Windsor FC back from the brink
Rob Stevens • Published 2 Feb 2012 13:30
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WINDSOR FC manager Keith Scott hailed his side's character and desire after they staged a dramatic comeback to beat Molesey 4-3 and reignite their Combined Counties Premier title hopes.
The newly-formed club looked to be dead and buried at 3-0 down with just 36 minutes on the clock but Ryan O'Toole got them on the board before half-time.
A change of tactics at the break saw Windsor dominate the second period and they drew level on the hour mark thanks to goals from Michael Chennells and O'Toole.
But although Molesey had a man sent off, they continued to frustrate Windsor and it wasn't until injury-time that Chennells popped up with the winner - a goal made even more significant as leaders Guilford City lost to Wembley.
"We have got a lot of character, desire and heart in the side and it's a fantastic result whether we were 3-0 down or not," said Scott afterwards.
"I think the players can draw a lot of confidence from the last 25 minutes of the first half and the rest of the second half. When we got a goal back I always felt we could win the game, we've got players in our team who can score goals.
"Its not like sometimes as a manager you look around and think who is scoring the goals. We've got Ryan O'Toole, Yashwa Romeo and Kyle Anthony, who can all score goals."
It was Molesey doing all the scoring early on at Stag Meadow, however, as Doug Ford gave them the lead after just three minutes.
Chennells was denied an equaliser by goalkeeper Wester Young when one-on-one and Andrew Fagan headed wide from the resulting corner.
It went from bad to worse for Windsor as Ross Chalke doubled the visitors' lead and then Nemo Adams struck a low shot past Rob Bullivant.
But Windsor were thrown a lifeline before half-time when Adams clipped O'Toole in the box and the striker stepped up to score.
A change of tactics at the break was rewarded with a second goal when substitute Rob Lazarczuk crossed for Chennells to score.
The momentum was firmly in Windsor's favour and when Chennels set up O'Toole for the equaliser and Joe Prately-Jones was shown a straight red for a challenge on Lazarczuk, there appeared to be only one winner.
But Molesey came close to adding a fourth when Chris Ellis had to clear off the line and it wasn't until injury-time that Chennels sent the home fans into raptures when he headed home Porter's corner.
Reflecting on the victory, Scott admitted his side should have been dead and buried at 3-0 down early on.
"It should have been game over. They may feel a little bit as if things went against them but as a manager, if I'm winning 3-0, the game is over, you don't lose," he said.
"I take the responsibility for the tactics because I am the manager and I decide on what system they play. We got them in at half-time and we changed the system around to three at the back.
"It was important to up the tempo irrespective of the first half where I just felt we were second to everything. We needed to squeeze the play from the back which we did and we just needed to be patient and make sure we got the second goal."
Windsor's second-half efforts were aided by Pratley-Jones' red card and Scott said the referee had no other option but to send him off.
"It was a bad challenge and although I think he's got the ball as well a little bit, it's the directive isn't it?"
"The referee made a decision and I'm sure they'll be disappointed with it but it's like I say to my players, you don't slide in now you have got to stay on your feet.
"Otherwise if you don't clearly win the ball then you run the risk of getting sent off.
"In fairness to their guy I don't think he has gone in to hurt Robert Lazarczuk, I think he has gone in to genuinely win the ball. He's got the ball but has followed through and caught Rob.
"His studs were showing and that's the directive, the referee has got to send him off
"Whether that has helped us or not I don't know but at the end of the day we have won the game and that is the most important thing.
"We've got two lads out injured, Robert Lazarczuk has come on and done exceptionally well but now he's injured
and Kyle is playing through injury."
The win means Windsor closed the gap on leaders Guildford to eight points with two games in hand.
Scott's men will be looking to keep up the pressure on the front-runners when
they go to Horley this Saturday (3pm ko).
** PICK UP A COPY OF FRIDAY'S OBSERVER FOR A SPECIAL WINDSOR FC FEATURE LOOKING BACK OVER THE LAST 12-MONTHS AT STAG MEADOW **
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