Should have tested their 'keeper more.
There's not a lot to say about this game except that the home side, Holmesdale FC, are a very good side, can definitely play a brand of football that is pleasing on the eye and which, unfortunately, the Crows were not able to cope with over the 90 minutes.
They were competent at the back, strong and creative in midfield and skilful and speedy up front which caused our midfield and defence many problems throughout the match. One would suggest they have been together for a fair amount of time and they are a pretty settled side week in, week out, something we'd like may be however, have not been able to really achieve so far this season.
The omens were not good for the Crows when we first arrived as the facilities obviously pass the ground grading requirements but are basic to say the least, as an example, there's no parking space for the visiting team or spectators, the accommodation for fans is make shift, there was no programme and it's not often you turn up at a ground and there's smoke billowing across the pitch, as people are burning waste material whilst clearing the scrubland less than 20 yards behind one goal.
The weather was rather inclement when the match actually started, somewhat 6 minutes later than it should have done, as for some odd reason the home side spent longer in the dressing room than the Crows who were left waiting to enter the pitch in the pouring rain.
As the Crows started the game it was obvious that Holmesdale had a rather young goalkeeper between the sticks and that, may be, it would be a good idea for the forwards to put him under pressure early on however, to do that you have to have access to the ball, something for the first 45 minutes that was denied to us due to the home sides play.
In fact, during the first half, we never managed a real shot on target and only one corner came our way and this was solely down to the fact we never held or had the ball for any length of time and spent most of the half chasing shadows.
The home side defended the "smokey" end for the first half and after only 6 minutes the Crows could have gone 1-0 down as Hampson came out of his area and appeared to take the player out but the referee decided he won the ball and a corner was awarded.
Only 4 minutes later Hampson came to the Crows rescue again when he was left exposed by a flowing move from the home side but he stood firm and deflected the ball for another corner as they missed a one-on-one chance.
Holmesdale were dominating play now as their neat one or two touch football kept the ball from the Crows and after 16 minutes they scored the goal that their play deserved however, it was an error on our part, a corner was needlessly given away, which led to a header being knocked on to the bar by Hampson, only for it to rebound to Stewart who headed in.
The Crows frustration at having to spend a lot of time and energy chasing the ball led to a booking for Waterman on 22 minutes and then the referee took the players off the field as choking smoke covered the pitch which meant that you could not breathe properly, let alone see anything in front of you.
Holmesdale officials went and sorted the problem out and after a 7 minute break play resumed with a drop ball but the break didn't alter the situation for the Crows as we still had to do far too much chasing of both player and ball for the rest of the half.
In the 32nd minute we had our only shot either on or off target in the half following good work by Ademiluyi but his low cross found Treleaven six yards out however, his shot was tame and easily cleared by the home defence.
One minute later it was 2-0 to the hosts as their 'keeper threw the ball out to the left wing and Stewart run fully 60 yards before slotting the ball past Hampson whilst leaving defenders in his wake.
Therefore, the half time whistle went and a quick assessment of the gathered Crow's supporters led to the conclusion that we were a yard off the pace, we were standing off them too much allowing time to control the ball and turn before getting anywhere near them, our passing was poor and when we did get the ball, we gave it back too easily and that may be the extra-time played on Tuesday was affecting some of our players.
If the away side hoped that the break would shake Holmesdale out of their rhythm then they were sadly disappointed as the second half carried on in much the same vein as the first, the home side dominating the ball and possession and the Crow's players doing an awful lot of chasing around.
On 55 minutes the Crows made a couple of changes, Waterman went off with a knock to be replaced by Charlton and Funnell, who had done a lot of chasing, was replaced by the bigger presence of Damarli Morrison.
These changes did seem to perk the away side up, which hasn't always been the case this season, as on 60 minutes we earned our second corner of the game, however, 2-0 became 3-0 in the 73rd minute when Romario Hart used his great pace and strength to beat and out-muscle Cameron just outside the area and he was able to run on and put the ball through Hampson's legs at the 'keepers near post, 3-0 and game over we all thought.
In the 75th minute Boddy replaced Butler and the away faithful did have something to cheer in the 80th minute when Ridley scored from an acute angle after beating two defenders in the penalty area and at least we felt that we had a shot on target now, our first of the game.
They say you are most likely to concede just after you have scored and unfortunately, that's what happened as Daniel Stewart, I believe, was able to waltz passed most of the Crows team from the kick off and cooly finish passed Hampson to make it 4-1 after 81 minutes and therefore, claim his hat trick.
Little did we know at the time but this sloppy goal just given away was to prove crucial in the end but for now, we settled, as fans, for holding out to the final whistle and going home via a public house to lick our wounds and dust ourselves down.
However, in the 86th minute our second shot of the game by Cameron from some 25 yards out, nestled in the back of the net as the young 'keeper could only parry the shot upwards but not over the bar and it was now 4-2 to the home side. The 'keeper may have been surprised but not as much as we were.
To everyone's incredulity 4-2 became 4-3 only 3 minutes later as Barton headed a cross goal wards and Ademiluyi was able to put the ball in the net from close range passed the astonished and dumbfounded home goalie.
Now the Crows tails were up and they poured forward looking for the most unlikely of equalisers but it was not to be and the referee blew his whistle to end the game with the home side winning a very unusual game 4-3.
In conclusion, the final score flattered us and for 80 minutes it was a very lack-lustre performance from the team as a whole. Too many players were off form and as a unit we never pressed them hard enough, never got in their faces, never tackled hard enough, never passed the ball accurately enough and generally were a yard off the pace throughout the match.
That's not to say the players weren't trying, they were but when you're having a bad day at the office and all your team mates are having a bad day as well, then you're not likely to win the game, especially against such a well-drilled, skilful and speedy team such as Holmesdale FC are.