BackSat 02 Aug 2025 ·  First Division
AFC Greenwich Borough
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S Baek (34')
Managers post match thoughts AFC Greenwich Borough
Glynn Stephens10 Sep - 11:19
First game of the season
For me the first game of the season always brings with it a number of different feelings and emotions . I question myself as to whether Ive maximised the use of pre season , I have a sense of optimism as everyone has on the opening day , Im a bit apprehensive about whether or not it will go well but I suppose overall im glad that all of the preparation is out of the way and the competition starts for real. This year became even more trying , with first team coach Tony Reid departing for Larkfield and New Hythe , along with 3 of last years squad just 2 weeks ago and we lost our goalkeeper 3 weeks ago with him having impressed in a friendly against Corinthian Casuals .
Luckily ive done this for so long now that I take it in my stride , but it was a series of problems I could have done without .
Having been moved into a new league it was very difficult on Saturday to assess exactly what I thought I would get from the game . Starting away to AFC Greenwich Borough, a newly formed team , rumoured to have sound financial backing and predicted to be one of the front runners this season , but you just dont know , however the opening 15 minutes of the game absolutely seemed as if all those pre match thoughts about them were 100% accurate . We hardly got a kick , couldn't get out of our half and but some very fine last ditch defending we could have easily found ourselves behind and with the game out of sight . We needed a little bit of a break to find a way to get into the game and after about 20 minutes we did actually complete a few passing sequences to get us into the top third , winning a couple of corners which at least broke the trend of the opening exchanges of the game . We had weathered the storm , but as usual with football just as I was beginning to feel a little bit more comfortable , the game bit us , when we conceded a poor goal in my opinion when the ball was played in behind us which had happened far too easily and far too often in the opening half an hour or so and with our goalkeeper stranded in no man's land , the striker rolled the ball into an empty net to see us go behind . For me at that stage I was thinking only of half time and getting the boys in the changing room to address what was needed and to restructure us so we could at least try and get ourselves back in the game .
5 minutes or so before the break however and with our best passage of play involving Archie and Ellis we released SJ down the left hand side of the penalty box , and he took his shot early hitting a blistering drive into the top right hand corner of the net to give us probably what was at that stage an undeserved equaliser but it got us back level and the game pretty much in my opinion changed after that.
At the break we spoke about managing what they might throw at us in the opening 10 minutes of the second-half , and to try to break the game up if they was on top , but that if we was on top to maintain the momentum and play on the front foot . Opinion will probably be divided but I thought we were the better side in the second-half creating 2 very fine openings that their goalkeeper made two excellent saves to deny Bailey and then SJ again ,for what would have been his second of the match whereas at the other end defensively with the adjustments we made at the break we were rarely troubled .
So a point away from home against unknown opponents , as will be the case all of this season but one that I think will be challenging . I can only be happy that we actually took something from the game to get the season up and running and we now have a break for two weeks where we don't play . We will train this week Tuesday and Thursday get some game time with two friendlies that we've hastily arranged over the weekend to get all of our players playing ,along with the new players that have joined the club that didn't get involved on Saturday . I will prepare for the next league game then with two further training sessions the following week before we open our home games this season against Staplehurst monarchs .
Its nice to get going again and I hope we can get our first win next time out to add to that first point .
Luckily ive done this for so long now that I take it in my stride , but it was a series of problems I could have done without .
Having been moved into a new league it was very difficult on Saturday to assess exactly what I thought I would get from the game . Starting away to AFC Greenwich Borough, a newly formed team , rumoured to have sound financial backing and predicted to be one of the front runners this season , but you just dont know , however the opening 15 minutes of the game absolutely seemed as if all those pre match thoughts about them were 100% accurate . We hardly got a kick , couldn't get out of our half and but some very fine last ditch defending we could have easily found ourselves behind and with the game out of sight . We needed a little bit of a break to find a way to get into the game and after about 20 minutes we did actually complete a few passing sequences to get us into the top third , winning a couple of corners which at least broke the trend of the opening exchanges of the game . We had weathered the storm , but as usual with football just as I was beginning to feel a little bit more comfortable , the game bit us , when we conceded a poor goal in my opinion when the ball was played in behind us which had happened far too easily and far too often in the opening half an hour or so and with our goalkeeper stranded in no man's land , the striker rolled the ball into an empty net to see us go behind . For me at that stage I was thinking only of half time and getting the boys in the changing room to address what was needed and to restructure us so we could at least try and get ourselves back in the game .
5 minutes or so before the break however and with our best passage of play involving Archie and Ellis we released SJ down the left hand side of the penalty box , and he took his shot early hitting a blistering drive into the top right hand corner of the net to give us probably what was at that stage an undeserved equaliser but it got us back level and the game pretty much in my opinion changed after that.
At the break we spoke about managing what they might throw at us in the opening 10 minutes of the second-half , and to try to break the game up if they was on top , but that if we was on top to maintain the momentum and play on the front foot . Opinion will probably be divided but I thought we were the better side in the second-half creating 2 very fine openings that their goalkeeper made two excellent saves to deny Bailey and then SJ again ,for what would have been his second of the match whereas at the other end defensively with the adjustments we made at the break we were rarely troubled .
So a point away from home against unknown opponents , as will be the case all of this season but one that I think will be challenging . I can only be happy that we actually took something from the game to get the season up and running and we now have a break for two weeks where we don't play . We will train this week Tuesday and Thursday get some game time with two friendlies that we've hastily arranged over the weekend to get all of our players playing ,along with the new players that have joined the club that didn't get involved on Saturday . I will prepare for the next league game then with two further training sessions the following week before we open our home games this season against Staplehurst monarchs .
Its nice to get going again and I hope we can get our first win next time out to add to that first point .
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