Gedling Southbank A — Sat 24 Sep 2011

Match report

Half time: 0 – 3

FC Samba were hoping to record back to back wins for the first time this season against Gedling Southbank. History was on their side as incredibly the previous eleven meetings in league and cup had yielded ten wins and a draw for Samba, with GSB never managing to defeat the Sandboys. Gibbons only made one enforced change with G.Taylor absent, Swallow partnered Nellist up front. The opening fifteen minutes saw little in the way of quality or chances as neither side particularly settled. GSB looked more threatening particularly down their left, whilst at the other end Gibbons tested the keeper with a left foot shot that was tipped over. It was GSB who took the lead though and the goal was so simple. A long throw into the box was flicked on at the near post and across the face of the goal. As Nicholls and the forward challenged the ball broke invitingly for a GSB player who smacked it into the net from all of 4yds. Poor from Samba. A few minutes later and Samba were in double trouble as they conceded a penalty. The GSB midfielder burst into the box, again from the left and enticed the trip from C.Taylor. The contact was minor but audible, and the referee correctly awarded the kick. It was dispatched to Nicholls right and Samba’s previous near perfect record against their rivals was under real threat. Nicholls was forced to make an excellent save when the GSB striker got clean through on the right of the box, but Samba’s no.1 emerged to smother the shot. When GSB extended their lead to 3-0 Samba minds could be forgiven for casting back to the horrors of Kirton and particularly Kashmir. What was more galling was that the goal was a mirror image of the first one, albeit coming from the other side with Samba falling to win the first header and the forward unable to miss from two yards. Despite the poor quality of the goals conceded Samba had played some decent football in the middle third but on occasions their final ball let them down. Swallow had a great chance to reduce the arrears but failed to make sufficient connection and the keeper managed to save the effort.

Samba again had it all to do in the second half and realistically were just playing for pride bar an epic comeback. The second half showed that Samba had some fight after all as a much more competitive performance saw them hold their own. Francis was seeing much more of the ball at left wing back and put in a buccaneering second half performance that saw him raid down the left and create several chances for the Sandboys. The goal when it came wasn’t until about 75 mins and Francis’ run and cross was turned in for an own goal to give Samba a fighting chance. GSB had chances to extend their lead, particularly as Samba threw men forward in the hope of claiming a second to put the home side under real pressure. The pick of the GSB chances came when Samba gave the ball away along their own back line but the GSB striker couldn’t capitalise and wildly shot wide. Samba slipped to a fourth defeat in six games but their second half performance gave them hope for weeks to come and if they can cut out the silly goals in future matches they stand a reasonable chance of climbing the table.