NOT EVEN THE 4s CAN SAVE THE 3s

Another cup game for the mighty 3s this week, making the relatively easy journey down to Woking. Coming up against the same team in our league we knew this would be a difficult game. With several players missing this week, four players from Wandsworth 4s made the big step up to be included in the 3s squad. It will have been a massive boost for them to warm-up and not have the likes of McKenna and Salmon groaning desperately trying to fight the urge to join the Vets, and with Simmo in the corner, frantically trying to create memes to justify his place within the Boro.

The first half started in classic Boro style with plenty of possession in attacking areas but little chances on goal. With the game not building up to the pre-match expectation, the referee's lack of attention span must have got the better of him. From turning to the home fans and offering odds on how the match would finish, offside calls when players clearly weren’t and unnecessarily slowing the game down at every chance. Half time couldn’t come soon enough. Few wasted chances, Harry shooting from halfway line, Billy attempting an optimistic bicycle kick from 30 yards (30 yards wide too), Ben's terrible freekick and Harry somehow missing Masa’s freekick from 5 yards out. 0-0.

The second half started in much the same fashion and the ref was the star of the game. 5 minutes in and Woking down to 10 men, with the Woking striker deemed to kick out at the Boro player which was harsh, to say the least. This set the tempo for the game, more Boro pressure followed by freekicks slowing down the game. Against the flow of the game Woking broke down the right following a giant of a throw-in, ball crossed in and nicked Adam Griff's elbow. Penalty to Woking, a yellow card to Griff. 1-0 to Woking. 5 minutes later and game all but over. Woking striker slides for a shot, blocked by Ben CH for it to bounce onto his hand. Same story, penalty to Woking, yellow for Boro. Pushing to get back into the game and Woking snatched 3 more goals.

On a brighter note, Chris Griff grabbed himself another goal for the season and enhanced his chances of finally making the step up from the despair of the 4s to the glory lands of the 3s.

In summary, Boro didn’t have a great day, Woking were fortunate (red card aside) and hopefully we don’t see that ref again.