Step in the right direction

Smallbrook 2-4 Queenswood United

Smallbrook FC, sitting in 9^th place in the league hosted Queenswood United at Ludlow Football Stadium. Queenswood, from Hereford, were sitting in 2^nd place so it was expected to be an uphill battle for the Smallbrook team but spirits were high and there was lots of positivity throughout the team.

The game started in a bit of a frenzy with goalmouth opportunities at both ends of the pitch but it was Queenswood who opened the scoring in the 7^th minute with a scrappy goal that somehow found it’s way into the net. Not to be deterred Smallbrook went straight on the attack, CR putting a good chance just wide. CL was then given space to bring the ball forward and played a pass into CR who finished calmly past the Queenswood keeper to level the scores at 1-1. Smallbrook pushed for a second and had some really good chances just before half time to take the lead but couldn’t find that elusive second goal.

Lauren hadn’t delivered a team talk with the scores level in our previous 4 games so the mood amongst the players was really positive and we genuinely believed we could get our first points of the season. The team went out for the second half with a strong belief that this could be our chance.

Smallbrook fought for every ball in the first 10 minutes of the second half and were more than a match for their opponents, the game was end to end but it was Queenswood that scored next, a well worked team goal leaving ST with no chance of saving it, no sooner had Queenswood scored their second, they broke upfield and quickly scored a third, leaving the score at 1-3 with 8 minutes left to play. 

Smallbrook responded really positively to this and speedster JP got the ball on the left hand side, burned two players, leaving them behind and crossed the ball to CR who beat the keeper from close range. Smallbrook had all the momentum now, looking for the goal that would bring us level. Against the run of play Queenswood scored another scrappy goal from a corner to make it 2-4. Smallbrook pushed hard to try and get back in the game but it wasn’t to be.

An excellent performance from Smallbrook, there is now a really positive atmosphere amongst the squad and signs moving forward are positive. Our first win won’t be too far away