Squad: Allsop, Summers, Binns, Loney, Loggie, Townsend, Pape, Schmidt, Bennett, Naidu, Pinz, Buckley, Talib, Karaljevic, Morriss.

Author: David Binns

To be title contenders Hotspurs need to dig hard and dig deep. Unfortunately we don’t seem to be able to that for 90 minutes, as for long periods on Saturday, Hotspurs were chasing the shadows that gradually crept over the SSS pitch.

In the first half we did dig deep but it was only thanks to some good team defending and Neil being extremely alert in goal, we managed to get to the break goalless. It had been Latini doing all the running and creating all the chances; in fact, if Latini had scored any of their chances in the first half the Hotspurs players would have been amassing fantasy league points in their dozens for the assists we were giving them. Our ball retention on Saturday was woeful and what really summed up the first half was that the Hotspurs only chance was a header from Anis at the edge of the box. Jamie has already been removed from free-kick duties, so we will say no more about his ‘effort’.
 
The second half started brightly (well the sun was still bright) until Francois curled, chipped, drilled a long range effort over the despairing Neil. Again if we want to be honest, from the time that Latini kicked off the half, 5 minutes before they scored the goal, they always looked like scoring.

The remaining 40 minutes off the half was torturous and it felt more like an hour. Ally and Binnsy contrived to allow a long ball from Cuong, which had been meat and drink to them all day, bounce between them allowing the Latini strikers the freedom of the pitch to score their second goal. From this point on Latini were in their element, plenty of time and space to play nice controlled football. The result of which was two more well taken goals by their two substitute forwards.
 
Reading the above one would think that it is the Latini match report! We were well and truly beaten and we will not make excuses. The plus points of the day were Neil making a welcome return between the sticks, pulling off a string of fine saves and holding on to a cross, and the Loney/Binns combination didn’t result in a clash of heads.
 
It is back to the drawing board with a week away from league commitments and a friendly against the British Club, where we intend to reflect, regroup and recharge for our second encounter with the GAS. Esad, Abbas, Dalis, Chris, Dean, Barry, Andy, Ali and Jorg should all be raring to go after weeks in the wilderness.