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Match Summary -
Groin saves Saints |
No management selection problems for the DSW manager
this week: with only six players to choose from. But an
injury crisis is threatening to undo this season before
it has really started.
Saints scored their winner with virtually the last kick
of the match to give the Saints a flattering 2-1 win
over DSW at the Broomfields stadium.
Saints seized their winner as Mark Watts was forced to
leave the pitch with a nasty groin injury, leaving DSW
with only five players on the pitch. Up until that stage
DSW had harried the Saints defence into errors and could
have been ahead before the winning strike.
For the first 5-10 minutes DSW did well: James getting
his foot to a sloppy Saints back pass, his first time
effort going just wide. The first half was evenly
balanced with David and James combining well and much
closer link-up play with all three linking players:
Mark, Andy and Neil taking the eye.
It
was the Saints who took the lead after 8 minutes, a low
shot across the face of the goal just alluding Bob
making his first appearance in the DSW goal. DSW made it
1-1 before the break through Andy. Mark found Andy with
a perfectly-weighted pass and he beat the Saints
goalkeeper with his second attempt much to the relief of
the DSW team.
DSW were lively in the second half with David and Neal
both thwarted by the goalkeeper or the woodwork. DSW
stayed on top despite some energetic and robust
challenges from the Saints who were growing increasingly
frustrated. DSW looked solid in defence and any shots
were well saved by Bob. The highest compliment DSW can
pay Bob is that Paul Richards wasn’t missed.
DSW were rocked by the late goal against the run of play
in the dying minutes. DSW were merely undone by the
unfortunate injury to Mark, who was forced to leave the
pitch with only minutes left. DSW remained solid but
eventually the spare man became free in front of goal.
DSW's injury problems ahead of their vital league
programme deepened later in the evening as the DSW’s
manager confirmed that Mark Watts was now added to the
long term injury list which still includes Sicknote
Schofield and Phil Price, still laid low by a mosquito
bite.
DSW’s season has started with a falter: two narrow
defeats leave the team on the bottom of the table. This
performance and the team commitment suggest this
position is misleading – the fans can look forward with
some optimism.
Man of the Match
Andy Dodd.
A good team performance meant a wide spread of opinion
but Andy gets the nod for good defensive display, good
interlinking play and a well taken goal.
Awards:
Djimi Traore award for defensive
blunders – Mark Watts
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