RMFC

This was RM’s first game in 5 weeks following the Xmas break and postponements, and they certainly looked keen – 16 players being available to manager Simon Litt, giving him something of a selection headache and meaning not much room in the changing rooms! Dave Humphreys and Ben Steptoe were carrying knocks and dropped out, whilst new keeper Andy Smy made his debut between the sticks. So it was a strong looking RM line up, looking to move away from the relegation fight, and they started brightly, seeing plenty of the ball without really hurting the Didcot back line. RM took the lead with a fine team effort, good work down the left by father and son Pat and Nick Wehmeier fed Tom Srawley bursting into the box and his pull back was met with a cool finish by Neil Hillier into the far corner of the net. And it was almost 2-0 immediately – Andy Warmington winning a 50/50 challenge strongly and drilling goalwards from 30 yards, only to see his shot hit the post with the keeper stranded. As half time loomed, Didcot equalised with a bit of fortune after a right wing cross held up in the wind and as 3 players challenged Smy, the ball popped out of his grasp for an easy tap in to make it 1-1.

RM were certainly the better side though, and dominated the first 15 minutes of the second half. They got their noses back in front when Nathan Brown’s corner was cleared straight back to him and he produced some silky footwork to advance into the box – the keeper could only parry his lobbed effort leaving Chris Coppock the simplest of chances to nod over the line from a yard out. Another goal at this stage would probably have killed it for RM, and they certainly came close. Tom Srawley skinned 3 defenders on a great run and when his shot was saved, Brown could only send the rebound weakly wide. Alex Bird then turned his man neatly on the edge of the box but the keeper saved his shot comfortably. Didcot then equalised with the goal of the game, a wickedly dipping half volley from the edge of the area giving Smy no chance although he did well to get a hand on it. Some slack marking in the box then allowed Didcot to take the lead for the first time at 3-2, before manager Litt made a couple of game changing subs. Lee Wyatt first popped up in the box and with virtually his first touch produced a superb cushioned finish over the keeper to bring RM level, and then Srawley sent Wyatt running clear from half way – but his second touch was slightly heavy and invited the keeper to challenge and get the ball away. Second sub Simon Collett then had the ball in the net only to see it chalked off for a very dubious looking offside. Brown nearly won it when his drive hit the post and rebounded to safety before Didcot snatched it at the death. Coppock was harshly judged to have brought down a forward on the edge of the box and when the resulting free kick hit the bar and looped up, too many RM players were ball watching as it was delivered back into the box to an unmarked player to slot home with virtually the last kick of the match.

More disappointment for RM then, whose winless run now stretches back to 7 matches and pitches them into a relegation dogfight. Big games coming up in the next 2 weeks, against teams below them in the table, will probably make the picture clearer