BackSat 27 Feb 2016 · Premier Division
First TeamHollands & Blair
0
6
K Everest (36' OG), B Greenfield (20' Pen), (52'), R Denness (66'), J McDonald (80'), S West (c) (84')
CROWS HIT FOR SIX BY LEAGUE LEADERS.
Malcolm Boyes29 Feb 2016 - 19:32
Hollands & Blair took all three points away with them on Saturday as they ran out 6-0 winners at the Community Stadium.
Blair too strong for the Crows.
When you lose 6-0, especially at home, you have to say that the away team deserved their win, were just too good for the home side and at times, it was men against boys, and this was exactly the case on Saturday.
In any defeat you look for positives which you can use to raise moral within the team and the squad. There's no doubt that for the first 20 minutes of the match, the Crows gave as good as they got from their visitors, although without troubling the Hollands & Blair 'keeper too many times.
However, the Crows were really architects of their own downfall, as they conceded a penalty rather needlessly, scored an own goal and didn't really defend any cross, free kick or corner put into their penalty area throughout the whole 90 minutes, with any conviction as a team.
The Crows arrived for the match in an upbeat mood, the point gained away at Beckenham Town the week before was well earned and could have been better, as their second half performance should have yielded all three points in reality.
Also, with Carrington and Jagger being available again and Clarke recovering from his injury received at Becks, the squad had a more experienced look about it than in previous weeks, so therefore, there was an air of optimism as the sides prepared for kick off.
The game started with a strong wind blowing from the North, which meant the Crows would have this at their backs for the first half as they attacked from the dressing room end to the junior pitch during the first 45 minutes.
The first 20 minutes were very even, however, that all turned upside down when a Crow defender got a bit to eager to win the ball in his own penalty area and brought down Ince inside the penalty box and therefore, a penalty was awarded to the visitors.
Greenfield, the Blair left back, duly converted the spot kick to put the visitors 1-0 up and a bit against the run of play, as the Crows were more than holding their own at that point.
Even at 1-0 down the Crows were still looking to get back on even terms, having a fair bit of pressure but not fashioning too many clear cut chances against a strong and resolute Blair defence.
Once again though, the Crows shot themselves in the foot by not concentrating enough, Blair were awarded a throw-in and whilst the home side were sorting their formation out, Blair broke quickly on the defence, crossed the ball into the area and Everest, who was trying to stop the cross reaching a Blair forward, put the ball into his own net, 2-0 to the visitors after 36 minutes.
The match referee didn't really endear himself to the players of either side throughout the 90 minutes and definitely not to the Crow players as he denied them what appeared to be a stonewall penalty only one minute after Blair went 2-0 up, Shea being upended in the area but neither the referee or his assistant seemed to agree with our players and supporters and only a corner was awarded.
For the rest of the half both teams tried to go forward at every opportunity, Michelson was replaced by Prescott in the 38th minute for Blair, Ince then saw yellow for a rather late tackle on Everest in the 42nd minute and in first half stoppage time, Hollick also received a yellow card for disputing an award to Blair of a throw-in with the assistant referee, therefore, 2-0 to Blair but it could have been 2-1 and things may have turned out differently overall.
At the start of the second half it was Blair who had the wind at their backs and they used and adapted their play accordingly, making better use of the conditions than the Crows did in the first 45 minutes.
After 52 minutes Blair scored their third goal when what has been the Crows nemesis this season struck again and that is our inability to defend any cross, free kick or corner delivered into our penalty area with any great conviction or authority.
Blair were awarded a disputed corner which Greenfield took and with the wind in his favour for a left footer, the ball was delivered into the area and it drifted directly into the net for 3-0 to Blair, neither 'keeper or defenders seemingly able to cut the corner out.
It was, in affect, game over at this point, Blair being too strong for the Crows and with confidence flowing throughout their side, they started to over-run the midfield and forward areas whilst dominating possession.
Sinclair became the next Crow to receive a yellow, rightly so for a late tackle, in the 53rd minute and then, in the 58th minute, Biddlecombe became the third Crow player to get a yellow as the frustration started to build within the Crow players.
The match then started to get a bit bitty then as both clubs started to ring the changes on the field, first Ridley was replaced by Hyslop in the 63rd minute, then Valencia was replaced by Gutridge in the 65th minute before Denness made it 4-0 to Blair when he tapped home from close range following another cross into the Crows area which was not cleared.
Only a minute later Blair made their final substitution, Gallagher going off to be replaced by Keen and in the 68th minute, Shea goes off to be replaced by Clarke as the Crows strive to at least get a consolation goal on the day.
Blair then had to go down to 10 men, Dampier had to leave the field due to an injury and with all three substitutes already on the park the Crows may have felt this might be their chance to get something from the game.
Rich was replaced by Matthews in the 76th minute and in the 78th minute, Gutridge from Blair received a yellow card for a tackle with Biddlecombe. Unfortunately, even though down to 10 men, Blair made it 5-0 in the 80th minute, McDonald rounding Faith and slotting the ball into an empty net.
It became 6-0 in the 84th minute, West scoring with a header from yet another free kick delivered into the Crows area which wasn't dealt with properly.
In the end Blair were just too good for the Crows, who did not have one of their better days individually or collectively and really didn't deserve anything over the 90+5 minutes, which is a shame considering the optimism that abounded prior to this match taking place.
The effort was there but maybe the Crows were not as mentally tough enough in this game compared to the visitors, who seemed up for the game from the first to the last minute.
As for the Crow's man of the match, no one really stood out but Charlie Baitup never gave up and looked to take the full back on at every opportunity he could when in possession.
When you lose 6-0, especially at home, you have to say that the away team deserved their win, were just too good for the home side and at times, it was men against boys, and this was exactly the case on Saturday.
In any defeat you look for positives which you can use to raise moral within the team and the squad. There's no doubt that for the first 20 minutes of the match, the Crows gave as good as they got from their visitors, although without troubling the Hollands & Blair 'keeper too many times.
However, the Crows were really architects of their own downfall, as they conceded a penalty rather needlessly, scored an own goal and didn't really defend any cross, free kick or corner put into their penalty area throughout the whole 90 minutes, with any conviction as a team.
The Crows arrived for the match in an upbeat mood, the point gained away at Beckenham Town the week before was well earned and could have been better, as their second half performance should have yielded all three points in reality.
Also, with Carrington and Jagger being available again and Clarke recovering from his injury received at Becks, the squad had a more experienced look about it than in previous weeks, so therefore, there was an air of optimism as the sides prepared for kick off.
The game started with a strong wind blowing from the North, which meant the Crows would have this at their backs for the first half as they attacked from the dressing room end to the junior pitch during the first 45 minutes.
The first 20 minutes were very even, however, that all turned upside down when a Crow defender got a bit to eager to win the ball in his own penalty area and brought down Ince inside the penalty box and therefore, a penalty was awarded to the visitors.
Greenfield, the Blair left back, duly converted the spot kick to put the visitors 1-0 up and a bit against the run of play, as the Crows were more than holding their own at that point.
Even at 1-0 down the Crows were still looking to get back on even terms, having a fair bit of pressure but not fashioning too many clear cut chances against a strong and resolute Blair defence.
Once again though, the Crows shot themselves in the foot by not concentrating enough, Blair were awarded a throw-in and whilst the home side were sorting their formation out, Blair broke quickly on the defence, crossed the ball into the area and Everest, who was trying to stop the cross reaching a Blair forward, put the ball into his own net, 2-0 to the visitors after 36 minutes.
The match referee didn't really endear himself to the players of either side throughout the 90 minutes and definitely not to the Crow players as he denied them what appeared to be a stonewall penalty only one minute after Blair went 2-0 up, Shea being upended in the area but neither the referee or his assistant seemed to agree with our players and supporters and only a corner was awarded.
For the rest of the half both teams tried to go forward at every opportunity, Michelson was replaced by Prescott in the 38th minute for Blair, Ince then saw yellow for a rather late tackle on Everest in the 42nd minute and in first half stoppage time, Hollick also received a yellow card for disputing an award to Blair of a throw-in with the assistant referee, therefore, 2-0 to Blair but it could have been 2-1 and things may have turned out differently overall.
At the start of the second half it was Blair who had the wind at their backs and they used and adapted their play accordingly, making better use of the conditions than the Crows did in the first 45 minutes.
After 52 minutes Blair scored their third goal when what has been the Crows nemesis this season struck again and that is our inability to defend any cross, free kick or corner delivered into our penalty area with any great conviction or authority.
Blair were awarded a disputed corner which Greenfield took and with the wind in his favour for a left footer, the ball was delivered into the area and it drifted directly into the net for 3-0 to Blair, neither 'keeper or defenders seemingly able to cut the corner out.
It was, in affect, game over at this point, Blair being too strong for the Crows and with confidence flowing throughout their side, they started to over-run the midfield and forward areas whilst dominating possession.
Sinclair became the next Crow to receive a yellow, rightly so for a late tackle, in the 53rd minute and then, in the 58th minute, Biddlecombe became the third Crow player to get a yellow as the frustration started to build within the Crow players.
The match then started to get a bit bitty then as both clubs started to ring the changes on the field, first Ridley was replaced by Hyslop in the 63rd minute, then Valencia was replaced by Gutridge in the 65th minute before Denness made it 4-0 to Blair when he tapped home from close range following another cross into the Crows area which was not cleared.
Only a minute later Blair made their final substitution, Gallagher going off to be replaced by Keen and in the 68th minute, Shea goes off to be replaced by Clarke as the Crows strive to at least get a consolation goal on the day.
Blair then had to go down to 10 men, Dampier had to leave the field due to an injury and with all three substitutes already on the park the Crows may have felt this might be their chance to get something from the game.
Rich was replaced by Matthews in the 76th minute and in the 78th minute, Gutridge from Blair received a yellow card for a tackle with Biddlecombe. Unfortunately, even though down to 10 men, Blair made it 5-0 in the 80th minute, McDonald rounding Faith and slotting the ball into an empty net.
It became 6-0 in the 84th minute, West scoring with a header from yet another free kick delivered into the Crows area which wasn't dealt with properly.
In the end Blair were just too good for the Crows, who did not have one of their better days individually or collectively and really didn't deserve anything over the 90+5 minutes, which is a shame considering the optimism that abounded prior to this match taking place.
The effort was there but maybe the Crows were not as mentally tough enough in this game compared to the visitors, who seemed up for the game from the first to the last minute.
As for the Crow's man of the match, no one really stood out but Charlie Baitup never gave up and looked to take the full back on at every opportunity he could when in possession.
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