The first round of the cup and we were drawn at home to the local rivals. Jack & Joel were unavailable so Spike went into the A Team and both James & Jordan came into the squads.

Game 1 - The line up was:

Joby

Spike Callum

Luke Josh Tom

Joe

Rolling Subs: Dan & Jordan

We won the first corner of the game. It was floated in and the ‘keeper fumbled, Tom got there and shot on the turn, but it was just wide. Our throw is cleared left, but came back across to Luke, but his shot goes just the wrong side of the post. They had a throw which Tom headed forward to Joe. He ran with it and unleashed a shot which the ‘keeper dived and pushed wide. They then attacked and although we tackled, the ball kept falling for them. The eventual shot was blasted in, but Joby got down well and made the save. Tom won the ball in our area and broke forward. Just as he was looking to pass the ball to Joe he was brought down, just inside their half. We pushed forward and Callum, spotting Josh on the edge of their area passed it in to him. Josh turned and poked it through to where Dan was chasing in, but their ‘keeper was alert to it and cleared their lines.

HALF-TIME : FRYS 0 SALTFORD 0

We kicked off and immediately attacked, but they cleared and suddenly it was four on two at our back, with predictable results 0-1. We tried again and crossed it in. It was cleared to Joe and the halfway line, and he shot, but it was wide. From another attack, the ball came out to Joe who shot from 20 yards. It was heading into the ‘keepers arms so Josh ran across it and tried to deflect it past the ‘keeper, but it went just wide instead. Tom won it on the right and hit a thunderbolt which the ‘keeper parried, it came out to Joe, 15 yards out who hit it hard and high and this time the ‘keeper tipped it onto the crossbar and out. We were not to be denied however and Tom won the ball 20 yards out on the right, cut inside onto his left and unleashed a rocket that flew into the top left giving the ‘keeper no chance 1-1. Tom won it on the halfway and hit it over the top for Spike to run in on, but his shot was into the side netting. Tom played the ball down the right for Dan and he shot for the far post and it came back out off of the post, and was cross back in to where Joe was attacking and he lifted it over the ‘keeper but it came back off of the bar and out.

FULL-TIME : FRYS 1 SALTFORD 1

Man of the Match – Chosen by Andy for excellent play – Josh

Game 2 - The line up was:

Jamie

Sam B Mark

Jim Sam K Max

Chilly

Rolling Subs: James & Josef

A few early exchanges were given, but nothing came of them. Then, after about 10 minutes, a big drop kick from Jamie into the right corner was chased by Chilly. As defenders converged, he looked up and saw Jim approaching the box. Chilly laid it square to him and he passed it into the far left corner 1-0. Another long ball, this time into the left corner was chased by Sam K. He held off two defenders and got it back to Max, who cut inside and shot. The ‘keeper made a great save onto the crossbar, but unlike the first game, we had an attacker following in and Chilly, virtually on the goal line, headed it into the back of the net 2-0. Sam B won the ball in defence and sent it down the line to Max. He found Jim inside running in and his shot was saved by the ‘keeper but fumbled. Jim chased in and they both got there at the same time. Unfortunately for Jim, the ‘keeper grabbed it tight. A big kick from Jamie saw Jim bring it down and knock it to Sam K, whose shot was saved for a corner. At this point, all of the pressure was coming from us. They had a throw near our box which Sam K won. He then ran the length of the field with the ball under pressure and the two defenders just did enough, putting Sam off as he tried to shoot and it went wide.

HALF-TIME : FRYS 2 SALTFORD 0

A high ball was played into our box and Jamie came out bravely to push the ball away as he received studs in the chest. From this he kicked it long and Josef chased. Josef and James exchanged passes before Josef crossed and there was Chilly in the middle waiting 3-0. Sam K won the ball almost on the halfway and shot which the ‘keeper saved. He drop kicked it out, we won it and went down the right before crossing to Max. Max had a shot, which the ‘keeper parried but could not hold and he followed up to make sure 4-0. We won a corner which Jim hit in. It bounced around in the area and came to James. He hit it first time towards the right corner and at the last second a defender got there to clear it off of the line. Max won the ball and played Josef through with a wonderfully weighted pass, but the ‘keeper also saw it and stormed out, getting there just ahead of him. A corner to Saltford was cleared to Josef on the edge of our area. He turned, tackled and went through their last defender on the edge of our box and was away. He ran the length of the field and as he was approaching the area, his last touch before the shot was just too heavy and it ran into the ‘keepers arms. Jim took a corner on the left and their defender sliced it towards his own goal. The ‘keeper caught it and the ref’ gave him the benefit of the doubt as to whether it had crossed the line.

FULL-TIME : FRYS 4 SALTFORD 0

Man of the Match – Chosen by Andy for excellent play – Sam K

OVERALL RESULT : FRYS 5 SALTFORD 1

Afterthoughts…………………………………………………

We created many chances, and but for some spectacular saves in the first game, we could have easily doubled the total. Congratulations to both teams, they played well, stuck to the game plan that I asked them to follow and were deserved winners and into Round 2.