RIVERSIDE F.C.

Riverside FC 3-2 Sileby Athletic

Riverside Deliver Hammer Blow

These days the young lads representing Riverside seem to need a kick up the backside before they’ll start playing any form of football, either defensive or attacking. Such a prompt came no more than five minutes into the match when Sileby succeeded in scoring a neat goal. Game on.

Dean Betts responded by kicking the opposition around the park, lucky not to receive a caution for persistent poor challenges, but the referee, who had a superb match, took a lenient view, even when Sileby’s goalkeeper was seen needlessly kicking out at opposing players.

Riverside looked at sixes and sevens all over the park, and indeed it was highlighted by their inability to convert in open-play. Their reply was a goal which came from a short corner that was eventually flicked in by Josh Morris at the near post, which is to be reviewed by the dubious goals panel as it did appear to take a heavy deflection in the process. The second, a majestic header by Tom Marriott following a pin-point free-kick taken by Aiden McGovern.

At half-time Riverside’s manager did well to attempt to dispel his side’s negativity, but there is little one can do in such a short time to influence eleven players firmly set in self-destruct mode.

Sileby came out in a 3-5-2 formation which lead to them winning many more balls in the middle of the park, where they had been seriously overrun in the first half. As a result, some good running from midfield led to another well-taken goal. Riverside were left looking at one-another for someone to blame, and as goalkeeper Lee Waters, (who had already made some vital saves) was not to blame, the players were left feeling extremely confused.

Despite Riverside not needing more than a point to confirm themselves as League Winners, there was time enough to grab a winner, driven on by the intense rivalry between themselves and Sileby. When Marriott was fouled on the edge of the area, the referee proceeded to move the ball back somewhere near the half-way line, characteristic of CSFL officials, nevertheless leaving Phil Lowe attempt a free-kick.

The ensuing dismal, deflected attempt putting Lowe out of contention for dead-ball situations once and for all resulted in a corner. Phil Lowe took his chance to redeem himself by popping up at the back post with a cool finish to put the icing on the cake for the CSFL League Champions, setting them up nicely for their one remaining fixture against Swannington. If victorious it will make for happy reading, in that Riverside will have not lost a match since the opening day of the season, something of which they can be very proud of in their virgin year in the league.