CHIRK AAA's 3 GRESFORD ATHLETIC RESERVES 4
By Captain Web

This trip to Holyhead Road perhaps was a timely reminder that perhaps we are not quite as good as we think we are and this was best emphasised by that fact we conceded three goals on our travels for the first time in ages.

With a busy league programme around the corner, Ady decided to rest Luke Peate and Darren Jones dropped to the bench. In came Sooty into the heart of the defence.

In the early stages there were signs of anxiety and we lacked cohesion so it was no surprise when Chirk took an 8th minute lead with our defence caught square. We were able to get back into the game on 20 minutes though with a scrambled goal, a shot from Matt Davies was saved by the keeper but the rebound was headed back over the line by Matt.

We certainly lacked passion and Holyhead Road was more like a grave yard than a football pitch. Our passing was poor and defending at times woeful and the best moment of a dull first half was watching Matt's Mum Hazel do a Mary Poppins impression as her umbrella disappeared down the Ceiriog valley.

Again our defence was in ‘sixes and sevens' and Gaz Pugh screwed a clearance our defence would normally cope with with ease but not on Saturday as Chirk took a 2-1 interval lead.

There were no cups flying around the changing rooms at half time but Ady was not pleased with our lack of commitment and attitude but refrained from pointing any fingers.

The dressing down the players had, had an impact as the second half was only moments old when Matt Davies had us on level terms following a corner. For the next 20 minutes or so we played some attractive football and were able to take a 3-2 lead when Keeno rifled the ball home from 15 yards for his first goal in 18 months.

Against the run of play, any thoughts Keeno had of grabbing the headlines disappeared when Chirk squared the match with a shot from the edge of the box which took a deflection off Haggis.

I think most of us would have settled for a point at that stage but with 2 minutes remaining, Gazzer chased what most of us thought was a lost and hopeless cause but he dispossessed a Chirk defender and from what looked like an impossible angle Haggis fired a last gasp winner.

The ‘gaffer' failed to provide his normal in-depth interview and was quite subdued about the days proceedings despite the fact we showed character by coming back twice and having the spunk to notch a late winner.

Lets not forget Ady is Ady and he wears his heart on his sleeve and expects the high standards he possesses to be followed to the letter of the law. “I just need some thinking time but we will need to compete much better than we did on Saturday to achieve anything in the cups”

MOM Matt Davies, he was one of the few who hardly put a foot wrong and his performance was rewarded with two well executed goals.

TWA – Tea Award: Not to be published this week as the honour was shared between three players. I must confess, I voted for Hazel myself !!!!!!

Team: 1. Craig Trow(7) 2. Robbie Jones (7) 3. Hugh Jones(6) 4. Shaun Winter (7) 5. Steve Halliwell (7) 6. Graham Sutcliffe (6) 7. Paul Jones (8) 8. Gaz Pugh Jones (8) 9. Richie Carr (7) 10. Matt Davies (9) 11. Chris Broadirst (7) SUBS: 12. Owen Roberts () 14. Darren Jones (7) 15.Chris Hughes()