Scrappy Draw As Sproatley Let Two Leads Slip

The pitch certainly played its past in today’s scrappy battle at the Cage on Victoria Dock. There wasn’t much quality on view as passes went astray and both teams struggled to keep possession, though the home side handled the conditions better than their visitors.

However it was Sproatley who would create the better chances and a series of corners was rewarded with a strong finish from Perkins at the far post following a Miller corner.

Perkins made it 2-0 not long after following good work in the build leading to a neat finish into the bottom corner leaving the home keeper stranded.

Decision making for Sproatley wasn’t the best today with many passes going needlessly astray. The same can be said for 50/50 with Victoria Dock being much quicker to close down Sproatley possession than was the case from Sproatley themselves who constantly stood off their arch rivals resulting in having to soak up more pressure than was necessary.

From a resulting corner from one of these attacks, handball was given, a little unfortunate, but probably correct according for the laws of the game.

The resulting penalty was saved well by Hudson, but the slow reactions of too many of the Sproatley players on the edge of the. Box resulted in a tap in from a cross from the rebound, just before half time too.

The second half continued very much similar to the first. Sproatley struggling to maintain possession and gifting Victoria Dock needless possession. A further penalty was awarded which was despatched at the first attempt making it 2-2.

This spurred Sproatley into a more determined attack and numerous chances were created without much response from the home side. One of the resulting corners during this period of dominance lead to Carl Hadgraft winning a strong header which was saved by the keeper only for Christian Hadgraft to nudge the ball home in the resulting scramble.

At 3-2 Sproatley should have gone on to secure all three points but there was still too many stray passes resulting in further opportunities for Victoria Dock of which one was taken with just 5 mins remaining.

Sproatley did rally following this disappointment and earned further corners, but the home side clung onto the point leaving Sproatley wondering what could have been.

The result was an improvement on the previous game earlier in the season, but improvements are needed in the care of possession, and the battle for closing down opponents when defending across the pitch. Two vital areas which can impact on the potential success from the opportunities which lies ahead.