The similarities are that last season provided 2 very competitive games from sides finishing in the bottom 4 and both have recruited this season with ambitions to move towards mid table safety. The start made in 2022 suggests both sides could achieve this, A & B were 5th and Street 5th from bottom but with games in hand.

After 90 minutes of generally entertaining, often scrappy, football the hosts held on to their 44th minute lead, landed in mid table and A & B’s 4 game unbeaten run came to an end. The question is how on earth did we manage that??

We opened up much the sharper side, within 10 minutes, Harry put in a great trade mark low cross from the left but D J (Preddie) was 2 inches away from reaching the ball and an open goal. A minute later Miles shot beats the keeper, a defender on the line deflects the ball with his ARM onto the cross bar for a corner. NO penalty, NO sending off. We could see it from 70 yards, that obvious, but as it wasn’t given, we asked if we imagined it! We have played back on the VEO camera (sponsored by Masters roofing), it was a penalty.

Another Walker cross, found Alfie unmarked at the back post but headed straight the keeper. Miles split the home defence, D J’s pace took him away but on his left foot, he hit a powerful shot into the side netting. Our new strikers linked up as Joe banks set up D J, who hit the right side netting with Joe unmarked in the box.

Other than a couple of shots from distance that were not on target the hosts hadn’t threatened Lewis Jefferie’s goal. A minute before the break, Street attacked the right flank, a low cross across the face of goal wasn’t cleared found harry Foster at the far post to tap in from 3 yards. Street took their chance.

H/T 1-0.

The 2nd 45 was very similar to the Buckland game here, 1st game of the season, we totally dominated but not enough quality to create clear chances or win the game. Too often a Backwell player would produce a great tackle but a poor clearance, a superb 1st touch, poor 2nd touch, a timely tackle then pass it out of play or find a green/white shirt.

On the 70th came the big moment of the half, again involving the young referee. A long ball out of Backwell’s defence was chased down by Joe Banks, who managed to get in front of the home centre half. Joe controlled the ball 20 yards from goal, he was then bundled over. NO red card, NO free kick. Street could have been down to 9 players.

D J, Miles, Oscar ( I think), Bish all had opportunities to score but to no avail. Lewis in goal did have to make 1 good save from Foster, Street’s only threat in the half.

F/T 1-0 M.O.M Harry Walker.

Team, Jefferies, Anthony, Reece, Pearce (Bishop), Walker (Sollers), Connor Saunders, Cattermole, Hardidge, Cummings (Solari), Preddie ( Newman), Banks