Leaking Soft Goals Anything But Magical

After a brilliant run in the League and cup that has accumulated 10 wins from their past 11 games Magical Vegas finished the league season on a sour note when they rolled over to a distinctly average Blacksmiths team 3-5.

With neither team having much to play for but pride in their last game of the season, Vegas started very slowly. After 20mins of being outplayed and overexposed manager Patrick Moore Jones switched them to a flat back 4 with Erol Resat dropping onto the wing to make a more structured 442 formation.

Suddenly the game changed and Vegas controlled possession and created chances with Moore Jones, Resat and Paul Reid coming close to scoring. Blacksmiths were aided when a couple of strong penalty appeals where turned down. Both sides came in a half-time feeling aggrieved they hadn't scored.

The second half was much more of an amateur affair, with both sides playing sloppy, amateurish football. When poor Vegas defending allowed a Blacksmiths attacker to lob goalie Matt Summers, they responded immediately when Loblack's long pass found Resat who crossed for Steven Bruce to tap in at the far post to draw level 1-1.

Moments later, Reid floated a perfect free-kick into the far post area where Moore Jones leapt highest an fired a header back across goal, somehow the Blacksmiths goalie stuck out his left hand to make what was to be a crucial save. Moments later Blacksmiths took what was to be a lead they would not give up again. Dangerous on the wings a cut-back was fired through the legs of Summers and a carbon copy goal happened again within 8 minutes of each other as Vegas started piling forward.

With the score 3-1 Mikes Appiah had been tormenting the right back down the left-hand side all half and after cutting in his shot beat the keeper but not the post to compound Vegas' frustration. The score was 4-1 with another cut back leaving an easy finish for the Blacksmiths striker. Steve Bruce then grabbed his second before substitute Winston Fowler hit the bar after a great cross from Reid.

A 5th and game killing goal came from a defensive mix-up between defender and left-winger that resulted in another tap in before a Fowler block in the opposite box fell kindly for Bruce to fire home for his hat-trick.

The goal difference suffered in this defeat cost Vegas as they slipped to joint 4th for the time being with the likelihood they will now only finish above Arya in the Premiership season. If they are to improve on that next season, they will surely need to strengthen their mentality in games where chances are few and far between and stop conceding sloppy goals. It has cost them at the beginning, and end of the season.