Rushall Olympic (A)

[Del]

Match scheduled for: Saturday 08 October - kick-off time: 15:00
Venue: Dales Lane, Rushall, Walsall, WS4 1LJ
Link to opponents official website: https://www.rofc.co.uk

[Del]

Our match preview: https://www.hednesfordtownfc.com/2022/1 ... ord-town-2

Their match preview: https://www.rofc.co.uk/news/preview--mo ... n-saturday

[Del]

RUSHALL OLYMPIC 3 - 4 PITMEN

[njp]

Great reaction from the lads today after going down and a great result! I really think we need a cup run this season to get potential/old fans on board to increase gates.

Highlights - The keeper had a brilliant game. I can see him being on loan at a team in the league above come January, it was a good response after looking a lot slower than rushall, we won.


the not so good - we need a real left back as unfortunately Portman looks lost there despite being a good option at CB, we need to keep switched on all game, it seemed as if we were being dominated in midfield at times.

[Lee K]

We were really poor for an hour. Totally outplayed and out battled. How we went in at half time level I don’t know and their two goals early in the second half were no surprise. We had Lita up front on his own and I thought KMR was back.
Then we bring Nesbitt on, play two up front and start to play so much better. We were weak in midfield throughout though. Parker, Clements and Nabi were well off the pace, and I can now see why Clements has been to and left other step three clubs as he doesn’t look like he’s got the legs anymore. But once Nesbitt came on we got Cuff and Livingstone into the game more and what a great last half hour we had.

[C D S]

A rollercoaster of emotions for ninety-six minutes and a helluva comeback from the boys, who looked dead and buried at 3-1. Huge credit to Yogi and Toothy for making the correct tactical call by bringing Nesbitt on when they did as this ultimately swung the game in our favour.

Very lucky to go in at the break on level terms; some awful defending at times, giving Rushall far too much time and space to play and get plenty of shots away. Fortunately for us, Pics didn’t really have their shooting boots on and wasted some good opportunities. A more clinical side would have been four up at half-time

Awful start to the second half as we defended like a bunch of amateurs once more, still allowing the hosts to play passes into feet in the final third and get their shots away, with no-one touch-tight to their markers to stop the flow of play. All very depressing at this stage and you wondered if this was going to be a step backwards after our giant leap forwards last weekend. However, we have a manager at last who has the confidence and experience to change things when necessary, sending Nesbitt on and playing with two up top. Result - a total change of fortune as we pushed Rushall back, playing on the counter and getting service into the front men from Livingstone and Cuff. We created several good openings, with Livingstone firing home after a neat Lita step-over and then Nesbitt fired home on the rebound after a good save from Weaver. Game on

Cuff had already tested Weaver’s reactions with a couple of angled efforts from the right, before Ison’s superb drilled shot across goal that clipped both crossbar and post on its way over the line. That six minutes of added time seemed to take an age to tick by as Rushall threw the kitchen sink at us, with Brooks making an absolute worldie of a save deep into added time. Well worth watching the highlights for that alone.

Man of the match - Brooks kept us in the game with several timely stops and commanded his area well, so he takes it ahead of Livingstone. Some very disjointed performances overall, including a really frustratingly mixed bag from Cuff; some absolutely sublime touches but also some absolutely shocking ones. Agree about Portman; another uncomfortable display at left-back and was targeted early on by Rushall as most of their first half attacking play seemed to go down the right flank. A more natural left-back must surely be on Burrie’s shopping list

Rushall will probably feel aggrieved at the result, but if you don’t take your chances when they come you get punished. For all their quick, direct attacking play, they lacked pace at the back and allowed us to get goal side of them continually in the final twenty-five minutes.

There was a real spirit and belief about the players today, throwing bodies on the line in injury time to stop Rushall from grabbing a late equaliser - the first time I’ve seen us dig really deep this season. Still much to do, particularly with the flimsy-looking defence, but two wins on the bounce is pleasing progress regardless of how they were earned.

[Perton Pitman]

Thanks for the reviews, looking forward to the highlights. Big games coming up in the next week (if the Basford game does indeed go ahead)

[Lee K]

Thanks for the reviews, looking forward to the highlights. Big games coming up in the next week (if the Basford game does indeed go ahead)

I listened to the interview with their manager after their game yesterday and he was saying they want to get back into league action and was speaking about the game as if it was going ahead.

[TMVP]

Highlights

[TMVP]

Steve Burr post-match interview

[sheriff]

quite remarkable

[Glyn]

Thanks as always Dan for the highlights. And yes, that added time save was a cracker!