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Our efforts today should have yielded all 3 points, but due to a number of factors we could only come away with a 1-1 draw.  We played good football again and it is encouraging to hear the compliments we are getting from most opposition officials and spectators.  Playing against a traditionally physical AFC Wimbledon side we started slowly again.  AFC Wimbledon took the lead with 15 minutes gone with a long range shot that sailed high into the net.  Perhaps we might have closed it down a bit sooner, but it was a fine shot nonetheless.  We dug in and created 3 excellent opportunities to score before the end of the half but were unable to apply the finishing touch.

We started the second half confident that we could turn it around.  We deservedly equalised from close range after an excellent corner from Jake was met by Arran who stabbed the ball home.  From then on we piled the pressure on the AFC Wimbledon goal but were unable to break through.  This pressure resulted in some increasingly desperate challenges.  One took out Arran when in full cry.  The incident appeared to be several yards inside the box, but the linesman indicated the offence took place outside the box.  A very disappointing decision.

One later challenge could have resulted in serious injury.  Generously the referee allowed their manager to replace the offending player with a substitute.  We were unable to get the goal our play richly deserved and the final whistle went with the score at 1-1.

I would like to thank our parents and supporters for the restraint shown today, and especially to our linesman Phil who was abused by a section of their parents for not flagging for a foul.  To clarify the situation, club linesman are not supposed to flag for fouls.  Their duties are to indicate when the ball out of play and which team will put the ball back into play.  Depending on the referee’s instructions before the game, they may be asked to indicate offside, but the referee will make the decision based on what he sees.  So please understand the Laws before berating a parent who has volunteered to take on a role to help officiate a game – a role the perpetrator of the dissent was unwilling to do when offered the flag.

Certain people would benefit on focusing on the purpose of U12s football.  It is for the benefit of the kids to improve them as players and as individuals.  I know our boys learned a lot from today.  Paul and I are hugely proud of the way the boys conducted themselves on the pitch.  They kept trying to play football the way we have been coaching them and kept their discipline as we asked.  Well done boys.

Buzz