UNDER 16'S MATCH REPORT

LACK OF DESIRE SEES FIRST DEFEAT

On Saturday Rustington U16's fell to their first competative defeat of the season with a 2-3 loss at home to Havant and Waterlooville. A very lacklustre first half saw the Blues go in 3-1 down in a half that was littered with basic mistakes and a distinct lack aggresion and desire.

Havant took the lead in the fifteenth minute when a long punt out to the left should have been dealt with easily but a lack of committment enable the Havant left winger to skip past Gary Peters and deliver an inch perfect cross to the far post for the on rushing Havant forward to plant a header past keeper Bonehill.

Within five minutes Rustington were level when a corner from the right by Harvey was powerfully headed into the roof of the net by Jamie Wrigley. A very dubious offside decision by the Havant linesman robbed Sam Dowsett of giving Rustington the lead five minutes later. Havant regained the lead when the entire Rustington defence refused to close down, challenge or tackle and just stood off of a Havant forward and allow him to pick his spot on thirty minutes.

Havant increased their lead when a goal kick was allowed to bounce by centre half Wrigley and with Bonehill rushing out of the area to try and clear, the Havant forward nipped in to steer the ball past Bonehill and into the empty net.

Half Time 1-3

Harsh words were said at half time and a much improved second half performance followed. With fifty minutes gone substitutions were made with James replacing Barrett and Herbert replacing Peters. With the Blues now controlling the game but still not able to find the back of the net a change of tactics proved successful when Rustington switched from 4-4-2 to a 3-4-3 formation pushing Herbert up to play with Dowsett and Kinyua. This paid instantly as Herbert managed to score with a cross-come-shot that the keeper could only help parry into the net.

Havant were pushed back for the rest of the half but Blues were unable to score an equaliser although Stock and Harvey both clipped the crossbar with shots.

This was a game we still could and probably should have won, but when all you hit does not go in then you have to be on your guard at all times. Havant created three or four chances and were given one or two more by sloppy defending and managed to score three times. Hopefully the boys will learn from this that you have to work hard from the start to get anything from a game.