This was a case of deja vu. After playing Worcester Park Wandgas off the pitch last week in the first 30 minutes and losing, we did the same again this week. We finally had a squad available, with Barry making his debut, Jermal returning to the club, and the welcome sight of Liam on the bench.
The start was positive, and after a great move down the right, the ball fell to Shep on the 6 yard box but he couldn’t quite sort his feet out to take the chance. Minutes later he had another chance after great work from Ruben, but the best of the lot came on 20 minutes when we were awarded a penalty, but Shep’s effort was saved.
It all basically pointed to us going behind and we did just that on 28 minutes when their first effort on goal, a free header from a corner, flashed past Max. The response was excellent: good work from Jayden put Ruben to the byline and his peach of a cross was nodded home by Shep, who took the hardest chance of the lot.
We maintained our dominance and more chances came and went, but at HT there was only one team winning this. But the gaffer arguably made an error in switching things around and Parkside responded by matching up to our formation - and they took charge. Before that, though, Shep got in again, clipped it over the keeper and only the boggy ground prevented it from going in. Then they won a corner, and it sailed straight in over Max’s outstretched hand.
This time we didn’t respond well. We were losing the midfield battle and it was from there we gifted them a chance that they converted - 3 shots, 3 goals, and it was now an uphill task for us.
The gaffer changed things again to try and get some control back, but to be fair to Parkside they had 2 more great chances that Max saved, so ultimately we can have no complaints. Darren rifled in a goal 7 minutes from the end, but bar one snap shot from Chris, we didn’t really create that golden chance - we had probably run out of those in the first 45.
So an exit from the county cup, and with the league cup next week, we have the very real prospect of the season being almost 75% done if we go out. Much work to be done.

GOALS: Shep Kwenda, Darren Smith