Foresters 3-0 OWFC
There are many similarities between OWFC and Spurs – over and above the frankly indecent time they occupy in the emotional life of the author of these weekly emails. Both clubs are on the up, are lethally quick on the counter-attack, but both have faced question marks from doubters on their mental toughness to compete at the highest level.
Both battling to finish ‘best of the rest’ in their respective Premier Divisions, the impressive unbeaten runs of them both came to an end this weekend when up against the likely winners of the league. OWFC went down 3-0 to Foresters on a sweltering day in Essex in a reminder of the space for improvement and progression needed for a title challenge next season.
If being “Spursy” now means losing in the Champions League quarter-finals to the finalists of 2015 and 2017 (Juventus), then equally for the Dubs to lose to the likely unbeaten Arthurian League Premier Division winners in an even, hard-fought game is also no shame.
In scenes reminiscent of the heatwave of England vs Paraguay in Frankfurt in the 2006 World Cup, no amount of isotonic drinks breaks could give the Dubs a means through a Foresters defence that has conceded 8 goals all season and helped them win 13 of 15, losing none.
2-0 down at half-time, an impressive brace from their striker was enough for the win – but with plenty of positives going forward for the Dubs, as we competed for most of the game and still created a handful of chances that could have got us something on another day.
The final game is in 2 weeks’ time against Carthusians. Hopefully a stronger warning shot for next season’s campaign can be fired. Finishing 4th out of 10 is secured – the highest finish for a newly promoted side in the current decade – and 3rd is not out of the question.
Team: Wheal, Fuller, R Mercer, Dawkins, H Sever, Mitchell, Goulding, Black, Hodnett, Donald, Saunders, Essex
MoM: Goulding