8/10/11 ARLESEY TOWN 1-2 CALDECOTE By Paul Wright

After the 6-2 drubbing at the hands of last seasons Champions Blunham last week, Arlesey Town reserves faced a difficult test at home to table toppers Caldecote. The whipping rain created a greasy playing surface which both teams struggled to adapt to early on as passes were misplaced and possession was given away cheaply. This gave rise to a fractured opening ten minutes as both teams settled and adjusted to the playing conditions. The sloppy play created chances for both teams beginning with Charlie Marshall who broke through a tackle on the right wing and delivered a timely cross to Mark Ellis who could only head wide. The visitors responded with a swift counter attack of their own that caught the Blues napping as possession was once again given away cheaply.

Caldecote began to dominate and sent out an early warning as the right winger broke free from a throw in and fired a low hard shot from twenty yards out that was awkward for goalkeeper Stuart Bunyan who managed to push it to safety round the post. The blues were beginning to crack under the ensuing pressure and on 25 minutes paid the price by going a goal down. It was the right winger who rode a challenge, beat two men very easily and rippled the back of the net from 25 yards out. A well taken and deserved goal.

Arlesey struggled against the pace of Caldecote and could not get to grips with the tempo of the game. At times the blues appeared to be chasing shadows as Caldecote's superiority shone through. The pressure was getting under the skin of the Arlesey players who were getting frustrated with themselves and their performance. This was personified in the next minute by Caldecote's second goal, which unfortunately came from an Arlesey free kick in the centre circle. A misunderstanding saw Arlesey gift the ball away and were rightly punished by Caldecote who clinically finished a speedy attack. A cross from the right flank was met by the centre midfielder who drilled home from 6 yards unopposed Arlesey came out a different team in the second half with a distinguishable drive and hunger for the game.

This culminated in another chance for Mark Ellis who turned his defender a treat and forced a decent save from Caldecote goalkeeper Nathan Buckland. Arlesey began to build pressure of their own utilising the skill of Wayne Smith who began to hold the ball up deep in Caldecote territory, linking up well with his teammates. Alex Coppin had a good chance to pull a goal back for the blues who turned sharply in the box but drilled his shot into the ground and smashed goalkeeper Bucklands in the shin. This resulted in another swift counter attack for Caldecote as the centre midfielder broke away as he had done a few times previously in the first half, and rocketed a shot that rattled Arlesey's cross bar as Caldecote reminded the blues of what they were capable of. Pushing for a goal was a risk that Arlesey were going to have to take if they wanted to get anything from the game.