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Hachioji Park, Sunday 4th November,
The league table said that the Embassy, with 6 defeats from 6 games, were the worst side in Division One and it is true that they are the most limited side that the Jets have faced this season, although that opinion would probably have to be revised if we could play against ourselves!
For the first time this season Saitama were able to control the game and pass the ball about comfortably as the opening half belonged to the Jets and was played predominantly in the Embassy’s half of the pitch. Despite dominance of the ball and territory there were few if any genuine chances to score and at half time, as has become predictable, the Jets were drawing 0-0.
The received wisdom, espoused especially confidently by this writer, seemed to be that all TML1 games are tight in the first half and that as the second half progresses and space opens up, the more technically accomplished team turn the screw and score the goals that secure the points. For once Saitama felt they were on the right side of that equation, but will be furiously punching the buttons on their calculators this morning as the numbers that tell the story of the second half don’t seem to add up.
The Embassy started the second half very well, subjecting the Jets to sustained pressure and went ahead within about 5 minutes – a cross from the left converted at the back post - and they made it two shortly after. The Jets, who had come back from two goals down at YCAC a week earlier, refused to panic and with 30 or so minutes to play there was still plenty of time. And so it proved; first a surging run from Shimizu took him past a couple of defenders and his square ball was expertly converted by Sasaki from 18 yards. Next Gildart’s in-swinging cross again found Sasaki unmarked on the penalty spot and the midfielder made no mistake with a precise stooping header. 2-2 with 10 minutes left to play. One might have expected the Embassy to fold at this point but they are evidently made of sterner stuff. What happened in the final 8 minutes to allow them to score three times and run out 5-2 winners, from a Saitama point of view, is not entirely clear, but happen it did and one has to congratulate the Embassy on ‘popping’ their Division One ‘cherry’. It was a deserved 3 points for the newcomers.
For the Jets, the promising start to the season is fast becoming a distant memory as our limitations are being increasingly exposed with each passing game.
Report by Rob Keating
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