BS

DAR United 2 GPR 2

After a game of dominance and quality, our whirlwind season ended with a disappointing late equaliser to stunt what would have been three very deserved points to finish the year on a high. Football is a cruel mistress, isn’t it?

Our day began as a voyage to the hallowed grounds of Harrow Weald, miles from home turf. Our last visit almost exactly a year ago had ended in a crushing defeat to league runners-up, Atlantis.

Despite this, against DAR United, against whom we’d counted a win and a loss, the game felt like a decider. Both games had been wrought with brewing tension between the two sides, and there was little chance it would be put to rest this weekend.

Our mission was to get the ball on the ground and play. And we started the game very much on the front foot. Marcus went early. Two chances inside the first five minutes were both flagged for offside, but the rattling of the crossbar signalled our intent. Gavin’s ghosting runs past the back line supported the threat, but to no avail.

Andre and Josh were dominating the middle of the pitch despite the numbers they were up against in a vintage display. Playing as a makeshift left back, Alan was commanding on the ground and in the air as he freed up Sina to push into the attack.

It looked like a game with goals, but the first thirty minutes came and went without a score. The Salads were totally on top, but couldn’t find a breakthrough.

Then, a break down the channels found Marcus.  With his weaker foot, he crossed the ball and Rory leapt like a salmon to cushion the effort. The keeper went to parry but Raf, who’d drifted in at the back post, was first to it, and his movement earned him the game’s opening goal. 1-0.

The team erupted, a deserved reward for our efforts, and the goalscorer’s celebration matched it. Half time followed soon after.

There wasn’t much to nitpick. We were totally on top, and with the home side squabbling on the touchline, spirits were high. Jeff was brought on and we got going again.

If you’ve never seen Jeff run before, you could be forgiven for thinking you could effort an extra touch. Sadly, DAR’s backline didn’t get the memo, and on the restart they were almost punished for it. Jeff immediately won the ball and broke through for a shot that forced the keeper into a save.

Two minutes later, he moved himself into an even better chance, but the shot grazed the post as it went wide.

A flurry of chances for Marcus and Gavin followed. The latter had his best chance of the game, doing brilliantly to manoeuvre into space on the edge of the box and hook the ball. It looked certain to slide past the goalie but instead bruised the inside of the post.

On the counter attack, their no. 9, who’d been in a physical battle with Dan all morning, broke free off the defensive line and charged into our half. He scuffed the shot, but it worked for him, and went out of reach of Mike. 1-1, very much against the run of play.

It was a shock to the system, but cooler heads prevailed and we went back on the attack. Eventually, we got our second breakthrough. After a break down in play in their half, Gavin scrapped for the ball. He laid it off to Marcus, whose shot slipped through the keeper’s legs. 2-1.

With the quality of the game falling fowl of fatigue, it looked like we were going to close out the win. Jeff ran through the back line, and went 1-on-1 with the keeper. He curled it round his outstretched foot, and it looked certain to go in. Somehow, the ball rolled around the wrong side of the post.

Then with minutes to go, disaster struck. A hoof into our box wasn’t cleared. One of DAR’s players took the ball down and struck with ferocity into the back of the net, connecting with the ball just right. 2-2.

It was a frustrating, undeserved equaliser. We had to respond, and almost did so when Marcus’ run down the right flank put him through. The keeper closed the angle, so he squared it, but we couldn’t convert. The final whistle blew moments later, bringing to an end a result as disappointing as any.

It didn’t feel like a fair reflection of the game, or our season, but a punch in the gut, a timely reminder that the work continues.

We will keep working in the off-season, and come back next year, hungry to go again.

To everybody who has followed us this year, sincerely, thank you. To our loved ones, we apologise and sincerely hope you’ll take us back now.

At least until July.

MOTM 💫 = Gavin nicked it for his impassioned performance, but Josh and Andre were superb in controlling the midfield. Alan is also a more-than-honourable mention.

DOTD 👀 = The opposition keeper.