Match Review 13th October 2002

All Saints Vs St Mary's Wealdstone - Presidents Cup

After two consecutive defeats by mediocre opposition, this was a must win game for All Saints.  Stand in manager Gareth West brought in big changes in personnel and formation in an attempt to strengthen 'The Saints' in key areas.  New guy Tom Rutter stepped in at sweeper in the new 'back 3'  while five across the middle of midfield accentuated the expansive number of Centre Mids on the rooster.  The pattern was finished off with two big men up front!

The game started well for Saints, movement and possession created early chances, and it was some fine, if not lucky keeping work from the St Mary's No.1 that kept the score level.  The movement and work rate of the Saints Midfield was evident in almost every attack and it was a minor lapse in concentration from the Saints defence from a St Marys free kick that saw the away side take the lead.  Totally against the run of play and possession.  After creating further chances, which went unfinished, it was Gareth West who struck back for All Saints, a misread throw in by Gary Wrigley saw the ball drop to the 'predatored' foot of West who, leathal from 6 yards,  stuck it away cooly through a crowd. 

The game restarted as it had done throughout the first half, with the Saints Midfield dominating, Gary Wrigley showed good skill and control on his return to first team football, alongside Steve Gough, who was winning his battle easily with his opposite number. Andy O'Sullivan battled well and was the link between midfield and attack that has been so sorely missed in previous Saints seasons.

St Mary's pulled clear again 7 minutes later through a contested penalty when Steven Gough adjudged to have leant on his marker.  The referee, within spitting distance had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. The St Marys striker finished with consummate ease, beating James West from 12 yards in the top right hand corner.

The away fans were more vocal now, but were silenced in no uncertain terms when John McDermott reacted quickest to a miscleared corner, rifling home from close range, he was heard to shout "Sit down shut up, sit down shut up!" as his celebrations took him past the away fans. 

The second half proved to be all All Saints!  The game was taken well and truly by the scruff of the neck, with a third being added by Gareth West, his second of the game, when the keeper spilled from a low rasping Glascoe thunberbolt.  And a few minutes later Glascoe stamped his mark on the game with a great run through the St Marys defence, finishing Owen style in the far bottom corner.

4-2 and the game as good as won, Paul Carroll was brought on and showed some good touches and link up play on the left hand side of midfield.  Kevin Murray, whose 'roving' role along the midfield caused his marker trouble, and Andy Punter, who showed great presence alongside a struggling Glascoe and also managed to open his All Saints account with a fine header!!  A strange occurance I should just mention in the second half, I watched from the sidelines, a Saints freekick, approximately 30 yards out there can only be one man whose gonna step up to take this? Gough? I think Goughie must've done a Di Canio and gone and wrestled the ball out of Wrigleys hands while I wasn't watching! If your reading this Gary, has your arse gone or something?

The only downside to the game was an unnecessary booking for ungentlemanly conduct for John McDermott whose passion for the game got the better of him, purposefully obstructing the keeper when he was attempting to kick.

So a 5-2 win sees us through to the next round of the Presidents Cup, and as happy as we can be scrapping out the win against this side, I thing the general consensus was clear to everyone, we will have to raise our game in order to compete for the league and trophies we so badly need this year.  Having said that, there was alot of pluses to take from the game, and considering that was the first game we have all played together, it all holds well for the future if we can get that team together regularly.  

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