We’ve seen some strange things over the years
watching Cumnor Minors. Dazzling goals, mazy footwork, wild challenges,
tantrums, tears, joyous celebrations, near misses, outrageous decisions, flukey
chances and nail biting last minute escapes. What we haven’t seen is a
performance from a keeper like we saw in our 6-1 defeat against Oxford
Irish. A crushing defeat where we actually played well in filthy, foul
conditions. Where we moved the ball wide, unlocked the opposition and set up
chances time and time again. And yes, a couple went over the bar, but the
majority were hit with force and accuracy, hit towards the bottom corner, hit
towards the roof of the net, but the sheer size speed and anticipation of the
keeper, thwarted us. It was reminiscent of Big Neville Southall in his pomp (and
that’s just the moustache) and it was superb. Should we have done better? Yes.
But any other day, any other keeper (who is heading to Oxford) and we would
have walked away with a bag full of goals rather than Adam’s solitary
header… which was a very nicely worked team goal.
Yet, we did concede 6. And we are conceding a
lot of goals. Ox Irish kept exploiting us down the left, utilising their
immensely physical and fast no.11, who bagged a hat trick. Mistakes were made,
conditions blamed but the simple truth is: they took their chances and we
didn’t. We cannot fault our boys’ creativity but we can question their desire
to do the rough stuff, to close down, to tackle hard, to work the ref, to
impose themselves on the opposition. We are ‘nice Cumnor’ and we play ‘nice
football’. Unfortunately, we play teams who play tough football. And at this
time of year, we play on terrible pitches where ‘nice football’ just doesn’t
seem to work.
We need to fight our way out of this rut.
Positions are up for grabs. Now is the time for scrappers. Let’s start the
comeback at training.
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