28 November 2004 M&DSFL Division 9 at Manor Park (New Malden)

FC Torres 2 (1)
15, (pen) 71
DCFC 5 (2)
Leroy 11, Dan M 33, Ed (pen) 61, Gary 76, 86

After the disappointment of losing last weeks game, it was vital to get three points today, to prevent our season going into free-fall. Two wins and five defeats would have killed our season. Our opponents today were in a very similar predicament before kick off. They really would have hoped to have got three points themselves and to be fair there wasn't an awful lot in this game. It has been said before that we don't normally win close games, well, score line wise, this may not have seemed a close game, but in terms of chances there wasn't a lot in it and at one stage, you did wonder which way this game was going to go.

Our start was impressive, dominating early on, playing with a slightly weakened side, with Damion and Leo both missing. It didn't take too long for us to convert the possession into a goal, something we really struggle with. It was Leroy that got us off to a good start, taking his opportunity well, finishing in the bottom corner.

We were sloppy in our last meeting earlier in the season and the first goal that we conceded today was unnecessary although also slightly unlucky as Torres made the most of a mix up between Tom and Dan, by breaking and scoring. The linesman flagged, only for the ref to over-rule and give the goal. We moaned last week about this, but this was different, you can understand the ref's decision, as the linesman wasn't level with play and hesitated. As soon as Torres got level, another one of our traits showed again, we seem to lose our confidence whenever we concede a goal. It was at this point that you could see it being another one of 'those games'.

Slowly though we did get back into it. This game was a real battle in midfield and some of the movement and passing by either side was good. We needed to get another goal and got it through a great effort from Dan M as he almost seemed to chip the goalkeeper from outside the box, exquisite stough!

The second half was interesting to say the least, it wasn't always the football that got the attention. After Dan M got tripped in the area and Ed effortlessly (almost too casually) converted the penalty, Torres made a substitution, one of their players clearly didn't like it and came storming on the pitch, throwing half hearted punches. A camcorder would have been handy as it would have made a great 'What Happened Next?'. We also saw another Torres player, Malcolm ? Go completely ballistic shouting and screaming at a Torres forward, obviously not happy with the fact that he was perfect!

Torres then got awarded a dubious looking penalty, when the player who caused all the commotion in our Hickey Cup tie from last season went down like a sack of spuds in the area. Even Tom had to protest, of course Dan naturally did as well! Torres scored and it was 3-2. We kept battling away, but the game did have a real sloppy look to it, maybe the pitch didn't help. Gary got his first goal of the season, as his forward run ended with a lob over the keeper and we had our two goal lead back. The game still didn't seem to be won even after this, so when Gary got his second with a great shot from the edge of the box (yes it was a shot, wasn't it Gary?) it sealed the points.

On reflection we had to work very hard for the three points today, the score line being slightly flattering. We also see the end of a dire away run, which has seen us lose our last 15 consecutive games, away from home, last win coming 20 months ago against Euston Road (3-2). Even more interesting is the last time we won outside Merton was two years ago v. Sutton Heritage (4-3).