No room for fools in April

A big month in April with five weekends. The good news is that we have no mid-week games.All matches are Hayward Division 5 league matches…

Sunday 2nd April
Away v PSC Colindale at Parley

Sunday 9th April
Away v AFC Stourvale at Iford Rec

Sunday 16th April

Home v DBJ Property

Sunday 23rd April
Home v Shoulder of Mutton

Sunday 30th April
Away v DBJ Property at Slades Farm

Hollies not so prickly…

The Loco Boys were back at Slades Farm again this Sunday, though this time around the visitors were victorious…Loco welcomed back messers Bomber and Darren from the latter’s stag do in Ireland. And Bomber’s sobriety was reward with a start on the left side of the midfield three.
We lined up with, Sean in nets, Steve, Cash, Stu and Rob across the back, Bomber, Simon and Mike in the three man midfield and a front trio of Andy, Ali and Kyle. With new boys Luke, Dan and not so new boys Lee and Darren on the sidelines.

Loco started the brighter and with the first corner of the match took the lead, a superb delivery from Bomber (though not as superb as Rob’s later in the game) found Simon totally unmarked and he planted a firm header low for another fine goal since joining the loco.
Another set piece minutes later and we were two up after 5 mins, this time Rob sent in a corner and this time Stu was on hand to bundle home the ball. His celebration was as note worthy as his finish!

With many of the loco players minds now drifting toward the thinking that ‘if Stu can score surely I fancy a few goals today’.
Andy Kyle and more spectacularly Mike and Bomber all went close to increasing the advantage before we let a good lead slip. Around the fifteen minute mark new boy Luke got his chance, as Ali overstretched for the ball and pulled his groin and had to be replaced.
Not long after the switch Hollies grad a goal back as Loco were caught on the break from out own corner, they broke well and their number 9 slotted the ball past the despairing Salva.

Two One up and Loco let the opposition back into the game and they started dictating the play. Ten minutes from the end of the first half Hollies grabbed an equaliser when their number ten got free in the box and pulled a shot into the far corner.

Half Time: 2 – 2

Loco started the second half well and with the same personnel, and early pressure resulted in another corner to the away team, which Rob bent straight in!!! There then followed a few minutes of arguing from the opposition but the ref had a clear view and loco we’re 3 -2 ahead.
From there on in Loco didn’t take their foot of the gas, and worked a great deal hard for each other across the pitch compared with the first half, Luke was showing confidence and combining well with the front men. Whilst the distribution from back to front was far more precise and more like the football loco can play.

In to the last ten minutes two subs were made with Lee coming on for Andy and new lad Dan on for Steve, with Loco reverting to 4-4-2.
With the opposition pushing hard for an equaliser and Salva distributing the ball well, they were always like to get caught on the break, firstly by Rob, who broke free on the half way line with a straight race to the goal with their defenders. A race he lost sadly, though claims of a push fell on deaf ears… “it was like watching running just in slow motion” – Anonomous.

The second break away chance fell to Kyle, who made no mistake and rounded the keeper to give Loco a comfortable last five mins.

This comfort was added to in the last mins, as Luke turned his man in the box only to have his shorts pulled on and Rob kept a cool head to convert the pen, for his sixth goal of the season.
Full Time: 2 – 5
A tighter game than the score line suggests, Hollies provided the game was keenly contested and played in a good spirit.
A far better second than first half provided Loco with enough to see out the game well.

Oacis edge out Loco

Loco went into Sunday’s game hoping to leapfrog their opponents in the league with victory at Slades Farm…The Loco boys went into this tricky fixture missing a couple of first team regulars, with midfield dynamos Bomber and Dave in Ireland and Morocco respectively. Though with the return from holiday of Simon and a place in the squad for new recruit Luke the squad looked as strong as ever.
Loco lined up with the ever present Salva in nets, Rob, Stu, Cash and Steve along the back, a midfield three of Mike, Simon and Lee and a front trio of Andy, Ali and Kyle.

On a concrete hard pitch and with the aid of a gale force blustering wind, loco took the lead within the first 5 mins. A long Stu special throw in, took a deflection of a pressurised defender’s head and past the despairing oacis keeper.

This lead didn’t lead last for long as loco struggled to get the game. A good block forced an Oacis corner from which their impressive no 14 scissor kicked the equaliser after loco had failed to clear the first ball in.

One each after ten minutes and loco took the lead again only minutes later. We we’re starting to get the ball down and play and were rewarded a free kick, after some good forward movement from the midfield. 20 ish yards out robbie carlos frank bent a left foot strike around the wall and inside the far post. Loco were leading without really getting out of first gear.

Again the lead didn’t last for long as their number 14 got his second as picked his spot with a rising drive from just out of the Loco area.
With Loco reverting back to early season style long ball passing and not getting the rub of the green, the midfield at times was being bypassed, as the front three were fed from the back. Loco were finding it hard to get a foot on the game and went behind ten minutes before half time as another corner came in one of their midfielders struck a rather scuffed shots which found its way into the net.

Loco picked up their performance for the last five of the half but having created few clear goal scoring opportunities in the first half and went in 3-2 down.

The second half saw the introduction of new boy Luke into the game as he replaced Lee, with Ali dropping to central midfield and Simon moving to right mid.

Loco started the second half in the same vein they finished the first. working a lot harder for each other and pressing the opposition into mistakes. Though with little falling for the three strikers in front of goal and the rub of the green seeming to favour the home team, Loco were restricted to a few long distance efforts.

That said Oacis were looking dangerous when going forward and the midfield four provided the front pairing with the balls through, aided by the wind in the second half. The fourth goal for the home team I can’t remember. But it did result in a slight change by paul ‘ironside’ philips tactics as he dropped Andy to left mid and played a 4-4-2.

The fourth goal galvanised Loco and played the remaining 20 mins at a much higher tempo and got a reward for the good work ten minutes from the end, when Klye was played in to the box he cool clipped the ball inside the far post. Loco then threw everything forward and pressurised the home team into a succession of corners. Though as is often the way when committing men forward Loco we’re caught on the break and the Oacis front two combined to add a fifth.

Final Score Oacis 5 – Loco 3

Missing two of the more senior players and both from the midfield this week was a big loss but a lot of positives can be taken from the last twenty in particular. Lets look forward to putting this result right next week, again at slades farm.

Pinocchio nosed out by Loco

Ferndown Locomotive gained another three points at King George on Sunday after a good win at home to Pinocchio, with goals from Smith, Carmichael and Davis.

The first half saw Dave stupidly lose the toss, and we ended up playing against
the wind. A disadvantage to many teams, but not for Loco it seems. We had the
bulk of the possession, and played some reasonable football at times, however
we didn’t quite click. The Loco defence were outstanding, and with the
strike-force working hard – it was the midfield three that should have
been the link – however it didn’t really happen – although
it did get slightly better as the game progressed.

That said, Mike [pictured], who was located on the right-side of the three, was awesome,
and had such a positive influence over the game – he really got stuck
in, and his distribution was brilliant – a Man-of-the-Match performance
in my book.

At the back, Sean was solid in goal, producing another “wonder-save”
on 31 minutes, when his leg managed to clear a certain goal. In front of him,
the back line of Steve, Stu, Cash and Rob – is proving impeccable.

Up front, Kyle was his usual self, and Ali and Andy were working extremely
hard – and it was the latter striker that netted first for Loco. Loco
were on the attack, and after a bit of panic by the home defenders in the box,
Andy was on hand to sweep it home with his left boot into the right corner of
the net, past the jaded Pinocchio keeper.

We had a few other chances throughout the half, but nothing of note, although
we certainly did control the bulk of the game, so it was therefore frustrating
to see that one moment of indecision from Loco ended up in the away team equalizing.
A swift counter-attack from the team in blue saw their nippy midfielder on the
right get in behind the Loco defence and square the ball to their striker who
was literally standing on the goal-line with an open net – so he obviously
returned the favour, and netted, to square things up.

Half-time: Ferndown Locomotive 1-1 Pinocchio

In the second half, Loco secured the game inside the first five minutes. We
took the lead once again pretty much from kick-off, some good possession football,
and then the ball bumbled about in the box – Ali controlled it, and managed
to get a foot on it and calmly loop the ball into the net over the head of the
stranded keeper.

And three minutes later it was three – some good work on the right from the
Loco midfield eventually enabled Ali to get possession of the ball – Andy
then took over possession and pelted down the right wing, and then managed to
cut the ball back left into the centre, behind the back-tracking defence, and
Sam struck the ball with his left peg into the net.

For the rest of the half, Loco were relatively at ease – the away side
gained a few corners, however Loco were very strong at the back. Darren and
Lee came onto the park, and did really well – holding up play, and contributing
to some excellent distribution, however we didn’t quite make a breakthrough
and net a fourth, but never-the-less, the performance was good enough to see
us out as comfortable winners.

Final Score: Ferndown Locomotive 3-1 Pinocchio

Concussed Barker hospitalised

Locoboys.co.uk can report that Sean Barker was admitted to the Accident and Emergency ward at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital on Sunday night. Here’s the latest….Barker told us that after a blow to the head in the first half, he carried on throughout the game relatively pain-free, however after the game, he was beginning to feel extremely dizzy and sick.

In hindsight, we can now realise that Sean’s wonder-save in the second half, which kept Loco with a one-goal advantage, was now even more spectacular.

Sean revealed ‘I feel like shite’, and told us that the doctor said he has got ‘concussion’ and that he should not work for a couple of days.

The concussion Salvatori was feeling is probably Grade One, which occurs when the person does not lose consciousness (pass out) but may seem dazed. As doctor Robin Folds told us: ‘an injury to the head causes the brain to bounce against the rigid bone of the skull. This force may cause a tearing or twisting of the structures and blood vessels of the brain, which results in a breakdown of the normal flow of messages within the brain’.

We also spoke to Rebecca Donnelly, from Sean’s work-place, and she told the Locoboys web-site: ‘It is very unfortunate for Sean, and we wish him a speedy recovery, however we are expecting the next two days to be increasingly productive without him present’.

Now, Sean’s injury is pretty bad – however, it’s not as bad as this one (caused by your own physio)…

Locomotive 2-0 AFC Stourvale

Ferndown Locomotive secured a positive 2-0 home win against AFC Stourvale on Sunday, in a game which saw us dominate the play, and… we should have scored more!The game started off with Sean in goal; Steve, Cash, Stu, and Rob across the back. Across the middle was Dave, Matt and Mike; with Andy, Kyle and Ali up front.

Loco were against the wind in the first half, however it didn’t stop us from playing neat football. The resurgence of Mr Smith on the right-side was clear to see, and he was heavily involved in some of our best attacking play. Similarly, Kyle was a menace – and in general, the whole team linked up well. At the back, Cash continued to take a lot of pressure of the other defenders, with his sturdy challenges and dominance in the air – he’s coming into his element now.

Loco opened the scoring on 25 minutes after the ball emerged onto the left wing, Dave side-stepped a marker to cross the ball towards the far post, it broke to Andy, who crossed it back in, and it fell to Kyle who volleyed between the legs of the keeper into the back of the net.

The link-up play was very good, and confidence was brewing all over the park, which therefore made it surprising that we only went in 1-0 up at half-time. Bomber had a couple of wayward efforts, and Kyle fired in at every opportunity, but we still only had the solitary goal lead.

Half-time: Ferndown Locomotive 1-0 AFC Stourvale

In the second-half, Loco had the wind, and pretty much did everything to see the game out comfortably. We so nearly went 2-0 up on 60 minutes when a corner was taken from Bomber, and a spot of pinball occured in the box, and Steve struck the ball low towards goal from close-range, only for it to have been cleared off the line by the Stourvale defence. [Steve's reaction can be seen above]

Shots also came in from Bomber (just over), and we even had a penalty from Rob Frank, after Kyle was felled in the area. The spot-kick though was hit wide off the left-hand post – and Loco still somehow only led 1-0 with 15 minutes to go.

Darren and Lee came on the pitch in the later stages of the game and did really well, however the home side were caught out late on, as Stourvale broke the off-side trap, and their striker was approaching Sean one-one-one from an angle, but Barker saved and managed to clear – making the eight Loco home supporters breathe a sigh of relief.

So it was therefore comforting to see us notch the second, and it came from a penalty. Kyle did some great-work to earn the kick, and this time Rob finished with style, into the bottom right corner of the net, past the diving keeper.

Once again, Sean had a superb game in goal and did little wrong, and praise also to Ali – who took a few knocks, but is improving every game. The whole team gelled pretty well, and we can even play better than that – so it’s quite exciting times for Loco – so expect a few hundred crap jokes in your email inbox this week!

Final Score: Ferndown Locomotive 2-0 AFC Stourvale