Saturday started wet, windy and miserable and that's the way the day continued.
We travelled to Highfields Rangers on a day clearly making a statement that summer was over!
With a few last minute drop outs, we managed to take 13 players with us for the trip and these 13 players are far good enough for the job.
With 4 lads 18yrs or younger, we fielded a pretty young side and giving a first start to new boy Harry Hopkins-Tamblyn who joined us earlier this month. But the management have nothing but belief in the lads selected.
The game kicked off. From the start the Albion lads were looking to calm themselves from previous weeks and were trying to set the game at our pace, passing the ball across the pitch and getting our full backs into solid advanced positions. The midfield partnership of Haines & Hopkins-Tamblyn looked good, popping little passes to each other and playing some nice looking football. The centre halves were even getting in on the act and playing balls through the lines finding players in good positions. It was looking like we were technically finding our feet and this pressure was paying off once we were building pressure on the Highfields back line, causing numerous mistakes but not quite capitalising from their errors. Again, things were looking nice. A free kick was given to the Albion about 30yrds out. looking to fizz a dangerous ball in it was slightly hooked but a deflection caused the cross to spin and drop at captain marvellous Jack Crowfoots feet and..... GOAL, never doubting his composure, he slots it into the bottom corner. 0-1 ESA.
The next 10 minutes were massive for us as we were continuing to look nice but even though putting pressure on, not quite putting the home team under much strain.

An equaliser was coming, and it did so from a corner swung into the area which eluded everyone in green and dropped to a yellow Highfields forward. 1-1.

If we are brutally honest, this is the turning point in the match. Shoulders viable slumped, chins dropped, the urgency to receive the ball in multiple positions stopped and options on the ball started to deplete.
Naivety in our honest played apart in the next goal as the ball bounced down the line and looked to have bounced out of play. Our defender stopped to question the decision in dis-belief and the attacker continued his run to play the forward through to make it 2-1 to the home team. This really got their tails up as their bench erupted with joy.
Just before half time the ever threatening pace from the Highfields forward proved again as they counter attacked our 'nice' football with aggression, leaving our centre half a massive task to chase him down. As the forward settled himself to shoot, our defender took the opportunity to pounce and put it what looked like a goal saving tackle, only for the ref who was still in the centre circle when he blowed his whistle, to give a penalty! Maybe his apology and lack of card for the Albion defender suggested the ref had doubts once he saw our reaction, however he didn't change the decision and the penalty was converted.

3-1 HT.

Half time was hard for the management. All players we obviously aggrieved by the officiating of the game and no matter what we said to change the mood, it was obvious the lads were gutted.
Unfortunately the second half continued to be an uphill battle physically and mentally for the lads which is understandable.
Highfields seemed to get bigger, stronger, fitter and faster as the game fizzled out for the Albion lads and even a couple of changes in personnel and shape didn't make any difference.

The game ended 6-1 to the home team and the players were hurting, management were hurting, the club as a whole.... hurting.

training this week is crucial, to help forget the current dip in form and look to rise again to where we know we can be.