With the Christmas and New Year period behind them, BGFC matched up to Westerham Reserves at home looking to start 2014 on a positive note.

Having beaten their opponents twice already this season, Green were confident of another victory.

Green started with Fennings, Sexton, Salter, CookG, Slade, Brooker, De-Kisshazy, NitschB, Knight, Hopper, Rayfield. Subs were NitschS, Broad, Law, Young and Higgins.

Green got off to the worse start possible and an unfortunate error gifted Westerham the lead after just two minutes. Despite this Green tried to get level but awful passing and players being out of position meant that task was going to be a lot harder than it should.

Ben Nitsch was able to volley home an equaliser after ten minutes and even though Green were back in the game, they were almost second to everything and Westerham took advantage of this.

Another mistake led Westerham to grab a second, which at that stage they deserved. Green just couldn’t get going and the passing was getting worse and worse. Forwards Danny Rayfield and Aaron Hopper were feeding off scraps and even though Westerham grabbed a third after a bit of a confrontation, it was only some good defending that kept the score line within Green’s reach.

A massive improvement was needed all round for Green to get anything out of the game.

The second half wasn’t pretty to watch and although Green did up their game, it was still far from their expected standards. With scuffles every five minutes and players getting more and more frustrated, it seemed as if the writing was already on the wall for Green.

Green grabbed a goal back after fifteen minutes of the second half when a long ball forward by Rob Sexton took a nice bounce and as the keeper went to grab it, the curse of the slopey goalmouth struck again and the ball spun off the keeper’s hands and into the goal. A fortunate goal but nonetheless a very important one.

At 3-2 down with 30 minutes remaining, Green sensed a chance to redeem themselves and grab the win. Any momentum gained was stifled by more wayward passing and more scuffles with the opposition.

There was no fluidity to Green’s play and whilst having more of the possession, they were unable to get that third goal.

Many changes were made and those that came on started to make an impact. Jacob Law being the pick of these with his runs into the midfield giving Green an extra man in that area.

As the clock ticked away Green pressed and pressed and some glaring chances went begging.
Westerham tried to hang on and they looked spent when at the very end Mike Brooker was Jonny on the spot to tap home an equaliser from half a yard out.

The whistle blew seconds later and a disappointing 3-3 draw was the final result. Two very unfortunate early goals it may have been, and down to uncharacteristic individual mistakes which happen once in a blue moon, but the team display wasn’t good enough and the reason the points were dropped against a team Green should be dominating.

2 points dropped rather than 1 point gained.

MOTM? Mmmmmmm. Nobody shone but there were some positive efforts from two or three. Ash Salter did well on his first start, as did Graeme Cook who made some important challenges. Jacob Law also did well for the 25 minutes he was on. MOTM goes to Graeme Cook for some good tackles and interceptions to keep Westerham from extending an already extended lead!!