Upminster Blue
Manager
What a stonking day at Aggbrough, it doesn't get much better. Terrific gutsy showing in the last ten minutes to finally get the win we should have sown up much earlier. But then if we had sown it up earlier we would have missed out on the fantastic ending.
We were by far the better team, despite looking very tired and lethargic all over the pitch. Kiddie were a long ball outfit which was meat and drink to Barrett and Prior. They scored with their only shot on target.
Just about deserved our lead at half time - free kick won on the edge of the box by Barrett which Eastwood rifled home with a low shot around the wall and in to the bottom corner. We sat back after the goal and soaked up what Kidderminster could throw at us, which wasn't much. Most of the team looked tired after Rushden and it was hard to retain possession on a bobly pitch.
Only downer of the first half was the injury to Bentley - took a kick to the shin after 40 minutes and was replaced by Bramble with Petts moving to central midfield.
Started the second half more positively with Bramble making a couple of storming runs and playing in Gray and Eastwood for one on ones with the keeper. Kidderminster upped their game as time wore on and had the majority of position. We struggled to keep hold of the ball. However, they didn't really look like scoring. That is, until the 78th minute when they had their first shot on target - a half cleared corner which some how found its way into the back of the net from the edge of the area. Cue nausea feelings amongst the massed ranks in the away end. We'd thrown away 2 points and Kiddie now looked the more likely winners.
However, we immediately upped our game (why didn't we do this earlier?). Dudfield (who had replaced the injured Bramble) broke down the right and put in a beautiful pulled back cross to the unmarked Nicky Nic just beyond the far post. Nicky miscontrolled the ball with his left foot and it fell to his right. The chance had gone, we thought. How wrong were we! He pulled the trigger with a thunderbolt of an angled drive over the head of the defender on the line into the top far corner. Cue mass delirium of a Col U win type with Nicky diving into the away end!
But we weren't finished. Almost straight from the kick-off we broke again with the ball eventually being crossed from the left wing to the on rushing Eastwood to bury with a classic Shearer style strikers header. Cue more delirium!
We easily saw out the last 5 minutes and the celebrations at the end were superb. Happy days.
Special mention to the away support. Must have been a good 500 there who completely out sung the home support. I was in the seats and the noise from the away end was immense.
Second special mention to the food at Aggborough - out of this world. Almost worth the trip on its own. Yeovil (in fact all clubs in the football league) take note.
For what it's worth, player ratings:
Grimienk - 7 had little to do but what few crosses he had to deal with he dealt with well. Didn't think he had much (if any) chance with the goal.
Hunt 7 - solid as a rock defensively. Very harshly booked for a great interception. Didn't offer too much going forward.
Prior 8 (MOTM) - a collusus at the back. Superb decision by Tilson to bring him back given Kiddie's long ball style - won everything in the air.
Barrett 7 - usual rock solid, take no prisoners performance.
Wilson - 7 solid game, did what he had to.
Pettefer - 7 usual terrier like performance, battled throughout and looked ok in central midfield.
Maher 6 - not one of captain marvel's better games but kept going and encouraged the team throughout. Didn't control the game as you would usually expect.
Bentley 6 - usual fully committed display covering acres of ground but didn't see enough of the ball to make an attacking impact.
Nicolou 7 - an up and down performance. Looked tired at times but playing him wide gives the team much better balance. Great goal!
Gray 6 - usual 100% effort chasing everything. Had few goal scoring chances and suffered from a lack of support and decent service for the most part.
Eastwood 7 - typical Fredy performance, struggled to get involved but still popped up with two cracking goals - comes alive when he gets a sniff of goal. Could have had a couple more with a bit of luck.
Subs:
Bramble 8 - a real threat down the right. Two inch perfect through balls almost led to goals. Hopefully wont be out for long.
Dudfield 8 - sublime run and cut back for Nicky Nic's goal. Super sub Dud's was a real threat.
Edwards 6 - was on for less than a minute (nice of Tilson to give him an appearance bonus after his last few top performances).
Roll on Boston. Things are looking good
We were by far the better team, despite looking very tired and lethargic all over the pitch. Kiddie were a long ball outfit which was meat and drink to Barrett and Prior. They scored with their only shot on target.
Just about deserved our lead at half time - free kick won on the edge of the box by Barrett which Eastwood rifled home with a low shot around the wall and in to the bottom corner. We sat back after the goal and soaked up what Kidderminster could throw at us, which wasn't much. Most of the team looked tired after Rushden and it was hard to retain possession on a bobly pitch.
Only downer of the first half was the injury to Bentley - took a kick to the shin after 40 minutes and was replaced by Bramble with Petts moving to central midfield.
Started the second half more positively with Bramble making a couple of storming runs and playing in Gray and Eastwood for one on ones with the keeper. Kidderminster upped their game as time wore on and had the majority of position. We struggled to keep hold of the ball. However, they didn't really look like scoring. That is, until the 78th minute when they had their first shot on target - a half cleared corner which some how found its way into the back of the net from the edge of the area. Cue nausea feelings amongst the massed ranks in the away end. We'd thrown away 2 points and Kiddie now looked the more likely winners.
However, we immediately upped our game (why didn't we do this earlier?). Dudfield (who had replaced the injured Bramble) broke down the right and put in a beautiful pulled back cross to the unmarked Nicky Nic just beyond the far post. Nicky miscontrolled the ball with his left foot and it fell to his right. The chance had gone, we thought. How wrong were we! He pulled the trigger with a thunderbolt of an angled drive over the head of the defender on the line into the top far corner. Cue mass delirium of a Col U win type with Nicky diving into the away end!
But we weren't finished. Almost straight from the kick-off we broke again with the ball eventually being crossed from the left wing to the on rushing Eastwood to bury with a classic Shearer style strikers header. Cue more delirium!
We easily saw out the last 5 minutes and the celebrations at the end were superb. Happy days.
Special mention to the away support. Must have been a good 500 there who completely out sung the home support. I was in the seats and the noise from the away end was immense.
Second special mention to the food at Aggborough - out of this world. Almost worth the trip on its own. Yeovil (in fact all clubs in the football league) take note.
For what it's worth, player ratings:
Grimienk - 7 had little to do but what few crosses he had to deal with he dealt with well. Didn't think he had much (if any) chance with the goal.
Hunt 7 - solid as a rock defensively. Very harshly booked for a great interception. Didn't offer too much going forward.
Prior 8 (MOTM) - a collusus at the back. Superb decision by Tilson to bring him back given Kiddie's long ball style - won everything in the air.
Barrett 7 - usual rock solid, take no prisoners performance.
Wilson - 7 solid game, did what he had to.
Pettefer - 7 usual terrier like performance, battled throughout and looked ok in central midfield.
Maher 6 - not one of captain marvel's better games but kept going and encouraged the team throughout. Didn't control the game as you would usually expect.
Bentley 6 - usual fully committed display covering acres of ground but didn't see enough of the ball to make an attacking impact.
Nicolou 7 - an up and down performance. Looked tired at times but playing him wide gives the team much better balance. Great goal!
Gray 6 - usual 100% effort chasing everything. Had few goal scoring chances and suffered from a lack of support and decent service for the most part.
Eastwood 7 - typical Fredy performance, struggled to get involved but still popped up with two cracking goals - comes alive when he gets a sniff of goal. Could have had a couple more with a bit of luck.
Subs:
Bramble 8 - a real threat down the right. Two inch perfect through balls almost led to goals. Hopefully wont be out for long.
Dudfield 8 - sublime run and cut back for Nicky Nic's goal. Super sub Dud's was a real threat.
Edwards 6 - was on for less than a minute (nice of Tilson to give him an appearance bonus after his last few top performances).
Roll on Boston. Things are looking good