Not a great start to 2006 although the scoreline does not tell the whole story. This week, basic unforced errors killed the game for Spencer.

The game followed a similar pattern as the first three quarters of our previous meeting earlier this season. Defensively we held up well and limited Purley to few chances, we has hussle and industry in midfield, but in attacking positions it did not flow and everyone was guilty of unforced errors. Giving the ball away cheaply to any decent team will cost you in the end.

The score was 3-0 to Purley at the end of the 1st quarter. Alas in the 2nd quarter we lost two key players through injury. A late hit on attack man Nick Flew saw him hit the bench and midfield bruiser Dan Hughes pulled up with a leg injury. Neither returned to the game. The half-time score was 5-2, this could be a close one.

Spencer played most of the second half in man-down situations, some were legitimate calls, others we have to say were dubious. This did not help us peg back the Purley lead and our scoring chances dried up. But at the back, the man-down defense held firm and limited Purley to only two goals in the 3rd quarter, making the score 8-3.

An extra man through most of the final quarter helped Purley apply unrelenting pressure on the Spencer goal. We were tiring and when we did get the ball up the other end, more basic errors brought it right back again. Purley scored freely and the final scoreline was a shocker!

Positives from the game were general defensive play from the long-sticks and midfield, plus promising debuts from Will Stern and TJ Chucoski. Bring on Hampstead next week!

Spencer were;
Colin Byrne, Alan Keeley (1 goal), Rob Gooch, Craig Simkin, Mike Goodman, Will Walker, Dan Hughes, Colin Rutter (1), Nick Flew, Peter Sayia, Ant Broadhurst (1), Will Stern, TJ Chucoski, Joe Bayern, Stephen Greszczyszyn, Glen Gardener