Despite having 62% of the possession in the game—a fact the manager promptly brought up in his post-match interview—the first shot on goal came far into the second half. As a unit, we lacked aggression in our attack and there were no notable instances where our creative play scared or exposed the Braintree defenders. Yesterday, there was a demonstration of how much we miss Jarvis and how important Danny Wright was by trying to involve others in the game and holding up the ball! Not to mention the expertise and originality that guests like Whitfield, Lemonheigh-Evans, and Little formerly contributed—all of which are now only dim memories as we plodded to yet another defeat.
Everyone on the ground knew exactly what was going to happen and how certain scenes in the play would end since we were so predictable. It was great to move over the playing field, from feet to deck, while maintaining possession. However, Ross Marshall, like a Fly Half in rugby, would throw the ball into the air and, like a good Fly Half in rugby, would always put it out of touch when that was exhausted and the crucial moment come when we really needed to get the ball down field.
Bravo to those guys and the coaching staff—they were fired up and eager to compete, especially in the first half, when they were reduced to 10 men early on. Given the current pace of play, they might have dropped as low as 9 before halftime. They appeared to be much more collected in the second half, and they deserve credit for a well-executed goal. Halftime arrived at the perfect moment for them. They had the more obvious opportunities of the two teams, thus it was not surprising that they held onto the three points.
It’s safe to assume that the manager has taken a chance, and the strategy is to make it to the playoffs. By then, messers Dawson, Jarvis, Hall, Lapslie, and other players will be healthy and prepared, and we will be able to dominate the playoffs and return to the National League. But it doesn’t seem probable that will happen, especially because Tom is being sent off while he isn’t even on the pitch! While there were several delicious moments throughout the game, this one is confusing to someone who was on the ground. After an event occurred and the home team’s management became quite agitated over a choice, it appears that Tom went over to voice his disapproval.
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