Page 24 - Brislington FC v Hengrove Athletic 150823

Men against Boys

Match Report
Odd Down (Bath) v Brislington
Toolsta on Western League Division One
Saturday 12 August 2023
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14 days a er the start of the Season Brislington headed to Combe Hay Lane for their 5th
game of the season, this being their first away from the Poplar Stadium to face AFC Odd
Down, their fourth league game.
Gaffer Lee Perks was s ll without captain Asa White who was serving his last match of
suspension period that was carried over from last season, and Oaklan Buck who was
unavailable. Josh Egan and Harry Tobin both returned to the squad a er missing the
midweek win against Radstock.
However perhaps the best news for the management team and players alike was the
return to the fold from re rement, of stalwart defender Danny Barwood.
Arguably one of last season’s most consistent performers, Barwood has decided that he’s
got another year le in him a er all, much to the delight of everyone connected to the
club.
Welcome back Danny
Odd Down haven’t enjoyed the best start to the season, the opening four games returning
just two points and a zero goal difference from their two draws, and two losses, it was not
to improve a er this encounter. I would imagine that they would have already expected a
tough day against the reigning champions, however a midweek exodus had apparently le
’the Down’ management team almost player less, and the news on the grapevine was that
the Odd Down reserves had cancelled their game in order for the development squad
players to be dra ed into the first team so that this Toolsta on Western league fixture
could be fulfilled!!
It didn’t take long to see that this was likely the case!
The game itself resembled a slightly more intense training exercise, where the coach
returns the ball to the halfway line to restart a ack, a er a ack, with the visitors totally
and u erly dominant, if not altogether fluent!
he home side ba led well and were commi ed as they kept ge ng bodies behind the ball
and flying into challenges.
The foxes were a li le disjointed making unnecessary mistakes and almost, again, as if it
was a training session accep ng that every me they lost the ball they’d immediately get
another go, which quite frankly they did.
An early decision by the referee to sin bin Danny Doddimead for verbalising his dismay at
a decision didn’t help ma ers, but the ten men s ll weren’t tested by the home side. In
fact the numerous a acks con nued, and the Foxes in my opinion should have had a
penalty when Joe Mclennan looked to have been brought down as he ran across the box,
the ref ignoring his pleas!!