Loco stunned by shock return

This weekend, the Loco welcomed back an old figure to the squad. It was a much needed boost, and it didnt take long before they were integrated back into the club…Thats right, Tugs girlfriend Andrea returned this weekend to support the home side and give some much needed encouragement to Locomotive. However, as good as it was to have her back, T&D could not supply the result that she craved.

So, with the home side losing 2-0 in a game which we really should have won – Loco were cursing their luck after the match. However, always being at the fore-front of fresh ideas, player Rep Sean Barker make sure that all was not lost…

Salva, Locos all time top-striker, proved that his ability to score was not only on the pitch, but also off it too – as this pictorial evidence proves from Sunday afternoon in the Tap and Railway…

Loco find Shoulder hard

Loco this weekend lost 4-3 at home to Shoulder of Mutton in a scrappy game which really could have gone either way. Frank netted two, and the other was a crazy own goal.On Remembrance Sunday, Loco put in a far from memorable performance on the pitch against mid-table Shoulder of Mutton. The side was slightly different from our previous cup encounter, however optimism was high for the game, and it started in the best possible way.

After only a few minutes, Loco put the away defence under a lot of pressure, and then forced their right-back to pass back to the keeper, but an awful bobble just before the kick resulted in a goal, as the ball jumped over the oncoming foot, easing into the back of the net to put us ahead.

However, the same thing (almost) happened at the other end of the pitch five minutes later as a pass-back to Loco keeper Martyn resulted in the clearance deflecting straight into the path of the Mutton strikers shoulder, and into the back of the net. Two of the oddest goals you’ll see in football – pub football indeed.

Well, at 1-1 we needed to start afresh, however from this moment onwards, we were lacklustre. Passes going astray, control was poor, there were too many flick, and STILL no-one was calling for the ball when they were about to receive/take it (one of the schoolboy basics in football) – this meant that many time players were tackling each other and ball was being lost. As a result, goals were being scored against us, and Shoulder scored twice in succession to be 3-1 up before long – with half time somewhere in between…

Indeed, the second half was a repeat of the first, aside from the last ten minutes. Loco were making errors all over the pitch, and there was little cohesion. The home side managed to pull one back with a well dispatched Frank penalty after Bradshaw was fouled by the onrushing keeper.

This goal gave the Loco some hope, however it was dashed immediately, as Mutton made it 4-2 with far-post header from the smallest player on the pitch.

Frank netted another moments later as an incise Phillips ball forward found Frank, who managed to muscle off the defender and coolly slot it past the keeper to send it in the bottom corner. With five minutes to go, it was hoped the home side could gain a draw, but the play was constantly being halted by injuries and substitutions, and this was enough to prevent an equaliser, which to be fair, was on the cards.

So final score was 4-3 to Mutton. It was hardly a good performance, but one that can be put aside now. The team needs to move forward. Indeed, Sean Barker said it all in the Tap and Railway afterwards as Paul Phillips chatted to an elderly gent. The conversation went something like this…

Gent: (To Rob) So what’s he like as a manager?

Rob: Fucking useless.

Paul: Yeah but I won the Divvie 7 title last year.

Sean:

buy no strings attached the film online

Yeah, typical – you’re just basking on your former glories.

Cue elderly gent to walk off back into the pub crowd.

(Probably not the best thing to say in front of a war hero on Remembrance Sunday Salva)

Loco suffer Cup exit at Mazars

A Sharkey-less Loco were knocked out of the Robbins Cup on Sunday at Heathlands at the hands of Mazars. The home side beat Loco 4-0 in a game that slipped away from the off.Loco started with a familiar 4-4-2 formation on the big pitch at Heathlands. There was a lot of ground to be covered, and there were plenty of chances to spread the ball about on the deck. The side started with Ed and Andy up ront, a midfield four of Sam, Sean, Lee, and Ali. At the back were Steve, Rob, and Bomber with Stu in the middle.

The away side did a lot of the early running, and the lack of match action for two weeks showed, as Loco huffed and puffed, yet rarely threatened. However, T&D picked up the pace a tad after 10 minutes, and had a few wayward shots on goal, with some good posession on both flanks.

The home side looked comfortable for long periods though, and scored with a break-away attack mid-way through the first half – their pacy striker being influential in their goals – scoring three and assisting the other. Many times we looked flat footed and we were last to the ball – this made for a very difficult remaining first half.

After a half-time talking to, Loco tried to pick up the pace with Sam and Ed in midfield trying to spread the play and be the link between defence and the strikers, a link which had peviously been bypassed. Although Loco had a lot of possession, the end product did not come about – shots from Ed, Andy, Sam, and Sean were all saved.

Mazars in the meantime, soaked up the pressure, and netted three second half efforts, most of which came from break-away attacks were our defence and midfield were caught out by the through balls. The finishing by the home side was suprior to that of Loco’s, and in the end it was a tale of finishing that separated the two teams.

A much more concerted effort is required for next weekend. The Loco web-site will have the report on much much quicker next time… promise.