1st Team Vs Solihull Blossomfield

The first win of the season, but not the best performance. Who cares? Nobody.

A win is a win, and this was a win.

Thanks to Michael Birch, a battling performance. Thanks to Dave Cartright, solid despite his injury. Thanks to Simon Palmer, now I know why they called him 'beast'. Thanks to Gareth Minton, under pressureon the left but resilient. Thanks to Richard Roberts, cool and collected. Thanks to Matthew Griffiths, marshalling the midfield. Thanks to Andy Peters, unusually called upon to help mark back. Thanks to Will Ashworth, after two weeks out working so hard. Thanks to George Jandu, another workman-like showing. Thanks to Mark Wilson, keeping the pressure on their defence.

Thanks even to Darryl Ablard; on the sideline should we need him and ready for action but didn't play.

Thanks most of all to me, and this is where I have to put modesty aside and write in the first-person. We were under pressure from the start but fotunately I was s**t hot. As a goalkeeper occasionally you have a game where everything goes right, and I made a number of saves to keep the score at 0-0. But when I was beaten it was the feet of Dave Cartwight on the line that lead to a penalty stroke. Sensing a low flick to my right I dived low to deny the striker.

Against the run of play we took the lead thanks to a catastrophe in the Solihull defence. Ashworth found Wilson who slotted home off the keeper's kicker.

Solihull continued to press in the second half, but couldn't finish. Minton cleared off the line in mid-air, and I continued to make saves. Then we took a 2-0 lead when Jandu crossed for Peters to tuck the ball home between his own legs.

I made a flying save from a shot from the edge of the circle, and Solihull continued to press. With 5 minutes to go they broke and converted an open goal at the far post. A nervous last period but a crucial 3 points to catch up on King's Heath.