DBFC 45s 1-3 HKFC Dynamics
Friday 20 January 2023 at HKFC, K.O. 7p.m.
Squad: Mark/Baz, Matija, Steve, Simon/ Sam, Neil M, Yin, Morse, Kieran M/ Greg. Initial subs: Kieran C, Adam, Ricky, Neil L (HT arrival).
We eventually got a strong squad out for our first outing of 2023 just before the Chinese New Year holiday, thanks to Matija and Neil confirming at a late stage. We fancied our chances for this one, with a strong front 3 of Sam, Greg and Kieran up against a senior vets back 4, but we knew that Dynamics had their usual strong ball playing midfielders who usually control the flow of the game. Dynamics were short of one player at KO and managed to nab a school age striker from the training session that had just finished – so this had all the makings of an interesting encounter. (Fortunately they took him off after 20 minutes.) We started strongly and should have gone 1-0 up in the first minute with Dynamics GK saving well from Kieran’s header. Further 1 on 1 chances were to follow for Kieran and Greg but it was Dynamics who went ahead against the run of play after 30 minutes, with Mark Grainger given time to cut in on his left foot from just outside the penalty area and hit what looked like a cross to the far post, over Mark’s head. We made 2 subs with Kieran C coming on for Baz at RB and then Adam for Sam at RW. We got to HT and were disappointed not to be ahead. We made 1 change with Ricky coming on for Neil M. As ever at HKFC it is difficult to dominate for an entire game and so it proved with Dynamics coming out stronger in the 2nd half with their midfielders starting to pick their passes. At 10 minutes into the half, Mark Grainger ran on to a through ball over our CBs and brought a good save out of Mark; however the ball rebounded to their player whose cross to the far post was headed clear by Kieran to their player who picked his spot from outside the area. Neil, a scheduled late arrival, came on for Steve. At this point we had lost some of our 1st half shape and Dynamics scored a third goal to put the game out of reach. We kept our heads up and Sam clawed one back with 10 minutes to go and we looked as if we would finish strongly. However the referee blew his whistle for FT five minutes early in order to allow the next game to proceed, so we had to settle for a 1-3 defeat. As ever the early KO at HKFC is a great way to start the weekend but we were disappointed to come away with nothing.
