On Saturday 8th October, Men’s 2s travelled to Old Loughts looking for their 2nd win of the season but knew Old Loughts would be a strong team who finished 4th in Div 3SE last season.
The 2s started well in the early exchanges, kept possession of the ball and created a couple of chances for Phil Hudson which were well defended by the home GK. Around 20mins Old Loughts had their first opportunity to breach the 2s defence and with a couple of deflections the ball found itself to the back post where an Old Loughts player was there to tap it in for the lead.
There were a few more chances for the 2s before the break but these were snuffled out by the well drilled Old Loughts defence as well as some poor decision making in the final 25 from the away side.
Straight after the break Old Loughts quickly found a way in the D to squeeze the ball through 3 U’s defender to the back post where an unmarked player was there to tap it home from close range.
This may have been tough on the away team but now had to find their way back from 2 goals down for the 2nd successive game. Fortunately enough a PC was rewarded and Michael Scrivener managed to move it onto the unmarked Nick O’Dell who found the backboard with a super strike.
The 2s now pushing forward at every opportunity almost equalised when some fine skills inside the D saw Steve Wright with a clear shot on goal, managed to pull it wide of the target. With just 3 mins remaining the 2s continued to camp inside the Old Loughts half and were rewarded when a long corner found its way back to Rob Bugeya who crashed a ball in and Michael Scrivener found a superb deflection to completely wrong foot the GK to equalise.
It was no more than the 2s deserved but they will have to find a way to stop conceding goals to turn these draws into wins. 2s now face Thurrock 1s at home who also find themselves unbeaten at the start of the season after winning all of their 3 opening games of the season.
DOM – David Young
MOM – Ryan Hodges
