Orange Not The Favourite Colour of the Man In Black

TPFC 2 Springfield 4

Saturday 29 March 2008

With a short notice change of fixture, TP were now scheduled to face mid table Springfield, rather than bottom of the table Cranbrook.

First time round we lost to a 10 man Springfield team, so we new they were useful, and we faced them without the Gaffer, so the injured Trevor offered to take the reigns from the sideline.

The team was announced several times before it actually right, but we finally got underway, not before contemplating performing the Haka on the half way line to challenge Springfield’s loud, rousing huddle!

But as we have come to use as a trademark start, pressure was put on Springfield from the off until we one a throw from it. However, unlike in other games recently, we weren’t able to turn the really early pressure into a goal. But we still looked dangerous and were finding ways through.

But it wasn’t long before we were exposed to problems. Specifically one tiny little rapidly fast problem – Springfield’s striker. Everything Springfield did ended up at the feet of him and it took a while before we worked out to stop him, then another little while before we actually could! Even Ferris and Calvin wanting a try, Calvin showing on many occasions that he was the one with the pace in the team that could have done (Note for next season – Calvin or Dwayne as Sweeper in this fixture!)

So influential was he that the first goal came from the opposite side of the pitch, with a ball played over the top for a slotted finish to the bottom corner.

An early change was required when Mark – who had shown some nice passes & touches in intricate spells of play - seemingly pulled a muscle, making way for Nat.

But what followed in the rest of the half were 3 more unfortunate goals being conceded. Not overly against the run of play, as the wind was doing its normal thing at the Flats, but when a shot goes through 3 players after not properly being cleared, when a slip in the goal mouth leads to the ball squirming over the line, and a wind assisted clearance avoided Steve’s hand and snuck in via the post, you know it might not be your day!

Especially when a dipping volley from Dan Spinola hits the bar and the wind – for all the good it did them, failed to hold up the balls played through for Ferris and Calvin.

But an insightful speech at half time from the Caretaker manager really hit home.

Another change was made when Tim volunteered to make way, David taking his place at right back, and the start of the second half was different – it was confident, its was disciplined, it was direct and effective – it wasn’t long before we were winning corners, before the balls being played over the top were being met by the pace of Calvin and Dwayne; The intricate spells involving Nat & Dan of passing were being effective in getting in behind them on the right hand side. This all culminated in a free kick being won on the edge of their box, which Sam duely tucked away after bending the ball around the wall and catching the keeper unaware – all above board as the Ref said he could take it!

Confidence was taken from last weeks second half come back, and it wasn’t long before the second goal came. Nick’s left boot was hit and miss all game, so when a volleyed in cross with his right was pumped back in, it found Ferris, and when Ferris gets the ball in those positions, he doesn’t miss!

These goals came either side of a goal line clearance from Dan Spin and from too many saves to recall from Steve – the highlights being:
A one-on-one with the striker racing through,
A top corner finger tip save from a header following a corner,
Several charges from his line to the feet of oncoming strikers &
A stop a brick wall couldn’t have managed when the other striker (was there one?!?) was chasing through a high ball.

But the game then changed, Calvin was booked harshly after an unavoidable clash with a Springfield player who was already falling after finding a ditch in the pitch. John was booked – as a few of us could have been (although I must stress at this point to anyone not at the game that all tackles mentioned above were not dangerous, simply an attempt to win the ball off someone with feet quicker than the blink of an eye!) – for a tackle on the striker that only David and Sam were finding ways to stop. And then a second booking followed for Calvin, trying to stop the Springfield centre back finding a clear route to goal.

Still, even with 10 men, confidence was with us, but the impact of this loss meant it was harder. Made harder still by an injury to David (at the time playing centre midfield), which meant Trevor came off the bench, only to suffer – but not to be stopped by – his own thigh injury. Terry Butcher, Paul Ince – you can play with bandaged heads, but can you win headers on one leg like Trevor can!

The game turned on the unfortunate decision to book Calvin, but testament to TP the decisions were not challenged. The ref was allowed to do his job as he saw fit and this was respected.

And, at the request of a Springfield player not to send David off (Ed’s note – for a tackle most would have applauded anyway!) as it ‘would make it too easy for [Springfield]’ – we didn’t need that help, as we played in the right manner which saw us deservedly win the second half 2-0 with goals unaided by nature – take that element out and we actually draw 2-2!

Team:
S. Speroni;
T. Collier, J. Helm (Capt), S. Balogun, A. Owen;
Mark, D. Spinola, N. Speroni, D. Mitchell;
F. Lindsay, C. Lindsay;

Subs:
N. Field for Mark (20mins);
D. Hambridge for T. Collier (45mins);
T. Lindsay for D. Hambridge (80mins);

Goals:
S. Balogun, F. Lindsay

MoM:
Dan Spinola;
Tireless, disciplined and in Trevor’s words, ‘orchastrated all that was good’