Off the back of a couple of wins, Old Wulfs 1st XI went to West Brom with a spring in their step, and believing this was a winnable game. On the same points and separated only by goal difference, this would be a good game to win and rise up the league. However, it wasn't to be.
The first half went Old Wulf's way. Despite missing players in key positions, we started well, keeping possession and recycling the ball well. We were dominating the opening exchanges...but that was made easier by playing against only 10 men.
Capitalising on the early possession and pressure, Old Wulfs took the lead. Great movement up front from Will was picked out with a great pass. In the D it was a father and son affair, as Si arrived unmarked and Will picked him out with the perfect pass - no mistake on the finish.
When West Brom's 11th turned up, the game was more balanced, but Old Wulfs looked the better side. We went to the break 1-0 up.
The second half was a different story. Perhaps having got use to having the space and dominating the middle of the field, Old Wulfs started slowly, whereas West Brom had sorted some things out. The broke quickly, committed players and passed well. It wasn't long before it was all square, with Colin making multiple saves, and West Brom finding players free in the D.
Unfortunately, Old Wulfs couldn't lift themselves, and we failed to execute the hockey we have be playing so far this season. Getting boxed in at the back again, Old Wulf's direct balls were being picked off, and West Brom began to make the pressure count. A number of short corners were well dealt with, but Old Wulfs coughed up another 3 goals before pulling one back - a great bit of movement in the D from Will again, to get a stick onto a ball in from Adam, deflecting it into the goal. Old Wulfs kept the pressure up but there wasn't the time to make up the deficit.
Probably our weakest performance this season, but while the result seemed fair, we weren't two goals off the pace. Some decisions could have gone differently, but we made our own fortune, and miss fortune. The game was played in a good spirit (a green card a piece was fair for us - Adam getting all lumberjack in the tackle), and we kept our discipline. Some work to do on getting out of tight spots, and keeping the shape/game plan when things aren't going our way. Nevertheless, while spirits dropped a bit, we kept trying to the end, and none more so than Will. He had a good day making trouble for their defence, and assist and a goal too, and gets the MOTM vote.
A reset for next week and we'll get back to winning ways when we play the hockey we've shown we're capable of.
We will do our best to get back to you as soon as possible.
