United apply some 1st half pressure With Raunds Town falling foul to the weather a more local option was called for, so it was a first trip of the season to Loop Meadow and a Southern league South and West match between Didcot Town and Mangotsfield United. Travelling down the A34 the strength of the wind was noticeably increasing with some of the gusts moving the car around. My decision to go to a local game was looking like a good one because it seemed that there was a chance of abandonment across most of the country.
However, the floodlights were lighting up the Oxfordshire sky and the game was clearly going to start.
The Loop is a fairly frequent haunt, so I won't go into any detail about the stadium. Suffice to say that the terracing under the covered area behind the railway end goal has finally been completed.
Unfortunately there isn't too much to write about the game. One of the most interesting points was that both sides were wearing their away kits, Didcot in blue and black stripes, Mangotsfield in yellow shirts and black shorts. Thanks to the weather it was almost impossible for either team to play football. Any ball lifted more than a foot off the ground could have ended anywhere, the wind was so strong and gusty.
In the first half it was Didcot who were kicking into the teeth of the gale and, unsurprisingly, they found it extremely difficult to get out of their own half. Mangotsfield employed the rather clever tactic of pushing up whenever Didcot had a goal kick. This effectively stopped the keeper from taking it short and keeping it on the ground. When forced to kick long the wind was either holding the ball up or, if aimed to the left, drifting it straight out for a throw-in.
Despite being on the back foot for the opening twenty minutes the Didcot defence did manage to restrict Mangotsfield to some long distance efforts none of which threatened Leigh Bedwell's goal.
The away side made some very strong claims for a penalty after 37 minutes when one of their players appeared to be hauled down in the box. There were several players between where I was standing and where the incident took place making it very difficult to see exactly what happened. Either way, the referee waved play on and Didcot immediately broke up the field and finally got a shot on target which was comfortably beaten away by Kyle Phillips in the United goal.
So, at half-time it was still 0-0 and the weather was coming out on top. As the stadium announcer pointed out, the evening's crowd of 82 was slightly down on their last home game, where over 2,500 turned up for the visit of Exeter City in the FA Cup.
However, the floodlights were lighting up the Oxfordshire sky and the game was clearly going to start.
The Loop is a fairly frequent haunt, so I won't go into any detail about the stadium. Suffice to say that the terracing under the covered area behind the railway end goal has finally been completed.
Unfortunately there isn't too much to write about the game. One of the most interesting points was that both sides were wearing their away kits, Didcot in blue and black stripes, Mangotsfield in yellow shirts and black shorts. Thanks to the weather it was almost impossible for either team to play football. Any ball lifted more than a foot off the ground could have ended anywhere, the wind was so strong and gusty.
In the first half it was Didcot who were kicking into the teeth of the gale and, unsurprisingly, they found it extremely difficult to get out of their own half. Mangotsfield employed the rather clever tactic of pushing up whenever Didcot had a goal kick. This effectively stopped the keeper from taking it short and keeping it on the ground. When forced to kick long the wind was either holding the ball up or, if aimed to the left, drifting it straight out for a throw-in.
Despite being on the back foot for the opening twenty minutes the Didcot defence did manage to restrict Mangotsfield to some long distance efforts none of which threatened Leigh Bedwell's goal.
The away side made some very strong claims for a penalty after 37 minutes when one of their players appeared to be hauled down in the box. There were several players between where I was standing and where the incident took place making it very difficult to see exactly what happened. Either way, the referee waved play on and Didcot immediately broke up the field and finally got a shot on target which was comfortably beaten away by Kyle Phillips in the United goal.
So, at half-time it was still 0-0 and the weather was coming out on top. As the stadium announcer pointed out, the evening's crowd of 82 was slightly down on their last home game, where over 2,500 turned up for the visit of Exeter City in the FA Cup.
The completed stand Mangotsfield, after seeing how Didcot had struggled against the wind in the first half, began the second half on a very positive note. Playing the ball on the ground as much as possible they made a couple of half-chances in the opening few minutes. They certainly looked as if they had mastered the art of playing into such a strong wind. However, it was not to last and, as the half progressed, Didcot began to push them backwards more and more. One thing that did come to light at the start of the half was the Didcot tactic when defending a corner. As soon as the decision was given two of their players split across the halfway line, one on each flank. Presumably the thinking is that, if they are so far spread, the opposition would have to leave 3 players back, one for each of the wide men and at least one in the middle of the park so as not to leave a huge gap. An interesting move that I have not seen employed before.
Just before the hour mark Didcot had their best opportunity to score. A quick break saw Dutton-Black put through but Phillips produced a great one handed stop to thwart him. As it happened, this just delayed the opener by a few minutes. Just past the 60 minute mark a left-wing break was pulled back for Dutton-Black who, this time, made no mistake min giving the Railwaymen the lead.
After the goal, Mangotsfield tried to push forward and did create a couple of half chances. There was time for a small dust-up between a couple of opposing midfielders which almost, but not quite, escalated into something bigger and then the referee blew to end the game.
To be honest the game should probably have not gone ahead. However, under the circumstances, both teams did their best to produce some football whenever they had the opportunity. On the balance of play a draw would have been a fairer result but Didcot took one of their chances whilst Mangotsfield seemed to lack a killer instinct in front of goal.
Didcot Town - @didcottownfc
Mangotsfield United - @mangotsfieldutd
Just before the hour mark Didcot had their best opportunity to score. A quick break saw Dutton-Black put through but Phillips produced a great one handed stop to thwart him. As it happened, this just delayed the opener by a few minutes. Just past the 60 minute mark a left-wing break was pulled back for Dutton-Black who, this time, made no mistake min giving the Railwaymen the lead.
After the goal, Mangotsfield tried to push forward and did create a couple of half chances. There was time for a small dust-up between a couple of opposing midfielders which almost, but not quite, escalated into something bigger and then the referee blew to end the game.
To be honest the game should probably have not gone ahead. However, under the circumstances, both teams did their best to produce some football whenever they had the opportunity. On the balance of play a draw would have been a fairer result but Didcot took one of their chances whilst Mangotsfield seemed to lack a killer instinct in front of goal.
Didcot Town - @didcottownfc
Mangotsfield United - @mangotsfieldutd
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