3rd team review 2007/08 season

The season started the way the previous one had finished, as a team consisting of many of last year's squad, won 2 -1 against Stock United. But, as old players left the club or joined the 2nd team, these were to be the only points gained until November.

When I took over as Manager, I thought at first that it had coincided with things turning round. We managed to get a decent team out for my first game in charge and won a hard fought point away to Ravens, helped by a heroic goalkeeping display by Luke Lloyd as the opposition laid seige to our goal for the last 20 minutes of the game, only snatching an equaliser in the last minute. Despite only finding a 10th and 11th player on the morning of our next game, we drew 2 -2 with league leaders at the time, Stock United, who agonisingly equalised with the last kick of the game. This game saw the debut of 16 year old Matt Coomer, who adapted quickly to the demands of the adult game, playing against a physical opposition. We then went on to a convincing 3 - 1 win at Focus Ferrers, with Andy McWilliam, in his first game ever as a central midfielder, covering every blade of grass, scoring a goal and being involved in everything. Kirk Giles also impressed, posing a threat every time he got the ball, and scored his first goal for the club.

We were unbeaten in three out of our next four games but, with the exception of three points picked up in March this proved to be a long, hard, heart-breaking season. We weren't helped by being unable to field a team on three occasions, so lost 9 points without kicking a ball. But the low point of the season for me was the 12 nil defeat to Rayleigh Town on 3 May. Playing the best team in the league is hard enough, but struggling to get a team out when one of our club's other teams didn't have a game put us in an impossible position. Losing a soft goal in the first minute, then having two players injured soon afterwards but unable to leave the park due to lack of substitutes, paved the way for what is the worst defeat I've suffered in 31 years of playing adult football. But I was proud that, despite being outclassed and effectively outnumbered, the players showed great commitment and enthusiam, battling until the final whistle. Sometimes you can bring credit to your club, not by winning, but by your attitude and sportsmanship; and our team that day earned the respect of the referee and opposition for their endeavours.

Despite finishing 3rd bottom in the league, for me there have been other highlights. The 3rd team gave three young players - Luke Lloyd, Matt Coomer and Kirk Giles their first football outside youth leagues; and they rose to the challenge. Hopefully all three will progress within the club. And, although we struggled to get a team out most weeks, we had a core of players who always turned up, were decent individuals who are fun to spend time with, and played with a will to win. While, at the moment, it's unlikely that we'll run a 3rd team next season, I look forward to seeing them all at pre-season training, pushing for a 2nd team place.

Neil Lawson