Ying and Yang

What a day, what a day.

It started so well with all our new kit being handed out. The boys were in excellent mood and all the signs were good.

We had a little trouble getting all the boys to the pitch on time, but I didn't feel for a minute that it was going to get in the way of a good morning in a beautiful setting.

I'd had concerns in the week at training that we aren't always as focused as we might be. We've paid the price in previous games, and today unfortunately we looked unwilling to do the little nitty gritty things that get you points.

I can't fault a lot of the play, especially in the opening twenty minutes, but somehow, we found ourselves two goals down.

Our football as I say was excellent in parts, fluid and easy on the eye, but if we lose the ball, we must really want it back when we lose it, rather than going through the motions.

We have choices on the pitch, we either make things happen or we watch things happen. Unfortunately too often today we watched.

As I say our football carved out lots of chances, and their keeper was undoubtably a standout performer, however I feel we made that easy with a continuous string of shots, one on ones and hopeful efforts either straight at him or wide.

We worked really hard to get back on equal terms, and really we should have gone on to win the game. Maybe our results have shed a little confidence from us. We have a good squad, and all I ask of players coming on to the pitch is to try to make a positive impact on the game. To come on to show what they have, and demand a place on the pitch.

In the second half, I don't feel we did ourselves justice, and the third Hampton goal summed up the game. We didn't take control of the situation and an easy finish, unopposed was the outcome.

Our response was too predictable, too many trying to do difficult things, volleys from distance, shots with back to goal etc, when almost every time, controlling the ball and passing would have been much more productive.

It has to be said the referee had a terrible game, inconsistent and arrogant but I can't blame the result on him, however to stop the game for six minutes because they only had 8 boys on the pitch, is in my mind against the rules. Along with abusive parents from behind the goal, it left a poor taste in the mouth.

My final thoughts are, that I'm very proud of how our football in possession is coming along, and I'll continue to work with the boys to keep growing in the right direction, we all have a long way to go, but have lots of time to get there, its our first year as a unit and we'll continue to improve, week by week, but to succeed, we need to really want to win, to fight for everything, and I would point out their number 12 as an example of that. Non stop running, even after getting hurt, working hard for the team, and dragging his team along with him.

Our MOTM - Nassim, didn't turn away from a challenge all morning.