Not the best of games this, I think as a team we missed Justin Horner for the warm up before the game. Abbey were tall, strong and were up for this game. The problem we were having was that we allowed them to settle early and play the football they wanted to. We just didn’t get up them from the off. We allowed Abbey player Craig Burton wearing number 8 all the time in the world and we went 1 down.
Andy Toner should have scored but put it over from three yards. Toner did make up for it though, scoring from a Dave Gould cut back which he did well to chase down, making their keeper fumble it. A late cross from Abbey at the end of the half found its way in the top corner of the net. Half time: 2-1.
Boss Nick Collis would like to say sorry to the team for what got said at half-time: it was not meant to come out like that. The thing was 11 men all talking over each other after being asked to listen to myself [Nick] and Phil Wilds to listen to one voice. I lost all what I want to say and came it came out wrong, upsetting the team.
With the team still thinking about half-time the players really took it to them; we were talking well and playing the ball around well, Tom Lewis in the middle talking all the time and covering players when they went up with play. This was good to watch. A couple of mistakes allowed them to score twice to make it 4-1. Derek Purchese and I replaced Gould, Jason Michael and Vinnie Alexander with Alan Carey, Jon Scammell and new signing Mark Watkins. Jon took over in midfield from Toner who went up front.
We started again to play football and struck back twice, the first fron Toner, and Mark Watkins scoring on his debut. This was going to make the last 14 minutes very interesting. I think what Derek and I should have done was go 4-4-2, but we stuck at 4-3-3 to go for the win or draw. Paul Jalil help a crossed ball in to the back of our net and Tony Ney missed out to a low shot to make it 6-3.
This team are beatable; there is stronger in the league and we have already played stronger and got a point, I look forward to them coming over to us in the league.
Written by: Nick collis.
Manager's man of the match: Andy Toner.
Team: Tony Ney, Liam Purchese, Paul Jalil, Matt Berry, Matt Holmes, Tom Lewis, Rob Hamblin, Andy Toner, Dave Gould, Jason Michael, Vinnie Alexander. Subs used: Jon Scammell, Alan Carey, Mark Watkins. Scorers: Toner 2, Watkins. Form: WDDWL