Jack was still unavailable after his operation, and Josh was ill, so Jim came in to the A Team. We had won a very close game last week and this promised to be just as close.

Game 1 - The line up was:

Joby

Joel Callum

Luke Jim Tom

Dan

Rolling Sub: Joe

They attacked and won a corner. It was floated in and no one tried to clear it. It dropped in the area and we shot, which was blocked but not cleared. It spun loose and they reacted the quickest 0-1. They had a throw which bounced between two of our players as they left it for the other. The forward turned Callum and was in on goal, but Callum turned just as quickly and slid in to put the ball out for a corner. Another corner flew in and although Tom got the touch, it was not enough to clear and a St Nick’s player flying in at the back got a touch but Joby got down really well to make the save amongst the flying feet. The ball was hit into the left wing where Dan chased and won it. He turned away with the outside of his foot and found Tom, but his shot was deflected wide for a corner. We had a throw by their area, but it was cleared and they broke. They passed it past Callum and were through, but again he raced back and slid in to push it out for a corner. Joel won the ball on the halfway mark. He passed it right to Luke who in turn found Jim on the wing. Jim’s cross evaded their defence and found Tom, but his shot flew narrowly wide of the right post. They attacked down the right and swung the ball into the near post. The attacker turned and shot, but Joby covered his angle well and saved it for a corner.

HALF-TIME : FRYS 0 ST NICKS ‘B’ 1

They won the ball on the line halfway and as we came across, they passed it the other way leaving their attacker free from 15 yards and he drilled it into the far bottom corner 0-2 They had a corner which Tom won and he passed it to Joe in our half. Joe ran the length of the pitch, holding off challenges and managed to force a corner. Joe swung over the corner and it came to Dan. He hit it into the middle where Tom was unmarked and he turned and shot high from three yards, but unfortunately it went over. We failed to clear the ball as we tried to beat players on the edge of our area and it came to a player free on the back post. Joby flew out to narrow the angle as Callum covered the line and forced him to shoot wide. We then fail to clear the ball again and as the attacker is about to shoot, Joel slid in to clear for a corner. They had a shot for the far corner which Joby palmed onto the post. As he tried to recover a St Nicks player came in but Jim slid in as well and made the important tackle.

FULL-TIME : FRYS 0 ST NICKS ‘B’ 2

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

Game 2 - The line up was:

Jamie

Sam B Mark

Spike Sam K Max

Chilly

Rolling Sub: Josef

Spike worked hard on the right and won a throw by their corner for his efforts. He threw it forward to Sam K who returned it to him. As they attacked, Spike just passed it back down the line putting Sam through. He crossed hard and low, the ‘keeper dived out and missed, but it must have put Max off on the back post because he swung and missed in front of the open goal and it was cleared. From the goal kick on the floor, their ‘keeper launched it and not one player in our team got in the way of it. I went right through to Jamie with only one attacker chasing it and with the ball wet, it slipped out of Jamie’s hands and the attacker had an open goal 0-1. Max won a throw in the left corner and managed to get the ball in. Chilly won the ball near the post, turned, beating the defender, but the ‘keeper was waiting and got to the ball just ahead of him. They attacked down the right and crossed. It was going wide, but rather than just pick it up, Jamie decided to kick it high and back across goal. They shot, Jamie got a touch which forced it onto the post and it rebounded back into his arms. We had a throw up front which was cleared as far as Sam K. He battled hard for the ball, beat his player and shot, but it was saved. They threw into our area and again we failed to clear it. This time the shot was over Jamie but hit the stansion and went clear. Mark attacked but they cleared and were through on goal. Jamie as last man flew out at the attacker’s feet and cleared well with his knees. The ball was played through to Max who was 20 yards out. He turned and was brought down, so Sam B came forward to take it. He shot hard and high, and Sam K tried to deflect it with his head past the ‘keeper, but unfortunately it went just over.

HALF-TIME : FRYS 0 ST NICKS ‘B’ 1

We started the 2^nd half with a bit more urgency. Chilly attacked down the right and cut it back to Sam K 20 yards out who shot, but the ‘keeper made a great diving save to keep it out of the top corner and conceded a corner. From a throw, we saw a great bit of fighting from Max to get the ball through towards goal and Chilly chased, forcing the defender to concede another corner. Sam B played the ball forward to Max who found Chilly. Chilly turned two players and had a left foot shot, but it was always going wide. A great ball from Sam B to Sam K was played wide to Max. He beat the defender and crossed in to Chilly who laid it off to Josef and he shot, but the ‘keeper was able to make the save. Their attacker then forced his way past three defenders and shot, and this time Jamie made a great save.

FULL-TIME : FRYS 0 ST NICKS ‘B’ 1

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

OVERALL RESULT : FRYS 0 ST NICKS ‘B’ 3

Afterthoughts…………………………………………………

Quite possibly the poorest performance I have seen from our team in a long time. We were second to every loose ball, corner, goal-kick and pass in both games. We did not seem to wake up for either match. They wanted to win more and they worked harder for the ball all over the pitch. There were too many individually bad games from the majority of our players and if we play like that against Saltford next week then the result will be the same. There were a few shining lights across the 16, but it says it all about the pattern of the game when both Man of the Match’s were defenders!