This team had destroyed us here last season, on similar condition pitches 10-3. We came here this time full of confidence and knowing that their results hadn’t been as good. Josh was out ill again, but the rest were fit and raring to go!

Game 1 - The line up was:

Joby

Jack Callum

Luke Joel Tom

Joe

Rolling Sub: Dan

With no Josh, birthday boy Callum took on the captain’s responsibility. From a throw in our left back area, Tom won it and hit a ball into the right wing of their half for Joe to chase. Joe turned, beat three players and then got the ball to Tom, but as he took a touch, the ‘keeper dived on it. Good battling by Joel got the ball to Joe in the corner. He turned, beat a player and crossed it in, but it was just too high. We had a throw and Tom one-two’d with Joel. Tom got it to Joe and he got it across to Luke, who controlled it and shot for the bottom left, but their ‘keeper got down really well and made the save. After a bit of a melee in the middle, Jack played the ball into the corner for Joe. He laid it back to Dan, and he played Luke through, but his shot was pushed the wrong side of the post. From the resulting corner, Joe swung it in and as we pressured, it hit one of their players and went in 0-1. A throw which we won came left to Tom and onto Joe. He hit a high shot, and it went straight through the ‘keeper’s hands 0-2. They then attacked and Callum cut it out and played it down the left wing to Joe. All four DRG defenders went across to Joe which left Dan unmarked in the middle. The ball in found him, he took a touch, but then narrowly shot wide. Joel broke up a DRG attack and got the ball to Tom for him to run. Joe pulled left, taking defenders with him and opening up the gap for Tom and he hit a thunderbolt towards the top right corner, but it went just wide. Half-time, and Joby had not actually touched the ball.

HALF-TIME : DRG 0 FRYS 2

Their goal-kick was controlled by Tom and he lobbed it back towards Joe. As it came down, Joe took a touch and hit it on the turn, but it was into the ‘keeper’s hands. Joe hit a corner in which the ‘keeper got his hand to, to deflect which put off Jack even though he got a touch and that took it away from Callum coming in at the back post. Dan went down the right and crossed into Joel, two yards out but with his back to goal. He laid it back to Joe who was closed down and so played it wide to Tom. Tom had a shot which was blocked and it came to Jack, and he shot, but also wide. Dan won it on the left and played it in to Dan. He went for the shot but was tackled, however it was some great play between the two. Callum was then faced with two attackers and did well to win the ball. He played it down the line to Luke, who was brought down, but Jack had chased and the ref’ played a great advantage and we won a corner from it. Tom won the ball and passed it to Dan. He beat a player but the shot was wide. We had a corner, which Jack met and the ‘keeper parried, but there was a defender on the line to clear it. Dan battled on the halfway line and forced them to play it back. Dan chased after the last man, won the ball off of him, cut inside and shot, but it was just past the far post. With two minutes to go they got through and Joby came out to get just his second touch of the game, but he made an important save. A throw by Dan on the halfway line found Tom who hit it low and hard, but the ‘keeper must have been unsighted as he went down late and it was in 0-3.

FULL-TIME : DRG 0 FRYS 3

Man of the Match – Chosen by Andy for excellent play and continuous effort – Luke

Game 2 - The line up was:

Jamie

Sam B Mark

Jim Sam K Max

Chilly

Rolling Subs: Josef & Spike

This game involved a fast DRG attacker, who had scored seven when we last played, so we would have to be on our toes this time around. From the kick, we played it back to Sam K and he played it wide to Max, up to Chilly who cut inside and across to Sam K, but his shot was high. Their ‘keeper took a goal-kick to their right back who Max closed down and won the ball from. He hit it inside to Chilly, who beat the last man and calmly scored 0-1. They were through and Sam B was there with a very strong tackle, which came to Jim in our right back corner. He coolly played a one-two with Mark with three attackers around them and then cleared the ball down the line. Sam B then went into a challenge with their fast attacker and twisted his knee, but carried on. Then Mark was hit in the foot but carried on, however as I was attending him, Sam confessed his injury was worse than he though and needed to come off. A few minutes later Mark did the same, so both Jim and Spike became our defence. Almost straight away Jim went down, but he was able to shake the knock off. A goal kick from Jamie came right to Josef, and he played Chilly through, but his shot was just the wrong side of the post. Sam K won the ball and played it wide to Josef. Josef returned the ball and Sam K chipped it high, but off of the crossbar. Sam K ran with the ball but was taken down. The ref’ played advantage as it came to Josef but then he too was taken out so the ref’ blew for a free kick. I told Sam K to chip it at the ‘keeper, and Josef to stand right in front of the ‘keeper. They both did as asked, and the defender marking Josef touched it with his head, past the unsighted ‘keeper 0-2.

HALF-TIME : DRG 0 FRYS 2

Sam K then won the ball, ran past three players, but just over-ran it and the ‘keeper raced out to clear it. From a throw, Chilly turned and shot which the ‘keeper parried. Josef followed up, but the ‘keeper just got there. They tried to get through a few times, but Jim and Spike were strong all of the time, stopping any attacks if they could, and if not, slowing them down enough to allow Josef, Max and Sam K to get back and help out. We took a goal-kick to Max who ran and shot, but the ‘keeper gathered it. A corner came in which Chilly dived at but missed. Max was at the back post however and knocked it in 0-3. The ball came to Sam K from a throw and he hit a high ball from 20 yards over the ‘keeper and in 0-4. With five minutes to go both defenders said that they were ok, but rather than risk two injured in defence, Mark went in at the back and Sam B went up front with Sam K who was now also hobbling, one of the ones to come off. It paid instant dividends as Max then went down the line and crossed in to Sam B with his back to goal who laid it back to Chilly, and he hit it hard and high into the net 0-5.

FULL-TIME : DRG 0 FRYS 5

Man of the Match – Chosen by Tim for a good game & great all round play – Spike

OVERALL RESULT : DRG 0 FRYS 8

Afterthoughts…………………………………………………

This was the first time this season that we had managed to shut out the opposition, and it was doubly gratifying as they had scored 10 last time.

There were a lot of injuries, but the players adapted to the various positions needed and the win was thoroughly deserved. With the Christmas break fast approaching, we need to keep this level of commitment and desire so that we can go into the New Year unbeaten.