Lots of positives in an unfortunate defeat. Grange Rovers 3-6 Warren Town.

Any 6-3 defeat is hard to take, but when the draw would have been a fairer result who can blame the lion-hearted players of Grange Rovers for their dejection immediately after today’s game?

It had all started so brightly with new player Mus starting up front along side Alfie who between them contrived to force a Warren Town own goal. A powerful cross-cum-shot by Alfie was followed in by Mus but and was turned in by a green defender.

Unfortunately it was soon 1-1, and that remained the score until half time. The first half had been an even contest with Alfie, Jack D, Jack F, Dorrell and Josh variously playing their part in a battling midfield performance.

The second half started with a quick Warren Town goal, and Rovers found themselves chasing the game for the first time, until a green hand ball allowed Alfie to score a rasping free kick from just outside the area.

It wasn’t long before greens found the net for a third time and an almost immediate carbon copy of an equalizer from another drive of a free kick from Alfie.

That’s how it should have finished but in a mad last five minutes of the game Warren Town scored three. A series of unfortunate events following a Jack B injury left Town with an unassailable lead; as the defence struggle to rearrange itself Rovers conceded a soft goal and with heads down another two followed.

The lesson to take from today is never let your head go down, the boys had come back twice already and given some of the performances could have done so again.

There are plenty of positives to be drawn:

The brave performances in midfield from Jack D and Riley; two awesome free kicks from Alfie; the introduction of some new players: the busy Mus at one end of the pitch and the reliable and astute Hayden at the other, making up part of a new look defence; in Luke we have a player who wants to play between the sticks, something we feared we’d lost with Tom’s departure.

Special mention should be made of Jack B’s tough tackling and marshalling of the defence and Jack F’s brave and energetic performance. On another day they would have been worthy Man of the Match winners, but Alfie’s sublime free kicks, just set him apart on a difficult day.