The OTs changed their formation to a 4-3-3 to try and kick start their season with some goals. The game took place down on Knotts in the driving rain. The overnight rain had made the bumpy surface slippery and the ball zipped through on the bounce. Tonbridge again started with promise, passing the ball down the right with Tom Dye and Giles Binnie keeping hold of possession well and spreading it across the defence and midfield.
The best chance of the opening third of the game fell to Chigwell, when the striker broke through one-on-one with Bugge, the keeper made a cracking reaction save with his left foot and the ball rebounded into the air for the striker to hit first time at the goal, the ball was in if it hadn’t been for a quite extraordinary piece of defending. Jon Atkinson had tracked back onto the goal line and managed to get his chest to the ball to prevent the goal. Chigwell were incensed that a handball was not given. Ironically it was their central defender who was lucky to stay on the pitch after his rant, he only received a yellow.
Chigwell’s first goal came from another corner; on 25 minutes the OTs managed to clear to Evans, he then launched a long ball which was collected by their defender on the halfway line, his long cross was volleyed into the right side of the net, Bugge had no chance. A good finish.
The OTs had their chances in the first half though, Lockwood received the ball on the 6-yard box from Dye accurate long throw. With his back to goal, his shimmy sent the defence the wrong way but unfortunately he sent the ball past the right upright. Charlie Hill struck the ball millimetres over the bar from the edge of the area after an efficient team move.
Cook had half a chance to pull the trigger in a bit of space but selflessly tried to set up his teammate.
The majority of Chigwell’s chances came from them being the first to the 50:50 balls. This is becoming a familiar trend in our games. The OTs are guilty of following the ball and not their man from time to time. It is important that we anticipate where the ball will go after the first header. This is what happened for Chigwell’s second goal. After 40 minutes there was a throw in from the left touchline, Chigwell’s striker guided his unchallenged flick-on header to his strike partner who had enough time to look up and strike the ball crisply into the bottom right of the net.
Playing the 3 player up front meant that Lockwood and found it increasingly difficult to get into the game. At half time the OTs reverted to a 4-4-2 formation to bolster the midfield, Hill moved to left midfield, Evans and Lockwood in the middle and Binnie on the right.
Tonbridge enjoyed possession at the beginning of the second half, but struggled to get the forwards into the game. Spurling was skilful as ever but was up against a big and strong centre back, who starved both OT forwards. Moxon came on for Binnie who was finding it difficult to make a big impact on the right flank. Moxon distributed the ball well and linked well with Dye. Rory Brandt continued his fine form for the OTs, he made life tough for the strikers, winning headers and worked well with Atkinson senior in organising the defence.
Beveridge came onto make his debut replacing the captain and did well on the ball, he looked composed at left back and produced some lovely passing down the line.
Chigwell then sealed the 3 points with a sloppy goal. Yet another set piece led to the goal, a corner from the left was whipped into the far post, the OTs got the header on the ball but again when the ball dropped into the centre of the 6-yard box Chigwell were there first to prod the ball into the back of the net. 3-0 at the 80 minute mark and the OT heads dropped.
The OTs are suffering from a run of bad results but must persist and the results will come. Our losses have come at home on the small Knotts pitch which is not conducive to our style of play. We have also played the strongest teams in the league. Let’s not be disheartened, we just have to work hard for each other.