It’s Behind You!!

One of the social highlights in the community is the annual village pantomime. This year’s performance by an all amateur cast was entertaining, brilliant in parts but on occasion some of the players panicked when things didn’t go in accordance with the script. This was very similar to Lowdham Colts U11’s match with Carlton Town Blues switched to Caythorpe cricket club.

Kicking off their first league match since November it looked like the Lowdham team had forgotten their lines as Carlton took an early lead following an unchecked run down the left. Lowdham regrouped and slowly began to get back into the game. On ten minutes an Ollie McC cross from a corner was missed completely by Alex W with the goal beckoning. Another run from Ollie then ended with the ball going straight across the goal, and shortly after a strongly hit freekick from the Lowdham captain went over the bar.

But chances were also coming at the other end. Carlton were also getting forward and a run down the Lowdham right resulted in a fine flick from a Carlton forward that Callum held safely. Another cross came over and what looked like a subtle push on Alex M missed by the referee and the linesman (ironically Alex’s dad!) and Carlton were two goals up. Miles came on up front and Joel moved from midfield to left back in place of Owen. Five minutes later Lowdham deservedly pulled a goal back. Ollie McC from a free kick that this time found the target. The game was very open now but just before half time Carlton regained the initiative with a third goal.

The second half started in dramatic fashion. Lowdham took charge of the game and threw everything at the Carlton defence. We were managing to get the ball to Adam who had several fine runs down the right creating chances that his team mates could not finish off. “This is like the Alamo,” said Carl. Eventually a cross from Adam saw a scramble in the Carlton box, with Ollie McC and Miles involved before the latter poked the ball across the line.

More goalmouth chances, scrambles and melees ensued but the Colts efforts to find an equaliser were being denied by lady luck.  It was a one-way game played entirely in the Carlton half. Alex M had a header tipped over the bar by the goalie and then an Ollie R goal was disallowed for offside. Joel had a long range shot saved and then completely against the run of play, Carlton broke away and scored a fourth goal which cruelly, was the turning point of the game. Carlton suddenly regained their confidence and for the last ten minutes dominated the game. Callum made several saves but with the Colts team tiring Carlton re wrote the script scoring three times to finish up with a 7-2 victory.

Carl was puzzled at the end. “We were the better team in long periods of the game and yet we lost by five goals”. The referee Andrew Bolstridge agreed that we didn’t deserve to lose by so many. In truth whilst we were good at going forward some of our defensive play belonged on the pantomime stage, and we created problems for ourselves being caught in possession rather than releasing the ball early, and then struggling to get it back. Carlton got behind the ball well and were more clinical in front of goal when it came to taking chances. But if you asked the matinee spectators did we deserve to lose 7-2 I am sure they would have replied “ Oh no you didn’t!”

Man of the match Cole Maule

Parents Man of the match Callum Brown

Baldinio Louis Stevenson