After a dismal performance last time out, this week needed to be a turning point for our season.
We welcomed 2nd placed Ashby Ivanoe Res who according to form were very much one of the teams favoured for promotion.
With coach Pete not available for the warm up and the notorious Lump having to put a kit on, Manager Aron had to conduct the warm up in drizzly conditions whilst hobbling around in a space boot after fracturing his foot in the last game. Things could have been better.
There is one thing we always say to the lads, and that is that the only team that really beats us is ourselves. During the warm up this seemed to be the case. We were short in numbers due to one excuse or another and this was affecting the lads, excuses were circling like a thunderstorm overhead. However we battle on.
As the game set under way it was clear from the away dug-out that they really wanted to play pretty football and this was forced upon the players. The home dug-out clearly wanted a passionate, gritty performance from the 11 players.
We took a good 10 minutes to settle down and Ashby looked to pull us about without really causing concern. The defence knew they were in for a game today but really did do well for the whole of the first half, with no team really creating goal scoring opportunities. However, I would say Ashby were the most threatening. The lads went in at half time tired, and well worked.

HT 0-0

The second half continued in the same manor, Ashby playing the better football but the Albion lads seemed to want it that little bit more and worked bloody hard to stay level. Considering we had a bare 11 and a few players were out of their 'comfort zone' we really really battled tremendously well and only let ourselves down slightly in the technical aspect when we tired.
One chance was all we needed and it seemed one goal would settle the match. 15 minutes until the end and some nice football from the Albion caused a little confusion in the Ashby defence, and saw our top goal scorer Olner running through 1 on 1......... the keeper came bolting out of his area and just needed slotting home. Olner, who by the way did not stop running and chasing down all game, was visibly struggling to sort his tired legs out and as he struck the ball goal-wards, slightly slipped and hit the ball agonisingly wide. Unlucky, but that was the chance.
Minutes later Ashby were awarded a free kick 30yrds out from a foul that could have been avoided. The Ashby player tried his luck from range only for it to be well saved from Zack as it skipped up off the wet surface. Unfortunately it bounced off the keeper and fell to an Ashby forward, 1-0 Ashby. They celebrated that goal as if they'd won the game and knew they didn't really deserve it however, that's football.
Again, minutes later, the Albion lads progressed up the pitch to win an attacking free kick and the big lads were sent up! A lovely ball curled into the back post to find the one person you'd want on the end, Kyle Newall, all he had to do was head it back across the keeper. He did that perfectly but when its not your day, its not your day and the header drifted just wide of the post.
Moments later the ref blew for full time 0-1 to the away team.
Disappointed with the loss, the lads heads were down, but the positivity to be taken from the performance is almost as good as a win. Massive improvement in resilience and work rate only to lose to lady luck.

A mention has to be made to the referee of the game. The first time I have had a female referee for a fixture and it was a bonus to the game. Officiated the match and communicated well, there was that element of respect in the air that other referees do not get and I think its healthy for the game. Far too much confrontation and immaturity towards officials these days, but we couldn't play the game without them.