Silly Mistakes Cost Knowle

Ronald Crane reports from The Draintech Community Ground

This match, played on a mild winter Saturday afternoon, began, continued and ended in farce.   Kick off was slightly delayed due to the match balls being left in the referee's room, and only one assistant arrived.

The Robins fielded two new signings in Hayden Seymour and Kartell O’Neil-Martin with another, Jack Ricketts, on the bench. 

United were the first out of the blocks, taking control of the match from kick-off. But The Robins gradually came into the match and held their own. Frustration of all players, was not helped by the absence of an assistant referee. Early in the match, the tackles flew in, with referee Hellqvist content to let the game continue. Very few free kicks were awarded. 

The Robins were unable to get behind United’s defence, consequently their attacks were blunted. At the other end, United’s forwards seemed unaware that to score, the ball needs to go between the posts and not outside them.

As the break came nearer the home side were more than holding their own until disaster struck. With the boys in red appealing for a penalty that was not given, United rushed up the field. A defensive error by The Robins, allowed Massey to open the scoring. It was United’s only shot on target in the first-half. The goal was especially galling for Knowle as United were down to ten men at the time, their captain Duggen in the Sin Bin.

Whatever was said in The Robins’ dressing room at half-time, certainly had effect. For the second half they were well on top. The tackles continued to rain in, players lay prone as play continued. The referee issued numerous yellow cards, and frustration deepened. Lewis Cosgrove stabbed home from a corner as Knowle drew level. But yet another defensive mix-up let United off the hook as Donald took full advantage.

The farce intensified as the Robins pushed the equalizer. Time seemed to continue with no end, and nobody sure how long actually remained on the clock. In the tenth minute of added time, Knowle old boy Jordan Hall rubbed salt in the wound with a third goal for the visitors.

The final score flattered United, as the Robins had done more than enough to share the points; but for those two stupid defensive mistakes.

Clive and Matthew Seeley have much work to do as we near the New Year and the sharp end of the season.

Knowle FC: Johnson; Sinton; Seymour; L Clarke; Cosgrove © [50]; Bennett; O’Neil-Martin; Seeley (Ricketts); Corry (Jones); Hewitt; Morris. Subs not used: Walton and Barrett.

Forthcoming Fixtures:

Sat 3rd Dec - Hampton v Knowle – MFL D2 – KO 1400

Sat 10th Dec Knowle v Wake Green -MFL D2 KO 1400

Photographs (C) Peter Ray