MORE POINTS DROPPED IN FINAL MINUTES
Report by Joe Smith
2-0 to the good... passes flowing... quality showing... confidence growing... step up the 3s? Chances a-blowing.
It all started so well - a strong 14, despite a few last minute adjustments which had Purdue abandoning his lunch without paying (probably) in his haste had come to the 3s rescue as 14th man after Aldred got called into work.
Turns out the 14 were needed, both Cozens-Smith brothers pulling up injured within the first 5 minutes. Were they out the night before? Probably. Normally. And the afternoon too knowing them. But anyway, these injuries led to some positional awkwardness as the 3s readjusted; awkwardness which did not, thankfully, find its way into the performance.
The 3s were the better side from the whistle, playing a good passing game and finding gaps in the opposition defence. It wasn't long before a cross-field ball from Purdue found Smith in space, who slid the ball first time back across the keeper and into the side netting for his first of the season to put the Borough ahead.
Momentum stayed with the home side and they went into the break confident in their ability to get a second. This confidence played out when Allan, who had been working tirelessly for the team with his hassling of the defence, found himself a deserved goal. A (rare) header from Smith put the striker through, and he slotted past the keeper to double Borough's lead.
And there we have it... two up, chances being made: Allan could have extended his tally on a couple of occasions, somehow firing a short-range header over the bar; Grant took too long over a one-on-one and forced a save out of Seds' keeper; it felt a third goal was imminent.
However... this is the Mighty Threes speciality. I won't dwell on the last 10 minutes: two unfortunate and highly against-the-run-of-play goals pulled Sedcopians level and left the reds shattered and amazed that they'd been at the end of yet another last-minute comeback.
An encouraging performance once again, and a point on the board to get their league season moving is better than nothing, but these performances need to start being converted to wins soon.