I looked back through the team sheets from the start of the season looking for a consistent  8 or 9 guys playing in the same positions for at least a run of 3 games but found my search to be nothing short of a pipe dream. Now I see just how difficult it is for Jimmy and Roy who have the task of winning football matches whilst pushing their form players to the front side and then taking the top performers from the colts to get a settled side out each week.
 
Saturdays squad looked strong and talented. Exactly what you need at this level of football. A few old heads and plenty of youthful exuberance. The signs were good. We welcomed back Chris in goal after his nose incident as well to bolster a fine looking Div 4 outfit. We had the usual pre match antics of banter and bonding as well as a very clear and concise brief from the gaffer on what he wanted to see from his side today. No complaints from the set up, the warm up or the the instructions from Jimmy, Roy and Malcolm.
 
I've enjoyed my short time playing football for this club and long may that continue but I saw something I've not often seen since being here. Once the action kicks in that's when you see the real personalities come out. All the chat, humour and pi** taking needs to be parked and nothing short of an immense focus given to your own football performance and to that of helping your mates with theirs. The call from the changing room was to hunt in pairs, double up and support throughout. I just didn't see enough lads really wanting to turn Scaynes Hill over on Saturday. I didn't see people demanding the ball, wanting to be the player to make the difference, grabbing the game by the bollox and showing that winning mentality. We fell short in this department and to a team that play well together and fight for each other relentlessly for 90 minutes you know what the outcome is going to be.
 
That said we did see some decent stuff in patches. When we stopped digging at each other, the ref and the opposition we played some good stuff. With Stef and Matt up front willing runners we knew we had options. Both players had early chances. Stef cutting in from the left and Matt from the right should have and probably know full well themselves they should have scored.
 
Christian cracked a header onto the bar in the first half also. JC ghosted from wide right into the box a couple of times but failed to connect. We had decent possession but didn't do much with it. We played them off side about 12 times in the first half such was there intent on going forward quickly to their 8 who was a chunky bald dude who had a good touch and turn, a couple of pacey wingers and the 9 upfront who was very skilful. They supported this with a wardrobe running around in the middle who was a good player and could be better if he didn't fall over and squeal all the time. They were good, scoring lots and conceding a few as well so  we knew we had to take chances and unfortunately we didn't.
 
Jimmy and Christian did well in the middle, Gilo and JC probably adopted more full back thinking than wide winger thinking so you can excuse the fact they didn't overlap much. Gilo banged some great balls into the box as well in the first half. Connor was fine with his man but Stu had more of a job on with the better winger his side and didn't get too much freedom. We were being constantly pegged back and when we did play out we lost it and it came straight back. It was only a matter of time before our ranks were broken.
 
A high floating free kick that was challenged for but not won initially dropped to I think there winger so smash in from 6 yards on the angle. 1-0. not too much wrong at this stage. We'd done well.
 
Then we didn't. 1 became 3 nil pretty sharpish when the striker got a shot off from 18 yards only for Chris to save well but parry into the path of the on rushing midfielder to slot in from 2 yards. A great finish from the blonde winger on the volley from 12 yards wrapped up the first half for them.
 
Half time wasn't pleasant. Rightly so JB gave it both barrels to the team.
 
2nd half was more of the same. They pressed, we defended well enough on most of their attacks but with this much pressure it cant last. 2 goals came that were largely uneventful. The fifth though was a good finish after the ball dropped between Woody and his man. Gilo went off so Stef went to left mid and felt alot happier. He grafted harder and helped out all down that side. Ben Wobbleski came on upfront and did well. ran himself around and hassled and Ben came onto the right with  Stu making way and JC dropping into right back. I felt this worked better. Not sure what is was but you could see lads happier with the positions. That said it didn't make a blind bit of difference as they notched 5 and we were shut out.
 
All in all it wasnt good enough. I think we deserved to get beat but should have had 2 or 3 ourselves for the possession we had. We huffed and puffed our way through a poor performance. It has to get better otherwise we'll be sitting rock bottom.
 
Positives - Woody did well when he came on last 20, Connor is a very quiet but accomplished little footballer and can play nicely out from the back, Gilo has got good feet, good turn and decent range of passing. Stef and Matt should have had themselves a goal each, Chris Lanes kicking was great and shot stopping once again very good. Jimmy and Christian have superb engines.
 
But it's not enough without a battling mentality.  If everyone raises their game, we get a settled side for at least 2-3 months then I think there's more than enough in the team to get ourselves heading up the table very quickly.