Jets Disappoint In The Mud
Spartans Youth 1 Oxhey Jets 1
24th February 2024
Combined Counties Division One
Jets grabbed a deserved point at Northwood v Spartan Youth in a far-from-acceptable performance by the bulk of the Jets side.
Lacklustre is an understatement as chance after chance, 1:1 after 1:1 was opened up and missed or denied, although massive credit must go to the Spartan Goalkeeper on some excellent saves to halt Jets’ advancement in the match.
The dreadful playing surface was no excuse. Jets staff wanted to play it and the Spartans didn’t but I reckon the big loser on the day was the Northwood FC groundsman who has a hell of a job on his hands doing the repairs.
With a young side, you will get highs and lows and the last few games have demonstrated that, the stunning performances versus Amersham to a shoulder-shrugging half-hearted effort in this one. The Amersham result has raised the expectations of management, players and fans, and a makes a fall to this level all the more disappointing.
Yet again a dreadful defensive mistake costs Jets the lead. At the moment goals against are gifts that keep on coming and they are costing Jets badly.
In a match featuring numerous 1:1s not taken, and chances put out of the ground, the finger cannot only be pointed at the defensive mistakes. There were too many 4/10s to outbalance the few to escape the wrath of the management on a poor day at work.
James Barnett shot a thunderous equaliser for a deserved point and the Man of the Match went to the only nomination, James Kimber, who probably stopped more damage when Jets sloppily set Spartans up.
The hosts, although worried about relegation, do look far enough away from trouble in our opinion and they will see this as a good point, Jets won’t as the ups and downs are too extreme.
The cup match is on Tuesday vs. high-flying Langley. Let’s hope the right Jets turn up !!