Sunday 15^th June - English institute of Sport, Sheffield.

The Grimsby Achilles heel continues to be missed chances plus not be able to play 2 quality halves.  Yet again we led at half time (2-1) and did not finish off the opposition in the second period.

One nil down in the opening minute was not a good omen as players struggled on a surface that seemed to have little grip.  The signs did not look good.  The team stayed with the task and played some great controlled futsal that led to 2 well constructed gaols and half time lead that deserved better.  Chizz’ and Buckthorpe getting the final credit.

Grimsby had Sheffield on the back foot for most of the opening half; chance after chance was created, time after time the ball hit the goal framework or the keeper pulled off a great save to deny Grimsby.  Not to say Leigh Graves was not asked to make some great saves, several times his agility saved us; but that’s futsal, keepers are asked to earn their corn.  The team at the top end of the FA Umbro Futsal League was clinging on, to go in at half time only a goal behind was for Sheffield a bonus.

Danny Hornigold and Dale Jenkins pace and tricks continually opened the Sheffield defence that neither scored did not reflect on the damage they caused. 

The opening of the second half, not for the first time this season, was a disaster. 3 goals conceded in a 5 minute spell.  All had a Grimsby mistake attached to them; allowing the opposition to turn inside your own penalty box, poor man for man marking at a corner, and a bad unforced pass that will lose you games at any level.  Add a free kick score and we had shot ourselves in the foot, a brilliant first half and now we were facing a 2-5 score!

Richard Creer gave Grimsby a window of opportunity when he scored a great volley from a ball running away from goal 5-3.

The team pushed on Jon Higton missed a sitter on the goal line, Danny Hornigold almost scored when one on one with the keeper.  We then failed to score from a 3 on 1 situation, 2 on 1’s, 3on 1’s just have to be taken.

My half time team talk had been the same as when we lost a first half lead to Hull, that we should sit back and frustrate the opposition, we did not half to push on recklessly.  The opposition team talk is obviously the reverse.  Perhaps we should play second halves as if the score was 0-3 and we need to chase a result.  As a team we play better offensively.

It takes time to gel as a futsal team and Grimsby had 3 players playing their first FA League games.  The opposition has a squad that trains twice weekly to play futsal in the National League.  Once we get player continuity we shall start overtaking these teams.  Player for player we had the better players; it was the sum of those players that needs to elevate to a new level.  A big result is just around the corner.

Squad and match statistics www.thefa.com/FULLTIME (Search futsal and select FA League North)