Depleted .... Disjointed .... Defeated

Snday 18 October

3D Dynamoes 4 Shelf Panthers u-13s 1

The Panthers’ five-match winning streak was brought to an abrupt end as they slumped to their first defeat of the campaign against a team which has proved something of a bogey side over the past few years.

This was the equivalent of a European fixture – a gruelling trip into the wild highlands of a foreign country (Lancashire), where every place begins with the letter D (hence the name 3D Dynamoes) and the sat nav eventually gives up and tells you to just ask the nearest sheep.

Maybe they should have done more altitude training. Maybe it was the absence of Tom Mann and Adam McDaid. Whatever the reason, by their own high standards the Panthers were dozy rather than dynamic, and the match was just two minutes old when they conceded the first of four rather scrappy goals.

Six minutes later, Shelf were level through one of the best goals of the 35 they’ve notched up already this season. As Robert prepared to take a corner from the right, coach Lee Marsh shouted: “Dylan’s your target.” Robert duly obliged, planting the ball perfectly into the six-yard box for Dylan to run in and power a header past the keeper.

For the next 15 minutes, Shelf controlled the game with some neat passing moves. They had a penalty appeal turned down when Dylan appeared to be dragged down in the box, and then Sam’s high shot tested the keeper.

But when Robert limped off with a hip injury eight minutes before half-time, the game turned decisively against them.

3Ds went 2-1 up a minute after Robert’s departure, soaked up concerted Shelf pressure for ten minutes after the break, and then sealed the points with further goals in the 48^th and 61^st minutes.

With striker Toby failing to make mincemeat of a defence for the first time this season, the Panthers’ two best second-half chances both fell to midfielder Ross in goalmouth scrambles – but the first hit the post and the second went just wide.

Despite today’s disappointment, Shelf remain top of the league, but Lee will be demanding more dedication, discipline and daring against promotion rivals Brighouse next weekend.

And this week’s Man of the Match? The scorer of a superb headed goal, whose name (of course) begins with D.