FC Gunthorpe — Sat 12 Jan 2008

Match report

Half time: 0 – 1

Samba travelled to the Embankment to play a Gunthorpe side who they had only narrowly beaten earlier in the season. Lucas returned to the side but Samba were without Gibbons, Hawkins, Doughty and Taylor with injury. Samba called upon Fowler, Issac, Swinscoe, and Pistana from the 07 side to bolster numbers, with Fowler and Issac in the starting XI It was Gunthorpe who started much the brighter in the first half, with neat triangular passing movements that caused Samba some early worries. Samba lacked cohension and struggled to get to grips with the game whatsoever. Their passing was poor, almost non-existant, and they were second to the ball all over the park. Gunthorpe buoyed by their start, soon fashioned chances and took a deserved lead when Samba tried to play offside but left a man in, and the Gunthorpe striker slotted home well. To make matters worse Sharp went off injured with an ankle problem and so Horton came on at left back with Bassett reverting to centre half with Boughton. Gunthorpe continued to create chances with only a combination of poor finishing and on one occasion alert goalkeeping preventing Samba from conceding again. Samba only really had two moments of note in the entire half, Boughton fired over following a corner and Francis was found by Bassett but his right foot shot from the edge of the area was narrowly over.

Samba received the expected tongue lashing at half-time after what was undoubtedly their worst performance of the season. Five minutes into the 2nd half came a Samba equaliser, although the goal was clouded in controversy. From a Samba corner the Gunthorpe keeper dropped the ball under heavy pressure from Hill. Issac pounced on the loose ball to poke an equaliser but Gunthorpe were incensed as they considered Hill's challenge to be a clear foul. The protests of the goalkeeper in particular were way over the top and he was sent from the field for foul and abusive language. Back on level terms and with an extra man, you would have thought this would have been the springboard for Samba to win the match. However, Samba's play was still sluggish and Gunthorpe were motivated by what they considered to a miscarriage of justice. Gunthorpe re-took the lead when a low shot from the edge of the box, was not fully claimed by Ballard and the Gunthorpe striker ran onto the ball and carried it over the line. For the next 10-15mins Samba struggled to put any real pressure on the Gunthorpe goal and time appeared to be running out. With about 10mins to go Samba finally managed to pin Gunthorpe in their own half, although a lot of their play was set-pieces, trying to utlise Boughton who was winning all the headers. From a scramble in the box Samba found their equaliser with substitute Pistana firing in through a crowd of players. The last few minutes did not produce any real chances for either side and the game ended all square. Samba had been very poor and they knew it. Gunthorpe to their credit battled hard after the sending off and more than earned their point.