Compliments of Vics

[Guest]

Copy of our first match report for our fans to keep you going until your fans get home and post.

Hope you enjoyed your day and we are PRAYING that we see you next year (if you see what I mean)!

 

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

A quick first report for Vics fans – a more detailed and balanced report will follow

 

VICS (1)1

Bunce ( o.g.) 36

 

GRAVESEND (1)2

Skinner (pen) 35 McCarthy o.g.) 55

Att 919

 

 

Quayle (Byrne) Allan

Band Devlin Carr Mayman

Munroe (Gaghan) Charnock Handyside McCarthy (Bailey)

Ralph

Subs not used Connett Garvey

 

This was a poor display by Vics and they could have no complaints about the result. Gravesend were organized and average but coped easily with a disjointed Vics that struggled to string two passes together for most of the game. A poor referee and uneven pitch worked against both teams and a neutral would have left thinking little of Conference football!

The first chance fell to Vics on 8 mins when Band headed an easy cross straight at Wilkerson. Soon afterwards Pinock put a deep cross over where Jackson mistimed his volley in space at the far post. Vics best chance from open play in the first half saw A great Mayman cross almost headed by Allan a few yards out but his near contact meant the ball came at Devlin too hard and he fell backwards as he shot and it went over from 4 yds. Jackson then weakly headed a good cross at alph when he had time to do better. The game was very fragmented and the first goal came courtesy of a penalty given away by Charnock, pushing a Gravesend forward in a scramble resulting from a cross and strange bounce. Skinner put it away perfectly into the bottom right corner. Vics reply was immediate and within 60 secs anAllan cross was turned into his own net by Bunce. 2 mins later Allan was almost through but went down too easily when he appeared to have time to shoot.

The second half started ok but deteriorated after Gravesend went ahead. Vics only real chance came on 49 mins when Wilkerson mistimed a punch and the ball went out Quayle, he headed it back towards the goal with Wilkerson stranded but Bunce was there to head it off the top of his head for a corner. Vics had a let off 3 mins later when a Jackson shot dot a deflection and went inches wide. The winning goal came on 55 mins when a low cross from the right saw Ralph come and fail to gather it and it hit McCarthy on the knee and the linesman deemed it had crossed the line when Ralph scooped it out. After that Vics never looked like scoring and it was going to be the visitors who scored more, although neither keeper had much to do apart from a strong shot at Ralph towards he end.

Bitterly disappointing after last week’s display at Carlisle but fortunately Farnborough and Forest Green lost as well.

My man of the match – Peter Band – best of a poor bunch!

[Guest]

Pretty accurate report.

A poor games with few chances. Fleet were good enough to win but in truth were only very average. Everybody worked hard but there was a real lack of quality and composure about the team. Well-organised yes but long-term quite a few new faces needed for progress. Having said that Saunders, Manny, Lovell, Protheroe were all sitting in the stand.

Referee got penalty right, I think the second goal was over the line judging by the lack of protest. Couldn't really see why Vics player sent off. However, how ref managed to book so many players was a mystery.

Man of match: difficult one, Drury showed classs in patches but I thought Surey had a good game in central midfield and therefore shaded it.Bunce won a lot of headers but there seemed to be a real lack of pace in central defence which would be a worry against better teams.

[jc]

A fair summing up overall. There was a spell of about 20 minutes in the second half where we created nothing at all, but then Northwich's level of performance certainly tailed off from the first half as well. Disappointing to see four of our players booked for rather innocuous fouls, and their dismissed player actually won the ball for his second yellow. Also, if the ball was over the line for the winner, it could only just have been - I wasn't totally sure. Still, overall we just about shaded it.

[UP FLEET]

Good day out all round and a very warm welcome by the vics fans, spoke to some familiar faces that came down to us, and 3 points to match,