Post
by harry211 » Sun Dec 05, 2021 8:43 pm
A bizarrely anticlimatic game. Worried that we scored too early, and then somehow we scored again. Expected Halifax to come back at us more, especially in the second half, especially when they had five sets of fresh legs on the pitch, especially being near the top of the league above. But they never really did. One shot whizzed over the bar in the first half, but that was it.
We were very very good. Gritty, strong, created chances and didn't let the occasion overwhelm us. Did worry that with 4000+ fans and more build up, some might freeze. Previous Harriers' sides would have let that happen, but there was no signs of it. It was an uncontroversial result, almost businesslike.
Tactically, again, Russ got it spot on. Halifax didn't know how to break us down, and our shape was brilliant. Nobody was out of step. The period of possession at the start of the second half saw pressure, but we kept breaking up the play enough to stop them and keep them frustrated. I was one of those surprised we didn't make any changes. I feared a repeat of a performance I saw Aberystwyth Town have in the Welsh Cup in 2014. Having gone two goal up, unexpectedly, TNS made changes and the fresh legs provided momentum for a comeback. When I saw AMS and others flagging I feared the worse, and thought Freemantle and Martin would have come on - but they dug deep and managed ot see it out.
Thought Halifax were poor. Did not look anything like a side that is challenging to go into the football league, and while Waters had some good movement, we didn't allow the ball to be played to him, or him to do much with it when he did get a sniff.
MOTM for me was Bonds. Think he covered every blade of grass three or four times over. They all ran their socks off but he was like a fire warden, extinguishing blazes wherever they emerged on the pitch.
Can understand some gripes from Halifax about the referee. It felt like we got all of the 50-50 decisions. Could see how they might have won a penalty in the second half, but the ref also turned down a stone wall pen on AMS about 80 minutes in.
Final note, partly because of how low-drama the game was, the celebrations at the end felt muted. Can understand the pitch invasion, but actually felt as though it took away from the jubilation we saw after Grimsby. Sceptical of the attendance figure, seemed there were more than 3500 Harriers fans.
We have a team and a club to be proud of and take great pleasure in. I've said it before, this season feels special and as though there's something in the water. Soak it up, and enjoy it, because it won't last forever. Onwards. Let's get a good draw and on TV please!
The best team we ever had- since i've been watching the Harriers (2002-)
-------------------Brock-----------
-------Hinton---Smith-----Stamps
-----Melligan--Bennett-Williams---Flynn-Parrish
-----------Henriksen-Broughton------
