The work put in by out 65+ group of players finally paid off today as they rolled in 6 pts from two games at Matchday 3 of the Midlands League.
After a few matchdays and a friendly, the squad showed good cohesion as they passed their way to two wins, benefitting from the better understanding of each others' game.
Strollers 1 Hucknall 0
All the squad were frustrated from the last matchday, where our performance deserved more than the two defeats suffered in an insanely windy matchday, and this helped motivate us to a fast start as we scored early in this encounter with Hucknall.
The game was decided in the first half by a well taken goal from Phil Hall after he was played in by Frank Smith, but this was very much a team goal as we worked it from the back with Murrant through to Marsden and then to Smith before the final pass to Hall.
Final score 1-0 to Strollers in a game where Paul Newiss was rarely troubled in goal.
Strollers 2 Loughborough 1
Buoyed by the performance, and our first league points, our lads continued to play good structured passing football.
John Phythian put us ahead when a good sliding pass from Hall found him in space, and Phythian buryied it in the corner with a sweetly struck shot.
Strollers then produced some good controlled possession football, but as is always the danger, a poor touch during a period of prolonged possession found us slightly out of shape and Loughborough equalised.
Second half saw us continue with our possession style passing game and this was rewarded by another team goal, when Smith held the ball well to feed Forth, who made a superb cross field pass to Phythian who thumped the ball into the Loughborough net.
After this we lost our defensive shape a little and Loughborough had two good chances to equalise, but found Paul Newiss on fine form, helping the Strollers take all three points as 2-1 winners.
League Table after 6 games played
1.Sleaford Academicals 16
2.Bramcote 12
3.Boston 11
4.Matlock 9
5.Stamford 6
6.Loughborough 5
7.Oakham 4
8.Hucknall 3
Taff, as manager, would like to add a special thank you to Paul Newiss who stepped in at short notice (after injuries to our other two keepers) even tough only arriving back from Spain last night.
Squad: Back Row; Murrant, Forth, Hall, Smith
Front Row; Newiss, Marsden, Phythian