Sunday saw fifth placed Monk welcome fourth placed AFC Stratton to Lambourn in an important match for both teams. With the top two, DPR and Gorsehill Borough, beginning to open a gap, three points were necessary for both to keep in touch. As it turned out, after an eventful morning, neither were to get their wish.
Things started off looking really good for Jovial Monk. They took the lead through a penalty and, although pegged back to 1-1, they then went ahead with another penalty before going 3-1 ahead. AFC Stratton then missed a penalty of their own and Monk looked to have made them pay for the miss by increasing their lead to 4-1.
All of this was being relayed to me live, via Twitter messaging, by Monk boss Shaun Smith. When he sent me the message "4-2", I replied with "No second half collapse please". This comment was meant to be in jest because at the time it sounded as if Monk had been in control and should be able to see the game out. However, within a few minutes I received another message "4-3. Here it comes". Things were looking ominous and, sure enough, ten minutes later I got the message the AFC Stratton had equalised. Not only that but I was later told that Stratton should have been down to 10, Monk had their keeper injured and forced to come out of goal, and the Monks themselves played the last 10 a player down after a sin-binning.
As Shaun commented it was a great game for a neutral but, even though a point wasn't a bad result, it felt like a loss after being 4-1 up.
FT Jovial Monk 4 AFC Stratton 4
Jacob Kimber Jack Skryme *2
Kristopher Redford Ash Glover
Mitch Sutton *2 Sam Downs
The result sees AFC Stratton leapfrog Casuals FC, who didn't play, into third spot. Jovial Monk stay in fifth ahead of next week's home game against seventh placed RH Woodlands Edge.
All three teams that BotP follows on Sundays scored four goals this weekend. On top of the Monks 4-4 draw, Caversham United won 4-3 and Caversham United Women won 4-1. If only my U12s had managed to start the weekend off with a four on Saturday morning rather than the 3-3 draw.
Things started off looking really good for Jovial Monk. They took the lead through a penalty and, although pegged back to 1-1, they then went ahead with another penalty before going 3-1 ahead. AFC Stratton then missed a penalty of their own and Monk looked to have made them pay for the miss by increasing their lead to 4-1.
All of this was being relayed to me live, via Twitter messaging, by Monk boss Shaun Smith. When he sent me the message "4-2", I replied with "No second half collapse please". This comment was meant to be in jest because at the time it sounded as if Monk had been in control and should be able to see the game out. However, within a few minutes I received another message "4-3. Here it comes". Things were looking ominous and, sure enough, ten minutes later I got the message the AFC Stratton had equalised. Not only that but I was later told that Stratton should have been down to 10, Monk had their keeper injured and forced to come out of goal, and the Monks themselves played the last 10 a player down after a sin-binning.
As Shaun commented it was a great game for a neutral but, even though a point wasn't a bad result, it felt like a loss after being 4-1 up.
FT Jovial Monk 4 AFC Stratton 4
Jacob Kimber Jack Skryme *2
Kristopher Redford Ash Glover
Mitch Sutton *2 Sam Downs
The result sees AFC Stratton leapfrog Casuals FC, who didn't play, into third spot. Jovial Monk stay in fifth ahead of next week's home game against seventh placed RH Woodlands Edge.
All three teams that BotP follows on Sundays scored four goals this weekend. On top of the Monks 4-4 draw, Caversham United won 4-3 and Caversham United Women won 4-1. If only my U12s had managed to start the weekend off with a four on Saturday morning rather than the 3-3 draw.
RSS Feed