Comedy of errors is no joke

A VERITABLE comedy of errors contributed to a bitterly disappointing 4-2 defeat to Heybridge Swifts at York Road on Saturday afternoon.
The slap-stick began as early as the second minute, when a long ball out of the Heybridge midfield drew keeper Nick Hart to the edge of his box to challenge the on rushing James Robinson.
Hart won the initial encounter, only to knock the ball straight to Neil Cousins, who beat the stranded keeper with a deft lob from 30 yards.
The long ball game continued to dominate the visitors’ play for the rest of the match, but who could blame them, as it repeatedly flummoxed United’s defence.
Some strange decisions from the linesman did nothing to help, and it was one such dubious call which led to the Swifts’ second goal on 22 minutes, when Robinson sprinted onto Andy Tomlinson’s through ball and slotted it past Hart from close range, with the back four gazing hopefully at the man in black.
Despite being 2-0 down, United persevered with their attacking game plan, with on loan midfielder Jamie Brooks dropping in behind Lawrence Yaku and Steve Hale.
The formation did create chances, with Yaku being denied by Heybridge keeper Damien Smith in a one-on-one, and then firing wide from a good position soon after.
However, it was Hale who got the Magpies back in the frame, when he headed home Yaku’s miscued shot at the back post on 26 minutes.
Unfortunately, more woeful defending – and particularly woeful goalkeeping – allowed Heybridge to re-establish their crucial two-goal advantage on 43 minutes.
A short corner routine produced a low ball across the face of goal, which evaded everyone except John Pollard at the far post, who lashed the ball back past the prostrate Hart.
Just before half-time, Hale once again narrowed the deficit – this time with the goal of the game.
The move began with Kelvin McIntosh in midfield, who opened up the Swifts’ static defence with a sublime diagonal ball for Craig Farley to chase.
An equally good cross followed, which Hale met with a flying header at the near post, giving Smith no chance.
With United on the up, the crowd were expecting the home side to go on and win the game in the second half.
However, those expectations were dashed on 59 minutes, when Robinson slipped through the offside trap for a second time and calmly tucked the ball past a statuesque Nick Hart.
Yaku raised hopes when he found the back of the net four minutes later, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
Brooks made way for Martyn Lee soon after, as United strove to find a way back.
However, the Swifts had shut up shop, restricting United to pot shots and half-chances for the remaining 20 minutes, as they cruised to a relatively comfortable win.

FOILED: The Magpies’ Lawrence Yaku (No.9) loses his race for the ball to Heybridge Swifts’ keeper Damien Smith on Saturday. Ref: 83960/7.