Reds Endure Tough Start

Firstly I would like to thank Baulds for taking one for the team and deputising in goal for the injured Damo. Much appreciated and you did an admirable job too.

This morning we travelled to the pristine Surrey Sports Park for a very difficult opening test at last season's Runners Up Uni Strollers. Our hosts had added to their wealth of attacking options and ultimately this was to prove the difference between two sides who found defending tough going in a wide open match.

Unfortunately for us we conceded goals at awful times throughout the game, often just after we had missed a good chance at the other end.

Luca Mortellaro was denied by a point blank save by the keeper inside the first two minutes after he latched on to debutant Sam Ford's expert low cross from the left hand side. Uni then went straight down the other end and their new striker coolly slotted home to give them the early lead.

We had two good chances to equalise as Joey Stevens dragged wide after being supplied by a fine Oli Cochrane pass and Oli himself shot straight at the keeper when he had done well to break through onto James Simpson's long ball.

Strollers were always a threat, but for the majority of the first half we defended pretty well and despite a few nervy moments were limiting their chances.

Eventually after 25 minutes we did level. Sam, Ben Naylor and Oli combined to find Luca and his cracking through ball set Joey free and he rounded the keeper and rolled the ball into the empty net in composed fashion.

We then exchanged chances at either end as Strollers' striker rounded Baulds at the byline instead of shooting for some reason and then failed to cut back to anyone.

Joey was also denied by their keeper as Sam's cross found him in space at the back post.

Just before half-time came two key moments. Firstly Luca had a fine chance to give us the lead, but shot at the keeper from 10 yards after beating his man to open up the space. Then Strollers broke up the other end and their striker got into the box and 'cleverly' left his leg dangling to initiate contact with Simon which saw him tumble and win a penalty. Uni converted and it was 2-1 at the interval.

We needed to be solid at the start of the second half as we were very much in the game, but we conceded twice in the first 5 minutes to effectively kill the game.

Luca got us one back on the hour mark with a rasping drive from just outside the box after good work from Grouty and Joey, but we conceded again straight from the kick off.

The remainder of the game saw us creating chances at regular intervals, but Ads, Oli, Luca, Frosty, Jay and Joey either could not beat their keeper or fired wide.

Uni's striker completed his hat-trick with a solo effort and they too missed a couple of further chances as the game finished 6-2.

It could have been any scored today as the statistics below will show, but on a hard day for defending we came up against a real attacking force that we simply couldn't contain. Our finishing just didn't match up today.

We created numerous clear cut chances which is certainly a positive should we turn those to goals in the next few weeks, but we will need to work hard as a team in order to improve the defensive situation in another tricky game next week at home to Woking & Maybury.

It is certainly not unusual for us to start the season with a defeat, we normally do in fact, and I saw enough out there today to say we can bounce back in a positive manner.

Match Statistics:

Total Shots: Uni 18-27 WWFC
On Target: Uni 8-14 WWFC
Off Target: Uni 7-8 WWFC
Blocked: Uni 3-5 WWFC

Clear Chances: Uni 9-11 WWFC

MoM - Simon - energetic, hard working display in midfield. Frosty also solid on debut.

Thanks to Lorry for running the line.