Burnt Ash 1 - 1 GWHC2s

Coming into the game, GW expected a strong side with the reformation of the Burnt Ash team, bringing players from their higher teams down to their 3s. With Burnt Ash having a lead of 5 points in the standings, GW had nothing to lose, and all the pressure was on the opposition. As well as this, GW knew that the umpires were going to be tough on them and not take any back chat at all; this would prove later in the game, so talk was to be kept to a minimum.

With Rich having a hamstring injury, Si Bradley was pushed back into the center-back role to replace him, with Boothy taking position as the second blocker. With the absence of a player, JJ stepped in, subbing with the midfield attack and blockers.

From the first whistle, GW applied instant pressure to the Burnt Ash side, and play was kept mainly in the Burnt Ash half. After some play, GW maintained good pressure and won the ball, giving them the attack. Zak Rowland eventually won a short corner for the GW team, which would turn out to be the first goal of the game.

The decision was for Alex Spurgeon to take a drag flick. The whistle blew, and the ball was released to the top of the D by Amit Ubhi and stopped by Si Bradley, only to be put away to the keeper's right-hand side with the drag flick. The team reset and aimed to get many more.

The game was proving to be difficult due to the number of decisions that went the other way, and tensions were beginning to rise as the GW side was starting to get under the Burnt Ash side's skin. Words were exchanged between teams, and the opposition was getting more irritated by the minute.

After some stick tackles from both sides, the message from the umpires was that any more would result in a green card for either team; this point would remain important throughout the game.

Half-time came soon enough, and GW was determined to keep up the intensity and level of play that they had been displaying. The team agreed that the umpiring was challenging, but the overarching message was to keep mouths shut to prevent any unnecessary send-offs from the decidedly strict umpires.

The whistle went for the second half, and the press on the GW side was still next to none. The Burnt Ash side was struggling to find any outlets and was forced by the high press to play it around their back line numerous times.

More short corners were won by the GW side, but nothing was to come from them.

After some discussion between JJ and the umpire, the umpire decided to send JJ off the pitch in a somewhat surprising manner.

Two minutes went by, and JJ was told he could come back onto the pitch by one of the umpires just before a short corner was given. Some confusion and miscommunication between the umpires led to JJ being shouted at by one of the umpires, causing confusion for everyone.

The Burnt Ash team managed to earn themselves a short corner by a somewhat dubious decision from the umpire after 'Juan Carlos' Gates cleared the ball, and it happened to come off the back line.

In a rather dramatic fashion, team captain Aaron Elliott came rushing onto the pitch to sort things out, being tired of obtuse decisions and indecisive manner that the umpires were displaying; he aimed to clear up the confusion with the umpires and the Burnt Ash team captain.

After an unsuccessful shot at the goal, Si Bradley gained possession of the ball, only for it to be knocked off the back line once again, and another short corner was awarded. This next short corner would unfortunately lead to the opposition’s first and only goal. The Gravesend side had fought tirelessly, only to be equalized by a decision that felt much too harsh.

Nearing the end of the game, Boothy found himself being given a green card. Walking away, the umpire upgraded this and decided a yellow card was needed for language (muttered under his breath). The whole team felt this overly harsh decision given that worse language from Burnt Ash had not gone penalised. Despite this, the game was to be played out, with few opportunities for either team and a tired anger being displayed in both teams. The final whistle blew, and the final score stood at 1 - 1.

**Man of the Match:** Eren Basch *

By Alex Spurgeon