Edged Out Again

First game in a few weeks due to the snow and a bit of rust had to be worked out the system.

It was, however, the Bees who made the better start away at Alderley Edges notoriously dodgy new pitch and carved out a few openings but the speed of the pitch meant that through balls from Antony Rigby just wasn't connecting to Gareth Hampton and Richard Greenhough up front. Alderley took the lead after about 15 minutes when a relatively harmless shot was hit at Colasurdo and what would have been a routine save was deflected in as Patrick Souter lunged to intercept the ball and deflect it past the keeper.

The first half ended 1-0 to the home side with Greenhough having a goal washed out after a foul was committed by Sean Smith in the build up. Returnee Mark Smith continued where he left off last season and had some excellent runs down the middle but without the end pass, the chances were snuffed out quite easily.

South Manchester came out the second half the stronger and some good play on the left from Alan Leonard and Simon Lamb in the middle led to a chance for Gareth Hampton. He smashed it across the D, just like the Bees had been doing in training, and Mark Ives had snook in from the right wing to reverse sweep it home. the lead lasted just a few minutes, however, as the Edge winger cut a fine ball across the D and nobody picked up the back post runner who somehow had time to stop the ball and tap it in. The game was end to end and the Bees pulled level again as Simon Lamb created space on the right before picking out Hampton with a pin point pass who made no mistake sweeping it under the onrushing keeper.

The Bees dominated for a short spell and for the first time in the game, looked as if they could snatch maximum points. Greenhough wasn't his clinical self and skewed a good chance from the top of the D whilst Michael Blackwood had a excellent chance at the top of the D unmarked but he took his eye off the ball and it skipped away.

Alderley reorganised and went ahead after a short corner was hit into the corner and somehow squeezed past Mark Scholes on the post. The Bees threw men forward looking for a third equaliser and it left space at the back which the home team eventually took advantage of. It was almost a carbon copy of the second goal as the right winger squared it across the D for the Alderley Edge to tap in, this time Ed Holmes unlucky as he was just outmuscled for the ball.

Not a terrible performance but the Bees' defensive problems surface again and although the attackers could've perhaps scored more, the defence, keeper included, must tighten up if South Manchester want to finish the season in the manner they are capable of.