HOW SOON IS NOW?
Yeltz 0 Dover 0
08 September 2002
Despite a much improved performance, the mighty Yeltz are still looking for their first win of the season after an exciting 0-0 draw against Dover.
We had much the better of the first half especially after it started raining, with Big Rich Leadbetter going close a couple of times after some lovely passing and LeeCo having a header cleared off the line from a corner.
They are a real ex-Conference side, bigger boys who can handle themselves and they seemed to think because it was wet they could kick anything that moves. There were several bookings and finally a sending off, but although we pressed extremely hard against the ten men we somehow couldn't score and ended up yet another home draw.
On Tuesday we visit Bath , and then on Saturday we travel to Cambridge . We WILL win soon.
Match Report from Poll
No DJ-style facts from me I'm afraid, but for once I was actually at the game so here goes...
There was a bit of doom and gloom around the place (for a change!) in the Waggon before the start after our winless start to the season, not so much around the results but the way we weren't really creating much. Brendan changed things around by putting Big Rich and Jonah up front, bringing in New Bloke into midfield, got us passing it around and we looked a pretty reasonable team again.
We almost gave away a comedy goal in the first minute or so when a backpass only just reached Clarkey in time, but after that we had most of the play. A couple of good passing moves down the left led to Leadbetter shots being saved and a little bit of hope spread around The Shed.
Henry (and myself I suppose) had been moaning about having to be in The Shed for the first half - it's just not right - but we're happy when the rain really started coming down and everyone (except the hardy Southerners) came to join us. Big Rich had another chance when he beat the keeper to the ball out wide but couldn't find the net from an acute angle, and LeeCo had a brilliant header cleared off the line, but we were reasonably happy as we went off to watch the start of the England game.
As soon as it got wet they started playing a very physical game with several nasty challenges from behind, and the referee was 'taking account of the conditions' by letting them get away with it. We weren't as fluent as in the first half, but when finally one of their blokes got sent off for a second offence were all over them looking for that elusive first win.
Jonah had probably the best chance when he had an open goal from twenty yards after the keeper had come out of his goal, but he rushed his difficult volley when he probably had time to bring it down first. New Bloke hit a screamer of a volley that was just blocked in an otherwise anonymous match for him, and we had a succession of corners with Newall coming the closest, but just couldn't get the winner we deserved.
I'd just like to add that it was scientifically proved two years ago that I am not a jinx and the fact that I've seen two games this year and not seen a goal is pure coincidence. However, for those of you playing Fantasy Island I'm going to be at both Bath and Cambridge this week....