|
|
 |
| Stags edge 7-goal 6-pointer |
A thrilling game between 3rd placed Picket Piece and 2nd placed Never Back Down at the Sports Academy saw the Stags edge it in a frantic final minute as the Stags eventually gave their fans a thrilling 4-3 victory to celebrate.
Behind NBD on goal difference before the game, this was must win to have any chance of securing 2nd place and a playoff spot, with the league title probably too far out of sight, with goal difference meaning that Matchstick Men were effectively 7 points ahead of both with 6 games to go before kick off.
The first half was pretty generic, with an opener by Stags man Dorian Sefton cancelled out quite quickly by Evert Jan 'T Riet of NBD, and the two sides went for their half time oranges all square.
NBD went ahead in the 2nd half, swiftly cancelled out 2 minutes later by the Stags, before the Stags took a slightly deserved lead to go 3-2 up thanks to substitute Deano Terrie prodding home.
NBD and their fans went crazy in the 88th minute though, with 'T Riet again scoring to set up a grandstand finish by making it 3-3, but surely at that stage it was points shared.
However the Stags got an ever so slightly deserved winner, and a huge goal considering the fixtures still to come for them, as supersub Terrie once again found the net, this time from 25 yards out, and sent the crowd into ecstacy.
"This is what we're here for" said Sefton after the game. "we had to work so hard against a brilliant team, thankfully the bosses subs paid off today, and credit to Deano. The old guy has still got it", he continued with a smile.
Next up is a Friday night delight as we face Slottsangen BK in the 6th round of the cup, which will be yet another tough game.
It's fair to say we are still the outsiders for the playoffs at this point as we still have to play and lose to Matchstick Men, so we are relying on NBD to drop more points and us to be perfect between now and the end of the season to have any hopes of being a playoff team. It was tough losing Adam Dodd for a few games, and having to play an inexperienced defence may well have cost us when the dust settles.
But with us now being 11 clear of relegation with 5 games to go, we know the pressure is off us in some respects and we can give both competitions the best go we can, without compromising development.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|