Diggle ‘A’ 5 – 1 Honley Res
The first half started promisingly as Diggle kept the ball on the ground and passed it through midfield. After 15 minutes Stone’s quick feet gained him a yard of space on the edge of Honley’s box and he hit a screamer into the roof of the net. 1-0 up and then Diggle thought the game was won, so they didn’t need to pass and move anymore and thought they could resort to playing the long ball for Stone to do the rest.
Diggle just gave the ball away cheaply and also committed a series of avoidable free kicks 30 yards from goal by being caught behind the play. From one of these free kicks Honley scored their equaliser with a header at the far post (35 mins).
At least this shook Diggle out of their long ball stupor. Diggle had the better of the last 10 minutes and just before half time Fitzgerald headed into the far corner to give Diggle the lead. The advice at half time was to increase the urgency, be a yard in front of the opposition (not a yard behind) and cut out the “Hollywood” long ball.
Diggle played to their strengths in the second half; playing the ball out of defence through midfield; releasing Hayes and Godard down the wings; giving the ball early into Stone’s feet. Wave after wave of attacks were launched onto the Honley defence and with a better choice of final pass in the box the score could have rattled along – as it was, Stone would bag another three on 55, 62 and 72 minutes.
Three substitutions disrupted the flow of the final 20 minutes by which time the game was over as a contest.
MOM Jason Stone
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