DUNDONALD CHASE F.C.
NEWS ARCHIVE

31 October 2004 M&DSFL Division 9 at Wimbledon Common Extensions

Croydon Spartak 2 (1)
12,79
DCFC 1 (1)
Damion 16

There can't be many games that when you look back over time, were more frustrating than this. A game that was very similar to our meeting earlier in the month. We got off to a bright start, took control of the game, went a goal down, well up to that bit, they were exactly the same, except that last time, we went onto the win the game, this time round we didn't.

At half time someone ironically pointed out that Old Wimbledonians were playing on a pitch adjacent to ours and mentioned the time that we couldn't score against them for love nor money, we hit the post, bar, had shots cleared off the line. That game ended up us losing 2-1. You can't but help notice the similarities, only that day we were unlucky, today we really only had ourselves to blame for not finishing Croygas off. There were numerous chances that went begging and it only needed a couple of those to have gone in and we would have won the game. Unless we can address this problem quite soon, it is going to be another long hard season.

Focusing on the positive however, it was again encouraging to see us create so many chances, even with less than 60 seconds gone we had a chance straight away, winning an early corner and for the next 10 minutes we were in total possession, even at this early stage it looked like we were heading for 3 precious points 'away from home'.

It wasn't quite as ridiculous as the last encounter where we went a goal down after being largely on top, but when we went a goal down this time, it was still a major disappointment and just like the last game we soon equalised. Croydon's opening goal was, quite simply, a great strike from outside the box, looping over poor Geoff's head and gave the blues a slightly undeserved lead. It wouldn't take too long before Damion got enough on a cross to smuggle the ball across the line, but from this point on we faltered on every chance we had, too many to list and slightly unfair to remind and embarrass the individuals concerned.

Half-time 1-1 and it did seem to be one of those games that was on tender-hooks, it really could go either way. Geoff came off at half-time, feeling under the weather, probably sickened by the first half, he made way for Gary to do the honours. We weren't as commanding in the second half, but still generally the better side. More chances went a begging, but nothing would go in, the longer it stayed like this, the more you could see Croygas nabbing it and they did, as a shot from the edge of the box, was parried onto the bar by Gary, who admittedly couldn't see it, with Dan L immediately in front of him and the blues followed up the rebound.

There we go, great performance and nothing to show for it. The miserable run of consecutive defeats away from home is now extended to a sorry fifteen. Since our last away win back in March 2003, we've collected 18 points at home (21 if you add 3 points for a home cup tie). A strange record and one we've just got to see the back of soon.