POINT OKAY IN THE END BUT THREE WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER. On a cold but bright day, the Crows and Deal could not quite do enough to earn all three points. Disappointing all round. On a cold but bright afternoon this match unfortunately failed to take off as a spectacle and definitely did not warm the cockles of ones heart and to help resist the first cold snap of winter. With both teams needing the points for differing reasons, you would have hoped that attacking play was going to be the order of the day, however, no matter what both teams tried, especially in the first half, it became a rather turgid encounter with neither goalkeeper having to make a save in the first 45 minutes. Perhaps the Crows being sluggish from the kick off could have been a hangover from their exertions on Tuesday night in the RUR Charity Cup against Westfield and having to play extra time but sluggish they were and Deal Town definitely started the better of the two. They forced three shots, all rather wayward and three corners, which also came to nothing, within the first 15 minutes whilst all the Crows could muster within the same period was one free kick, which followed the pattern of Deals efforts and came to nothing. Also from the Crows perspective, maybe the change in personnel from last Saturday away win at Croydon FC also had a detrimental effect as they were deprived of the services of Clarke, Trotter, Charlton, Waterman, Tear and Adams, through injury and illness and Ademiluyi was not available for selection. This meant that Sam Murray, who has been scoring regularly for the U21s, was brought into the team for his debut, however, he played in a wide left position whereas for the U21s he plays in a more central and forward area. Despite this unusual location, he did his best before injury forced him off in the second half and the Crows did give a starting birth to the returning Michael Death who signed from East Grinstead Town earlier in the week. The half only really came to life just before half time, Funnell really should have put the Crows 1-0 up on 39 minutes but his header from six yards out went wide of the post as he tried to beat the keeper on the near side when going back towards the direction of the cross may well have reaped better dividends. From the resulting goal kick, Deal Town broke away and their shot was cleared for a corner by the Crows defence. The cross was then cleared by Collick as he punched it out to the edge of the area and Coyne volleyed the ball back towards goal and whilst Collick got a despairing hand to the ball, he could not stop it entering the back of the net. The half time whistle blew with Deal 1-0 up and one would have to say they deserved their lead, just, the goal being the one piece of quality shown and their greater energy and urgency throughout the first 45 minutes warranting them having the goal advantage. The second half started in much the same vein as the first half, except it was the Crows putting the pressure on the away defence as they forced three corners and had a couple of shots whilst Deal were finding it hard to get out of their half. There was a moment of controversy when Carrington was bearing down on goal and was seemingly taken out by what appeared to most watching, the last defender, just outside the area and when a free kick was awarded the waiting assemble wondered what colour card referee Bentley would show to the defender. After a lengthy chat between the official and the offending player, no card was issued at all, to the amusement and astonishment of the spectators and to add insult to injury, in the Crows eyes anyway, the free kick was then taken from some ten yards further out from where it should have been. On 52 minutes the Crows got the equaliser they deserved following a Ridley corner which the Deal defence cleared back to him inadvertently, his pin-point return found Carrington some six yards out and he planted the ball into the goal via the far post, past the watching Egan in the Deal goal. With the score now 1-1 and all to play for, the watching spectators were hoping that the game would improve somewhat and whilst the Crows did have the majority of play and chances, Egan being the busier of the two keepers, the quality of the final ball was lacking and that vital first touch seem to drift away from the player rather than stick to his boot. In an effort to get the second goal, Muggeridge took Treleaven off and brought Ransome on in the 60th minute, Miller was booked for Deal in the 61st minute and on 66 minutes, Cameron came on for Murray who had received a knock and could not continue. In the 76th minute the Crows wasted a great chance to get their second goal following some neat interplay when Ransome fired the ball over the bar from some ten yards out when it looked to be easier to score but then it always looks easier in the stand. The Crows then had a lucky escape as Deal had a shot which hit the underside of the bar but, according to the assistant referee, the ball never crossed the line and Collick was able to gather the ball in safely. As the minutes ticked by it was now Egans turn in the Deal goal to shine, tipping a speculative shot from some fourth-five yards by Death over the bar and tipping a thunderous effort by Butler wide of the goal. With both teams now contesting for the ball, some tackles were getting harder than they had been earlier, Carrington receiving a yellow for simulation in the area, Woolhouse for Deal for verbal abuse in the same incident and then Bigginton for a lunge on a Crows player by the dugouts. No further scoring meant the game finished 1-1 and a draw was probably a fair result, Deal having more of the first half, Crows having more of the second and perhaps the home side will be happier with the point than Deal Town, as they really needed three but the point was sufficient to lift them off the bottom of the table in the end.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Dec 2014 11:16:57 +0000
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