MATCH REPORTS FOR MAR

Saturday 6th March
A 0-0 draw with Barns Green 2nds.

Barns Green were sitting 3rd in the table when they visited the Field of Dreams and the lads knew they should be in for a tough game. Barns Green travel with a reputation of being physical and we were ready for it. The match started with a high tempo and the Rusper lads were soon settled in to the game and were forcing Barns Green to play at our tempo. Chances came and went for the home side but we failed to capitalise on them and Barns Green should have been buried by the time the whistle for the break sounded!

The second half started at the same tempo and it was clear Barns Green could handle the passing and moving of the home side. Chance after chance came and went and as the clock ticked on it was looking less and less like it would be our day.

It was not to be and for the first time this season we failed to put the ball in the net. This may have been because Budd never got a proper chance or because the other lad upfront was a right back and not a striker!

Saturday 13th March
An exciting 3-3 draw with top of the table Lower Beeding 2nds.

Sitting pretty at the top were Upper Beeding and it's unsurprising when you consider that we have visited their ground twice this season already and won one in the cup and lost one in the league.

The game started slowly and Upper Beeding looked more than comfortable with the pace and tempo of the game. The home side looked nervous and before we could get settled the bickering started. Our skipper, who has be a changed player this season, started to niggle the referee because thing weren’t going our way. Beeding took the lead after a defensive mix up but this seemed to settle us and we soon looked to be in control. It was only a matter of time before we got the leveller. A fine move saw Dan Budd slot in from a near impossible angle which gave more inspiration and the we started to look almost at our best. A couple of hard but fair challenges in the middle saw our skipper get more frustrated and eventually talk himself in to the referees’ book. Shortly after the booking the superb Matty Clarke fired home from short range to take us in to the lead and the away side were in disarray. We were in control and cruising. The game could have been finished off but for more missed chances and bad luck. Beeding were lucky to go in at the break only a goal down.

The second half started much as the first had finished with the home side cruising and creating chances from all over the park. Our skipper didn’t take the warning that he would end up having a early bath and a rash tackle on the edge of the box eventually saw him collect his second yellow and he was ordered off the pitch. The scenes that followed the sending off were and embarrassment to the club but we have to move on. The club has taken action against the skipper. Matty Clarke was forced to give way for a defensive midfielder to try and shore up the defence after losing a player and the inevitable onslaught commenced. 2–1 up and cruising to totally under it and looking weak. Upper Beeding capitalised on the extra man and soon levelled the score. Minutes later they slotted in again to take the lead and we were feeling the pressure. A good passage of play saw Scottie get a well deserved goal to level the score at 3–3 and we escaped with a point.

We may look back at this day and decide that the 4 points dropped, 2 here and 2 at home to Barns Green were the points that cost us the league or worse still promotion.

Saturday 20th March
A 3-2 win away at Plaistow.

“I’ve seen flatter cattle fields” was the comment of the Blues manager when we arrived for the away fixture at Plaistow. The away game at Plaistow should have been a game where we got a bit of confidence back in the side and got our scoring boots tuned backoin but it didn’t really go for us. The condition of the pitch told on our style and ability to play the ball around.

Plaistow started the game with 9 men and we couldn’t get the ball down and play around them. Our skipper would have been dropped after last weeks episode but of a lack of availability. A few stern words before the game seemed to have the desired effect and after removing the armband from him he seemed to be doing all he could to earn it back.

The game was never in doubt nor were we ever likely to lose it but Plaistow put up a fantastic fight especially when you consider they had 9 men at the start. As time went on and the missing players arrived for Plaistow they got stronger and should be applauded for getting close and only going down 3-2 to a near full strength Rusper Side.