There are some games where you play well and lose, some where you play badly and win, and some where you have about 20 shots and still somehow manage to draw. Saturday was one of those days…

Coming into game off the back of a great team performance against Old Dorkinians, there was a sense of calm and confidence about the II’s in the warm up. The Christmas TreeTM formation was really starting to tick and there was some promising play in the opening exchanges. Dominating possession, Tiffs played some tidy football out from the back and remained solid in defence when tested. Early chances fell to Dave and Bonar – who were denied by the Clissold Park keeper and cross bar.

Further chances came and went, but Clissold Park had settled up into the game and proved to be solid unit and very difficult to break down. 0-0 at the whistle, a frustrating half.

In the second half, Tiffs returned with new energy, raising the pace of the game and carving out a few opportunities from the wide areas. Dave and Tommo came extremely close to breaking the deadlock on a number of occasions. Surely the pressure had to pay off soon? And then, finally, a breakthrough. Long free kick. Flick on. Calm slotted finish. 1-0 to Clissold Park Rangers

A harsh wake up call for Tiffs, but wake up they did with an almost immediate response. A pin-point corner for Colin finding Luke to bury a bullet-header at the near post. 1-1 and time for Tiffs to take control. Right? Right???
Wrong. Clissold Park regained their lead 5 minutes later through a pacey angled drive from the edge of the area, after a fantastic assist from super-sub Low Wintersun.

But the II’s fought back again, refusing to be beaten and piling the pressure on for the final 20 minutes. Yet again, Clissold Park had their keeper to thank for a few great blocks, before Bonar was denied what looked a stone-wall penalty. Finally, the draw was rescued when Joe, now playing in an inverted roaming right-wing-back role, found himself free in the 6-yard box to tap home. 2-2 Full Time.​

In the end, the draw was not the result the II’s deserved, nor the result we needed right now, but on another day you would suspect we would have escaped with all 3 points. However, positives can be taken from another strong performance, a spirited fight back and, most importantly, an extremely profitable day for the fines committee.

MOTM. : James
Goals: Luke, Joe
Assists: Colin, Bonar

MOTM interview with James Kimber and Kimber: