Pelham Performance Improving

Casuals and Pelham picked up yet another less in the league in 2017 but it was a much improved performance against an unbeaten SC Birchanger Reserves side. Once again with another 5 players welcomed back into the fold, it would again be a completely different line up to the previous weeks before. Pelham decided they would focus on keeping a tight defence and being hard to beat/break down, which they managed to do for almost the whole of the first half. Within the first 45 minutes it was a game of very few opportunites with each team only having one real opportunity each. Dan Arran done well to get his shot away after having a fairly isolated first half but unfortunately for the home side. SC Birchanger Reserves took their once chance of the half, and would make the score 1-0 at the half, even though it had been a well matched even affair. A couple of changes were made at the half with another two returning players coming back into the side to get some minutes under their belt. Unfortunately in the second half the fitness and lack of playing time showed and SC BIrchanger took full advantage. They essentially killed off the game going from 1-0 in a tight cagey half to 4-0 with around 20 minutes left of the game. Pelham did have their chances though and a big one through Joe White whos one on one header didn't make it past the SC Birchanger Reserves keeper. However Pelham did mount a comeback, firstly through a Dan Arran direct freekick from a good distance out, sticking the ball right in the top corner (his second goal in as many games for Pelham) and Grant Clark bundling the ball over the line from a scrappy cross. at 4-2 with around 10 minutes to go Pelham continued to push for a winner, but unfortunately it was a step too far with not enough time left on the clock. A better performance today lads but some serious consistency is needed in order to build some fiitness and momentum and get some more points on the board.