoots from the left side of the area ... Knight punches ... Phipp gets another try on the rebound & doesn't miss (1-1)

Halftime - Sigh, we must hate leads. Been outshot 9-2 so far, maybe we just hate offense.

55:00 - Switch to Attacking again
61:45 - Morrison thinks about a shot from the arc ... waits ... spots Armstrong and hits him ... into the box .... GOAL ! (2-1) That one was set up by an aggressive run down the left channel by Groves after a takeaway in our half.
64:00 - Switch to Counter
70:00 - Sub Stamp for Armstrong (tiring,knocked) ... Sub Purvis for Sinclair (tiring) ... Sub Matondo for Groves (tiring)
71:48 - Purvis with a quick lob into the area ... Phillips header ... GOAL ! (3-1)
79:00 - Switch to Defensive
79:30 - Stone in traffic out in front ... left footed shot ... it hits his teammate Lorraine and ricochets in past Knight (3-2)
83:15 - Willock gets loose on a breakaway ... Knight blocks it ... loose rebound ... Willock again toward an empty net ... it's wide right
88:00 - Switch to Contain
88:45 - Phillips with a corner to the far post for Antwi ... saved .. rebound to Jones ... GOAL ! (4-2)

Fulltime - I'll take it. To win like that, outshot 16-7, completely unexpected. I don't care.

Knight 6.8
Kulsten 6.9, Jones 7.5 & 1 goal, Antwi 6.9 & 1 assist, Sinclair 6.9
Phillips 7.7 & 1 goal, Morrison(MOM) 8.6, 1 goal & 1 assist
Groves 6.7, Richards 6.9
Armstrong 7.2 & 1 goal, Clarke-Harris 6.8
Subs: Purvis 6.9 & 1 assist, Matondo 6.9, Stamp 6.9

Dec 8, 2012 (postmatch)
We're still in much danger, 22nd place with 18 points, 1 behind Ebbsfleet & more importantly 4 behind #20 Kidderminster ... but the climb out has to start somewhere.