Defeat for Town 3rd XI
LOUGHBOROUGH TOWN
MEN’S 3RD XI 1 LEICESTER 1ST XI 3 MIDLANDS MEN’S DIVISION 5 EAST PLAYING under the lights, Loughborough Town Men’s 3s hosted Leicester 1s in a late afternoon game. With both sides at the opposite ends of the table, Town expected a tough game.
Town started well, passing the ball around with conviction, though weren’t able to gain any meaningful entries into the D.
The defence also held firm limiting Leicester to possession near their D. As the half progressed the away side got into the game generating some decent goal scoring chances, through open play, as well as a couple of penalty corners. Keeper Guy Heywood stood firm keeping the score sheet even.
On the half hour mark Town took the lead with a well worked move down the left-hand side which resulted in Nathan Holifield scoring his second of the season.
Leicester then piled on the pressure for the remaining five minutes, and just before the half time whistle went won a penalty corner. The ensuring routine generated a shot on goal which the away side thought would result in a penalty stroke, due to it hitting a town player.
However, after the umpires conferred it was deemed that the shot was going over the backboard, and therefore the half ended 1-0 to Town.
Leicester came out the stronger side in the second half as they upped their intensity, which paid off as their equalising goal from a drag flick penalty corner eventually came in the 48th minute.
Ten minutes later they took the lead, when Town who failed to cover the middle of the field, allowed the ball to be fired into the D, and a lovely deflection went high into the net.
Town pressed for the equaliser, though it wasn’t too be as another good open play goal from Leicester ended the scoring at 3-1 to the visitors.
Overall Town can take heart from a good team performance, though the underlying improvement needed is to play with intensity for a full game.
Next week Town have an early 9am start, away against local rivals Loughborough Students 4s in another tough game.