Boco 220806

This was meant to be a tough game for our team to see how good we could be. With six players missing on holiday, and Josh being ill after arriving at the ground it really was going to be a tough game, but would give us an idea of how we could cope with the loss of so many. Joby went in goal for both games and we had no subs. Andy had planned as usual for the Match Report, but it seemed like brand new batteries had gone down. Later investigation found a more fundamental problem with the Dictaphone.

Game 1 - The line up was:

Joby

Jack Joel

Luke Tom James

Jordan (c)

We kicked off, but very quickly lost the ball and they were on the attack. They went down our right, passing the ball quickly as they did, before cutting it back into the middle and a shot came in (I think from Aaron). Joel tried to head it wide, but was only able to deflect it past a stranded Joby 1-0. We tried to regroup as they attacked again. Jack went wide to stop them but took an injury to his knee. He was able to recover but they kept up the pressure and a melee ensued which forced a corner on our left. It came in and we hesitated. They didn’t, and after less than five minutes we were two down and looking at a long night 2-0. We started to put a bit more effort in at this point and the constant onslaught started to finally relent. The first half then settled into a routine, they would attack and put on pressure, we would repel, although a lot of that was down to Joby, excellent in goal and launching us on attacks with big kicks from both his hands and on the ground.

HALF-TIME : BOCO 2 FRYS 0

Maurice & Andy had words with the team about keeping shape and working a little bit harder and it seemed to work. The second half, whilst still dominated by Boco, saw us launch more attacks of our own whilst letting Joby get a bit more rest in between shots. Jack was more dominant in the second half with their influential striker getting less of the ball. Joel shook off the Summer of rustiness and was hard in the challenge, clearing his lines well. Luke and James tackled when play came their way and held their positions a lot better, looking to pass the ball when winning and getting back to defend when needed. Tom, who had seemed at times lethargic in the first half was much more livelier and full of running in the second half, twice having good shots blocked, and Jordan was a constant menace to their defence, harrying them when they had the ball and never letting them settle into a rhythm. But it was Joby who shone, once sprinting outside of his area to intercept the ball as their striker stood ready to receive and shoot. His reaction afterwards said it all as he swung his arms in frustration. Joby was also fearless at their feet as he time and time again flew into the danger area to win the ball. When they did get shots in, he was equal to them, catching them or pushing shots around the post.

FULL-TIME : BOCO 2 FRYS 0

Man of the Match – Chosen by Tom Baker for excellent play and continuous effort – Joby

Game 2 - The line up was:

Joby

Mark Spike

Josef Sam K Max (c)

Dan

We kicked off and started to pass the ball around. It was clear from the start that this was a more even game and that they had gone out strongly in the first. Again, with no Dictaphone, this is more of a general recollection than an accurate Match Report. Max and Sam linked well with some good passing and Sam flew down the left to cross in. Dan attacked it but it was just too far ahead of him, although he did chase it and crossed back in, but their ‘keeper grabbed it. Whenever they attacked, Mark and Spike stood firm to win the ball, and it was great to see that, having won the ball, they didn’t just blindly kick it, but went for the studied pass, trying to find our players in space. Josef battled hard and was strong in the tackle, holding his wide position and looking to play Dan in whenever he could. Max was very good at this, threading two or three good passes for both Sam and Dan to run onto with Sam K getting on the end of one, only to see it blocked by the desperate dive of their last defender. Dan harried their defence whenever the ball came forward and he, like Jordan in the first game, never allowed them time to settle on the ball causing them to clear in a panic quite a few times, allowing us to win the ball back. The only player I’ve not mentioned so far is Joby. He was alert as always, but had far less to do as the team in front were working so hard to stop their attacks.

HALF-TIME : BOCO 0 FRYS 0

Maurice and Andy were very pleased with the performance at half-time and only really needed to point out a few positional points to the players. The second half took on the same pattern as the first as we started to dominate the play. Some of the passing was exquisite with Boco at times running in circles. The one thing we lacked however was penetration with their ‘keeper rarely being called upon to make an actual save, although a ball down the left from Spike was well battled for by Dan and he in turn found Sam whose shot went agonisingly the wrong side of the near post, when a shot for the far post might have seen us take the lead. As the game wore on we did start to create a bit more, with both Mark and Spike furrowing forward at every opportunity and Max ferocious into every challenge. Josef never gave up on any challenge and Sam was just everywhere. When Sam finally ran out of steam, Dan slotted back into that midfield holding position and worked just as hard to prevent them getting in.

Into the final few minutes and our defence were finally overrun with a Boco attacker in on goal. Joby was alert however and was quickly out at his feet to block the shot and the ball ricocheted out. As full-time approached we had one more attack. Max went down the left and found Dan. He passed inside to Sam who tried to force his way through but was blocked. He saw Josef on the right unmarked and squeezed the ball to him. Josef took one touch and toe-poked it towards the bottom right corner, and the crowd went wild as it slipped under the ‘keeper’s body 0-1. There wasn’t even time to kick off as the ref’ blew for time.

FULL-TIME : BOCO 0 FRYS 1

Man of the Match – Chosen by Tom Baker for a good game & great all round play – Max

OVERALL RESULT : BOCO 2 FRYS 1

Afterthoughts…………………………………………………

This game took on the profile of how I see most games going this season. The A team (as we now have to call them) will have the harder game, looking to keep us at least level, but if not then restricting the opposition to as few goals as possible. The B team will then have the job of turning any negative into a positive as in most cases they should have the easier game. Against Boco we didn’t quite manage it, but then this was a team who will be looking to win the B division as opposed to us, who will be looking to win the C division.

After the second match I confessed to have chatted to Tom B for ten minutes rather than shout at the boys, but the reason for that was that I didn’t need to shout, I only had to stand there and admire! The hardest job tonight was given to Tom B as he somehow had to pick a Man of the Match out of so many excellent performances.

This performance gives me great heart. When you look at our “missing in action” list :- Jamie, Callum, Jim, Sam B, Joe, Ethan & Josh, and then look at the quality of Boco, to perform so well is a credit to all who played.

The two teams have been officially submitted to the League and we will have to have our photo cards at every game. The squads are:

A Team:- Joby, Jack, Callum, Joel, Tom, Josh (c), Joe, Dan, Luke, Jordan & Oscar.

B Team:- Jamie, Sam B (c), Mark, Jim, Max, Ethan, Sam K, Spike, Josef & James.

U10 Appearances, MotM & Goals

P M G

Callum Payne

Dan Churches 1

Ethan Chilcott

Jack Yeoman 1

James Baker 1

Jamie Charles

Jamie Godwin

Joe Bray 1 1

Joe Carreyett

Joel Harvey 1

Jordan Harris 1

Josef Hill 1 1

Josh Batt

Luke Andrews 1

Mark Gratton 1

Max Stevens 1 1

Oscar Hutchings

Sam Burgess

Sam Kipling 1

Sam Pike 1

Tom Johnson 1