Kings went into this game top of the league and needing not to lose to stay there. We had the luxury of two substitutes, which has been a rarity this season. Tim rallied the troops before the game and in blustery conditions, the game kicked off at the unusual time of 10am.

Both sides struggled to come to terms with the conditions. The wind blew straight across the field towards the railway line and the prospect of yet more match balls ending up being sold by the railway franchise to alleviate their debts was very much on the cards. Despite heavy overnight rain, the pitch was uneven and the ball’s bounce was unpredictable to say the least. Even Yarm, who favour playing the ball from the back and through midfield, often opted for the route one alternative.

What it meant was something of a poor footballing spectacle, with neither team really managing to put more than two or three passes together before they lost possession. Neither goalkeeper had to make a save of any real note throughout the whole game, although Andy did have some real pressure at corners and then dealt with most of what Yarm had to offer, quite comfortably.

It was no surprise then, that the goal that decided the game came from an error, coupled with a willingness to chase a lost cause. Yarm tried for once to play the ball from the back and good pressing by our midfield resulted in a pass back to their keeper and Richie deciding to try and close him down. The effort was worthwhile, as the hapless keeper scuffed his clearance straight into Richie and the ball rolled effortlessly into the net. It was goal made out of a genuine desire to do what we must do when we do not have the possession, which is to make things difficult for the opposition. And when we do that, we will sometimes reap our rewards. In this case, it was not just a goal that ensued, but ultimately the match itself.

It was good to have Will Turton back playing and he brought his usual energy and commitment to the side. Stephen Farish was everywhere in defence and had his best game for some time. Matty Bayston was an imposing figure in midfield and Graeme Walters and Chrissie Whitehead snuffed out any wide threat. John Belmont ran his usual half marathon and Wayne Raby put in a strong and very willing performance. Tiger and Bridgey came on as subs and gave the side that injection of energy that was needed to see the game out.

Once again, however, the stand-out performance belonged to Kevin McMullen, whose reading of the game in the heart of our defence is superb. He brings a calm to the team and alongside Ste, is forging an extremely effective partnership.

Have I left anyone out? Urmmmm: oh yes Jamie Dunn! After a really interesting 60 minutes, where again he showed his prowess at holding the ball up and bringing in other team members, a sudden rush of blood, brought about when he decided to play cuddles with Yarm’s centre half for a couple of minutes, saw him indulge in 30 seconds of mayhem and madness, which ended up with him and a Yarm player being sent off! You had to feel sorry for… the Yarm player!

What Have We Learnt:
Sometimes you have to win ugly – and we did.
When we don’t have the ball we have to make it difficult for the opposition – and we did.
It’s always worth closing a keeper down – and we did.
We still need to do some work and give some thought to how we set up and defend at corners.
We still don’t play the simple ball enough.
£35 is a lot for 30 seconds of daftness and a month out would have been simply too hard to bear if it had not have been December and no games.

Quote of the Week:
“The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure. These qualities are so much more important than the events that occur.” (Vince Lombardi)