MATCH REPORT: RESERVES VS CRAWLEY UNI

Young Greens exit the Stratford Cup on Penalties in a closely-fought encounter against Crawley United.

This would be the first Home game for the Rotherfield side since September, with the greens stringing together a series of stubborn away performances culminating in back-to-back wins against Willingdon and Ringmer in recent weeks.

The confident Rotherfield side started the brighter, playing the ball across the back with composure against an aggressive press without creating anything of note in the early stages.  Captain Ridley setting the tone alongside the returning King and ever-reliable Sutton.

Crawley then pegged the greens into their own half with their high press rattling the previously-composed backline and preventing Rotherfield from playing out. Unable to link with the influential midfield pairing of Birdsall and Chittenden, the ball ended up being thrust forward long and early to strikers Bowen and Blackstone, playing straight into the hands of the powerful Crawley rearguard and putting Rotherfield further onto the back foot.

A series of Crawley corners caused by long, raking balls into the channels created chaos in the Rotherfield penalty-area, with only the lightning reflexes of Gurney keeping the greens level. Rotherfield then settled down and looked to impose themselves physically on the game, limiting the away side to longer efforts that whistled over the bar, with fullback Holman working hard to win the ball back down the Rotherfield right and releasing the young and lively Caird on the break.

It was now the turn of the home side to swing the ball into the Crawley penalty-area, with a series of corners and long throws from the left, and efforts from Lelliot and Birdsall from outside the box being the closest the greens had come so far.

The final-third quality was lacking from both sides throughout the first half, so fair to say the teams had resigned themselves to going into the break at 0-0.  However, a poorly-pressed thrown-in down the greens left resulted in a scuffed cross that eluded several outstretched Rotherfield legs, leaving Gurney helpless and the Crawley forward the easiest of finishes.  The ball barely had time to make it back to the centre circle before the whistle blew for half-time - making the goal even more disappointing for the home side.

After being set some challenges at halftime by Manager Bowen, the greens once again started the brighter, with some aggressive midfield play from Birdsall and Chittenden, along with the willing-running of Blackstone setting the tone early on. 

Again, the away side dealt with the early green pressure with ease and regained control of the game. Technical midfield play putting the Rotherfield fullbacks into races down the channels, and requiring the very best of stopper Gurney to keep the young home side in the game.

As with the previous week against Ringmer, the changes proved to be the difference again, with the introduction of the pacey Brazier and the trickery of McInulty on the flanks causing immediate chaos on the Crawley backline.  A high-press from Brazier resulted in a ricocheted ball landing at the feet of McInulty, who glided past several members of the Crawley defence before slipping the ball to the lively Blackstone who finished from close range at the 2nd time of asking after a good initial save from the Crawley keeper.

Further substitutions were made by the Rotherfield management team (1 manager with no voice, and 5 subs acting as a megaphone), with young Thomas, tall Evans  and energetic Furman entering the fray late in the game to provide some fresh impetus.

The game briefly levelled-off after the Rotherfield equaliser, before the away side once again dominated the centre of the pitch and created several gilt-edged chances to win the tie and save the game from the gloomy penalty shootout that had started to look inevitable.  Green stopper Gurney stood tall and alone in the face of several goal-bound efforts, with a number of saves leaving the away bench in disbelief and utter-contempt toward the young keeper.

Manager Bowen managed to sneak in a few further substitutions in lieu of the impending shootout, with Player Bowen and Blackstone returning to defend a final corner before the whistle blew for full-time.

The greens were full of confidence going into the lottery of penalties, with an in-form keeper and half the squad immediately volunteering to take the long, lonely walk to the spot.  The lack of final-third quality in open play had been replaced after the full-time whistle with 10 excellently-struck penalties from both sides - taking this nervy event into sudden death.  The high-quality shootout continued, with only a top save from the Crawley stopper able to swing the tie in the away-side’s favour - followed by another strong Crawley penalty to end the tie and knock the greens out of the Stratford Cup.

On reflection, probably a fair result given the balance of play with green’s keeper Gurney receiving the plaudits from both sides, and the subsequent Man of the Match award. Nevertheless, the young Rotherfield side, and their 2nd half performance, help retain their upward momentum as they return to league duties away against an even-younger Brighton & Sussex Medical School side next week, who will be looking to get revenge after a 5-1 defeat early on in the season.