FC United of Newcastle 3 Rothbury 1
Northern Football Alliance Division One
Rothbury boss Dan Herron was left shaking his head as the
Coquetdalers were punished for missing a hatful of chances and then hit by two
sucker-punches on Tyneside.
“We could have played another 180 minutes
and not scored a second goal,” he admitted as the Red’s mis-firing forward line
just couldn’t hit the target.
The gaffer described it as a ‘very, very strange game’ as
both teams had a man sent off and FC United also saw two men sin-binned.
He was left fuming on the sidelines as the black and whites
took an early 6th minute lead when the unmarked Dylan Swan headed
home from a free-kick. The Reds felt that the dead ball was a daft one to give
away to begin with, and when Swan wasn’t picked up it just added to the sense
of frustration. “We just switched off,” admitted Herron.
Rothbury got themselves back into the game and were
celebrating on the half hour as skipper Tom Macpherson carried the ball forward
and released youngster Harry Felton down the left to fire in his first goal for
the club.
FC United were reduced to ten men soon after as a player was
dismissed for allegedly throwing a punch and Rothbury dominated as they looked
to capitalise on the numerical advantage.
Despite creating chances, the Reds went in behind at half
time as Sam Collard headed home when a long throw-in was flicked on to him deep
into first half stoppage time.
“It was another soft, soft goal and devastating
after missing so many chances and being so on top,” said the boss.
The Reds came out after the interval and pressed hard for a
second equaliser. “We created more chances and had so much of
the ball, but just couldn’t make it count,” said a frustrated Herron.
FC United were down to nine men for ten minutes when a
player was sin-binned for dissent in the 64th minute, but the sides
where evened up when he returned to the field as the tough-tackling Kyle Smith received
his marching orders despite apparently winning the ball. Smith was left exasperated as the red
card was brandished.
“We were really on top but our decision
making was awful, picking the wrong passes and forcing it. Kyle’s tackle never
looked a red from where I was, and it spoilt the game totally,” said Herron.
“We were really chasing the game at this
point and lost discipline and any patience. When pressing forward they hit us
on the counter,” he said, Gary Dobie putting away a third for the hosts with
four minutes to go. FC United were again reduced to nine men at this point through
a sin-bin decision in the 79th minute for kicking the ball away.
“It was such a frustrating game, and awful
to watch,” conceded Herron.
“If we could have got a goal in the period
at the end of the first half when on top, it would have been a different game.
Instead we concede a soft goal with the last kick and it kills us.”
“The game just didn’t go our way but we
really didn’t capitalise on what we should have. The lads are focussed on
improving, most of it is basics to be honest though, a bit of work to do and
some changes needed.”
Rothbury are in Cup action for the next two Saturdays, travelling
to Felling Magpies in the League Cup then hosting Gosforth Bohs in the
Combination Cup.
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