Long Eaton welcome a point to set up grand finale at West Park!

Lets be brutally honest, this was the most eagerley awaited fixture of the season.
Yes there are other teams in the league race, but this was the widely accepted "Clash of the Titans" when it came to title contention.

Long eaton hosted Carlton on this Tuesday evening, a contest of blues versus yellow.

The blues had not forgotten the pasting they had taken when they visited Carlton pre Christmas, but they were determined to put things right. They were certainly not ready to to have their 2010 unbeaten record disturbed!

Long eaton make no secret of their analysis of the 5-0 drubbing. Whilst they were keen to not to be seen to be looking for excuses, there were, in their view, certainly some extenauting circumstances.
Long eaton tough guy Ed was hawled off early with the flu. Matt the keeper had a damaged thumb. Goerge had one eye on his afternoon encounter with a black belt asessment. All in all, the boys were troubled and consequently, unsettled.
It was reflected in the whole teams performance. It would not be unfair to say that they had not been at the races that day.

History was not about to repeat itself, was it? Well not until match day anyway!
11th hour news came in to the effect that playmaker and midfield maestro Olly was flue stricken and unable to play.
A late fitness test was to confirm his absence.

Was the writing on the wall? Clough and Taylor thought they had a trick up their sleeves.
Unfortunately, they had not shared this trick with Griffin and Perry as a last minute tactical decision nearly cost them dearly.

Olly's absence forced a re-shuffle and the decision was taken to play Ed and Matt at the back with Harry playing a holding midfield role just in front.

The team warm up started to tell a tale about the decision.

Long eaton appeared as a flock of sheep, nervously knocking up in their own penalty box. The Carlton Wolves bared their teeth at the other end of the pitch.

As the whistle blew, the sheeps sat and waited to be gobbled up. With Long eaton at at 6,s and 7,s, Carlton filled their boots.

Harry looked like a fish out of water, and Matt and Ed failed to knit at the back.
It was really no suprise when Carlton made a breakthrough, even if it was a freak of a goal. The big number 5 found space along way out and elected to have a pop. Matt did well to scramble backwards to get a fingertip on the shot, but it was not enough. Long eaton were 1 down inside of 5 minutes.

The players looked hopelessly over toward their manager. Captain Harry was the most obvious lost soul. "I can't play here" he pleaded.

What was Perry to do.

Without a seconds thought, a match altering decision. Harry drop back in with Matt. Ed, you push into the middle of the park. Stop the number 5 from playing.
In every respect, an inspirational decision.

With almsot instant effect, Long eaton began to play. Harry started to bark out orders from his familiar centre back position. Confident again, the captain began to conduct his orchestra.

Ed was keen to his task and instantly began to snap at the heels of the Carlton midfield giant.

The calm seemed to have its effect on Keelan and George too, who suddenley realised that this Carlton team were not inpenetrable.

Keelan picked up a loose ball, and without panic, settled himself, sidestepped the oncoming defender and wanged in the first of many quality crosses.

Indeed, it was he who created the breakthrough. An almost identical sidestep found Keelan some space to deliver another sublime cross behind the Carlton back line. This time, with Justin treble marked, George had cruised into the box to meet the cross with vigour. A controlled half volley saw the Carlton net bulge.

A goal against Carlton, it was a shock, but it was real. Long eaton faces lit up. They had done what they had previously considered impossible.

It was almost like Rocky Balboa drawing blood with Ivan Drago in Rocky IV. They were only human. They were beatable.

1-1 and the face of the game had changed.

Long Eaton, who had, up until now, considered themselves beaten, were now starting to take the game to Carlton. They began to show the spirit that had seen them steal victory in their last 4 games.

George and Keelan were suddenly inspired, Ed had taken over in the middle of the park. Harry and Matt looked untroubled at the back, and that despite an impossible goal line clearance from harry as the half time arrived.

It was time for a Rocky balboa type half time team talk. Carlton are not unbeatable, we can score goals against them, we can win this game. Long Eaton began to believe it.

This attitude was taken into the second half, which in fairness was matched by the tough Carlton line up.

The second period made for an evenly fought battle. Neither team making a clear cut chance, each really cancelled out by the other.

Keelan was finally kicked into submission during the latter stages, and Luke, who replaced him demonstrated that the Long eaton spirit ran throughout the entire sqaud.

A 1-1 draw was a fair result really. I can't imagine either team would disagree.

Long eaton had earnt Carltons respect tonight. Their flowing football had been thwarted, but that was credit to the Carlton effort. In return, the blues showed that they were more than capable of mixing it when they needed to.

I shouldn't think anybody needs the obvious explainig, but just in case: A win at the Reds a week next Saturday secures the title for Long eaton.

MoM - Matt