Scholars lose to bottom of the table Wolves Sporting
TOTAL MOTION MIDLANDS FOOTBALL LEAGUE LOUGHBOROUGH UNI FC 1 WOLVES SPORTING CFC 2 LOUGHBOROUGH UNI FC suffered a disappointing home defeat as they battled it out with bottom of the league Wolves Sporting CFC. The Scholars were eager to put on an impressive performance against a team that has struggled in the league but their early attacking movement failed to materialise into any real chances.
Despite the Scholars maintaining their balance and controlling the majority of the play, they found themselves a goal down in the 35th minute.
Zamon Umar put the visitors in the lead after some hapless play at the back and Loughborough were left pulling their hair out in frustration.
The Scholars’ misery was further compounded after central defender Joel Bonner committed a foul inside the 18-yard box at the 43-minute mark. Kieron Clarke tucked the penalty away, doubling Wolves’ lead.
The referee soon after sounded for half time and the teams made their way for the changing rooms in quite differing moods; The Scholar’s ruing their missed opportunities meanwhile Wolves’ elated by their clinical play.
The second half began with Dan Collins replacing the Loughborough captain Matty Crookes. The Scholars started well, moving up the field positively in the opening minutes.
Connor Smith almost scored a wonderful goal, making a run into the box off the back of the defender and latching onto Croud’s pinpoint accurate diagonal ball from deep.
Disappointingly, Smith was back in action soon after in the 57th minute picking up his second yellow card of the game and receiving his marching orders.
Loughborough were left with a difficult task made even tougher with the team down to 10 men.
Now forced to play a more expansive open game in the hope of getting something from the game, the team were ultimately devoid of any attacking creativity or flair. Passes were wayward in the middle and runs out wide from Dasaolu proved ineffective which resulted in his substitution from the game in favour of Matty Olapo.
Meanwhile, Wolves lost their ruthlessness in front of goal in the second half, failing to punish Loughborough with the extra man on several occasions.
In the 71st minute Loughborough lost the ball in midfield, forcing Bonner to step out of position and leaving the defense vulnerable, but resulting in a corner. Hilton was brought into action from the corner, making a wonderful acrobatic save to deny the half volley from the edge of the box.
With 15 minutes left in the game and nothing to lose from going forward, The Scholars’ found a new lease of life through the renewed energy of Matty Olapo who managed to pull off a respectable shot on target.
Moments later Loughborough were made to pay for being a man down. Quick creative attacking football resulted in a fantastic chance for Loughborough as Croud played Collins through into the left side of the box who cut it dangerously past the keeper and across the open goal but with nobody to seal the finish into the net.
The following five minutes saw Loughborough desperate to get back into the game but without the spark to enable shots on target until Ben Last stepped up in the 85th minute.
Olapo made his presence in the game known again, getting in behind the packed deep-lying defense and sliding it across the middle. The ball eventually fell to Last who sunk the ball into the back of the net with grate poise.
With Loughborough back in the game and five minutes left on the clock, they began to show their talent despite being a man short.
Olapo once again the pivotal difference down the left drifting into space and creating opportunities for Loughborough. The Scholars found themselves with a free kick 25 yards out in the dying minutes of the fixture with Collins having been brought down by the defender. The set piece was laid off for Last who hit a sweet strike that lifted the hopes of the Loughborough home crowd for but a brief moment before Jones made the crucial parry.
Shortly afterwards the referee called an end to the game. The Wolves team were evidently jubilated with their hard-fought win while the Loughborough players appeared dejected and deflated, their attempts at salvaging the game were too little too late.