Fox & Crown — Sat 29 Sep 2012

Match report

Half time: 0 – 1

Fresh from their comprehensive victory over Gedling Southbank, Samba visited the Fox and Crown for their first away fixture of the season. Randall and Marshall were in the starting XI, whilst G.Taylor returned to the squad. The opening exchanges were messy with little good football played and this set the tone for a pretty turgid first half, which wasn't a good advert for the NAA. Both sides failed to create many chances and both were consistently caught offside in a game that failed to break into any rhythm. Samba's only noteworthy chance of the half came when Swallow broke from, midfield and was clean through but a way from goal. His shot went over but it was the only time that Samba had managed to penetrate the home defence. Samba's back line was equally comfortable and as the game headed to half time it looked like being scoreless. However with a couple of minutes to go Fox and Crown took the lead. The Samba defend appealed for a throw in and when the decision was not forthcoming appeared to stop, whilst the forward cut into the box and finished well past Nicholls into the bottom firing corner.

Samba introduced Bassett and G.Taylor at half time as they attempted to break their sluggish performance. Gradually Samba improved in the second half with Gibbons also taking to the field. G.Taylor had a curling effort from the corner of the box that went just over and it lookedlikely that Samba would get back into the game. However they were dealt an unusual blow when Nicholls had to leave the field with a knee injury and so Wilford took his place between the sticks. The home side really gave Samba a mountain to climb when they got their second goal. A header was won in midfield and all of a sudden Samba were two on two at the back. The Fox and Crown forwards worked the ball well and finished low past Wilford who had no chance. From then on in the home side controlled the match and Samba returned to the sloppiness that had defined their performance bar a short 10-15 mom spell at the start of the second half. The Fox and Crown made it three in style when they converted a bicycle kick from short range and although Samba rallied in the last 5 mins with a goal from G.Taylor they were well beaten.