Loco kick start season against the 12 men of Southbourne

Loco returned to the home of Bournemouth Sunday League Football to face a newly renamed Southbourne Athletic (formerly JS Sports) at Chapel Gate. With an ex loco player in their ranks, we arrived determined to repeat the 0-4 result from the previous season.

12/09/10 – Away vs Southbourne Athletic

Loco Lined up: Jimmy Redford (GK) Sean Hebdon, Sean Hebdon Jnr, Chris Hopkins, Levi Roots (DF) Keith Jackson, Dave Hall, Andy Smith, Oli Murrs, Bender Haines (MF) Jonny Jonny Haines (ST)

The sun shone on loco last sunday as a match which could have been ruined by one of the most inept refereeing displays ever to grace the Sunday league arena ended with a fine 1-2 scoreline and ensured we picked up the first 3 point haul of our 2010/11 season.

Loco took a deserved lead mid way in to the first half, but not before having a goal chalked off for offside and creating several other good chances, in form Haines linked well with new signing and singing sensation (best x factor voice) OLLLLLYY MURRRS, down the right hand flank and as Haines wriggled free of the CB he cooly slotted the ball home. 0 – 1

The opposition countered this set back well and we had big Jimmy Redford, inspired by having his missus watching in the ‘stands’, to thank for a couple of blinding 1 on 1 saves as he proved last weeks under performance was a thing of the past. Loco went to the break one goal to the good.

Half time – 0-1

The second half saw loco take control once again of the game, thanks in no small part to the midfield generals of Hall and Jackson, the latter playing out of his skin and for the 3rd match running sober!! Loco we’re so much in control that their captain was heard to utter the words… ‘come on guys, they are running riot here’.

This encouraged us only further and we were rewarded with a second goal and a second for bang in form JJ Haines, as he again made a nuicance of himself enough for the CB to miss his header and Jonny duely oblidged, not before mugging off their keeper with a cheeky drop of the shoulder which left him with a finish even hip hop hopkins couldnt have missed 0 – 2 and loco in total control.

Subs were made and promising signing Richie Steel was brought on in place of Andy Smith, minus one ball after a clumsy tackle from the oppo keeper.

What followed next were 10 minutes of farcical football, fair play the referee was called in at the last minute he also happened to be the oppositions manager but come on…. The cleanest tackle you have ever seen outside the box by a country mile resulted in the home team being awarded a penalty… even the kiddie winks on the pitch next to ours were giving him grief. The ‘penalty’ was dispatched. 1 – 2 and undeserved.

The game then threatened to turn nasty and its a compliment to both teams that it didn’t. Loco hung on to a get a well deserved 3 points.

MOM – Keith Jackson
GIMP – Sean Hebdon

Check out the stats so far at: http://www.locoboys.co.uk/matches/player-statistics-0809-0910/

Stat Attack

Jonny Haines has been hard at work with his spreadsheet… and released the latest round of player stats… check them out at: http://www.locoboys.co.uk/matches/player-statistics-0809-0910/ 

Gimp and MOM beneath, and take note Sean you are leading the way with 2 nominations already… not a good place to be… must do better

Loco left to reflect on 7 goal thriller defeat

Loco lined up for their first home game of the season against a familiar oppenent, Fernside FC. Close matches against the Fernside outfit in the past ensured we arrived ready for a close run game and as it turned out we weren’t dissappointed

05/09/2010 – Home vs Fernside

Loco Lined up with: Jimmy Redford (GK) Dave Hall, Levi Roots, Matt Webb, Chris Hopkins (DF) Bendy Haines, Keith Jackson, Mike Excell, Scott Philips, Andy Smith (MF) and Jonny Haines (ST) with a strong bench of Phil, Ali, Oli.

The game kicked off in the first of many autumn showers and loco took time to get to grips with the greasy surface, which was duely capatalised on by the Fernside attack as they slotted home from close range after a mix up in the loco defence. 0-1

It took this goal to galainise the loco ranks and some slick football down the right, which in the words of new signing Simon Ward ‘football to make you smile’, including 2, one twos, the first between ‘the string puller’ mike excell and andy smith and then mike and jonny, jonny pulled the ball back to the edge of the area where Andy had continued his run to fire a low half volley in to the bottom left corner. Loco goal of the season so far, if I do say so myself. 1-1

The stalemate continued until close to half time with loco arguably playing the better football and coming close through in form marks man jonny haines a couple of times, however by the break loco found themselves 1-2 down as the continual attempts to play the ball over the top by Fernside finally found a striker in an onside position and he raced clear and slotted home at the second attempt.

Half Time: 1-2

The second half started with a rejuvinated loco looking to draw level as soon as possible and within 5 minutes the game was level, Loco goal scoring machine Jonny Jonny Haines (so good they named him twice) pounced on some lacluster Fernside defending to finish well again in to the bottom left. 2-2

An injured Matt Webb made way for Phil to make his home debut, Ben Haines dropping in to CB from LM, Andy moving across to LM and Phil settling in to CM. The game unfortunately continued the same vein, and Fernside again got the wrong side of the loco back line after another long ball, though there was a massive suspision of offside. 2-3

Loco felt rightly aggreived to be another goal down and showed great spirit to battle back, and force the most contensious decision of the game, as Jonny Haines raced forward and he was unceremoniously chopped from behind in the area. However some interesting linesmanning and refeering, resulted in a pen being award then retracted, much to the glacticos fury. However from the resulting freekick, Phil bent a peach of a cross to another stand out performers forehead and Dave Hall wheeled away . 3-3

That shold have been that, with mere seconds left on the clock, Mr Hall and Redford got themselves in to a bit of a mess on the edge of the box as another floated long ball found the head of the Fernside tall striker who did well to steer his header in to an untended net and break loco hearts. 3-4

Cracking match for the neutral and played in a really good spirit despite some interesting reffing desicions. We will be hoping to reverse the result when we visit Fernside later in the year.