We had beaten these twice earlier in the season, once in the league and once in the cup. We had played just one match since November 26^th, almost two months, and had drawn that one. Fry’s water levels had dropped, but for health and safety reasons, after each flooding the ground staff will walk the entire field to get rid of any unsavoury items left there by the river. This had not yet been done, so to get the game on, Nigel of Saltford agreed to let us play the game there. How would these factors affect both teams?

Game 1 - The line up was:

Joby

Jack Callum

Josh Joel Tom

Joe

Rolling Subs: Dan & Luke

After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing, Tom played Joe through, but he was closed down and could only hit his shot at the ‘keeper. They won the ball from our kick and Kieron has hit it for the far post, but Joby got down to it. A ball through from Tom on the halfway line found Josh and he hit it left of the ‘keeper. But the ‘keeper got down quickly to save it. Tom got a bouncing ball to Joe, but it must have still been spinning as with just the ‘keeper to beat, he hit an air shot. Great battling from Joel won the ball and got it through to Tom, but his shot was right at the ‘keeper. Tom hit a high bouncing ball into the area which everyone thought the ‘keeper would get. Everyone except Josh that is! He raced after it and got there at the same time, forcing the ‘keeper to fumble, then coolly despatching the ball into the net 1-0. Josh then chased a ball into their corner and forced a throw. Joe duly launched one and Jack, on the back post headed back across goal, and although the ‘keeper did manage to get his hand to it, it wasn’t enough and it was in 2-0. (Mark was cringing at this point as he had offered to double Jack’s £5 per goal if it was with his head!) Saltford came back at us and a good move led to a near post shot which Joby got down well to and pushed it around for a corner. Tom broke from the corner and played Joe in. Joe hit the shot early and the ‘keeper could only parry. Josh followed in and blasted it past the ‘keeper but onto the post and as it came out Tom thought it was rugby and converted it! The ‘keeper’s goal kick came to Tom. He turned two players and shot, the ‘keeper made the save but it carried on rolling towards the ‘net, and the ‘keeper recovered well to grab it on the line. They won a corner which came in and we just failed to clear it despite a few efforts. In the end it came to Kieron on the back post and he leathered it in 2-1. Josh then won the ball in the area and did a little “up and over” two players to where Tom was turning and he got it past the ‘keeper 3-1.

HALF-TIME : FRYS 3 SALTFORD 1

They had some concerted pressure and appeared through, but Tom slid in as Joby came out and cleared it. Josh worked the line well and got in the cross. Their player deflected it up but the ‘keeper just got there ahead of Dan. Tom broke out of defence and went the whole way, past their last players and played it past the onrushing ‘keeper, but it went just the wrong side of the post. Tom got the ball to Josh and he laid it wide to Dan whose shot was well saved by the ‘keeper for a corner. Josh then Dan, then Luke all saw shots saved in another concentrated attacking move until the ‘keeper fell on it. Tom put the ball into the area towards Josh and he tried to flick it past the ‘keeper but it was blocked on the line, it came back to him and this time he saw his shot saved. Josh had another shot but this time it was a player on the line who cleared it as chances started to come thick and fast. Near the end, and a chance for Saltford was thwarted by Luke.

FULL-TIME : FRYS 3 SALTFORD 1

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

Game 2 - The line up was:

Jamie

Sam B Mark

Jim Sam K Max

Chilly

Rolling Sub: Spike & Josef

Sam K played a great ball into Chilly with his back to goal. He was surrounded but managed to lay it wide back to Sam, But Bryn had chased back and forced it out for our corner. They broke from the corner and got past our defence and we just couldn’t catch them. Jamie came out forcing a shot, and Jamie got down well to make the save. They broke again with Bryn down the right, and we were unable to catch them. Again Jamie saved us, getting down to the ball at the attacker’s feet. We won a throw on the halfway line which Max took quickly whilst they were still disorganised. Chilly laid it through and Sam K used his pace as well as his strength to hold of the defender and duly scored 1-0. A cross was controlled well by Sam K and he turned 15 yards out and hit it high, but it went over. Sam B was under pressure facing his goal and did the correct thing of hitting it back to Jamie, however whether it was because we hadn’t played for two months, or whether he just forgot, Jamie picked it up, giving away a free kick 2 yards out. They laid it back and shot high, but Sam B was on the line with a great clearing header. Max battled hard and got it to Sam K who found Chilly. Chilly used his body strength to roll his player and hit it back across goal, which did actually appear to be going wide, but it hit a defender and deflected in 2-0. From the halfway line, Sam K played it in to Chilly. He returned it and Sam played it wide to Jim. Jim took a touch and shot for the far post, but the ‘keeper got down really well and pushed it wide and it was cleared for a throw. The throw was big and it came out to Mark who volleyed it goalwards. Chilly controlled it, turned, beat three players and passed it past the ‘keeper 3-0. Sam B under pressure facing our goal was clearly pushed off the ball but the ref’ missed it (dodgy ref’!) and they were in, however Mark slid in towards our goal with a great tackle to prevent the shot. Max broke from the corner, beat his man and laid it through for Chilly to chase. The ‘keeper came out and they both got there at the same time, but the ball ricocheted off of Chilly for a goal kick, however what a good, fast break.

HALF-TIME : FRYS 3 SALTFORD 0

After a bit of pressure we won a corner on the right. Sam K went short to Chilly who returned it and Sam shot first time with his left foot and it flew across goal and hit the back post, before coming out. Spike had a real tussle as he headed to wards our goal, and at the last minute dived in and cleared the ball. Sam K in our area won the ball and got it to Max. Max saw Chilly making the run behind the defence and found him with a perfect ball, one on one with the ‘keeper 4-0. Sam B found Sam K in the area and he split four defenders with a short pass to Chilly who turned, but this time the ‘keeper made the save. Spike found Jim wide and he played it inside to Sam K who shot but the ‘keeper parried. It came loose to Chilly and this time there was a defender on the line to make the clearance. Josef then battled 20 yards out on the right, won the ball and hit it high and hard, however it went wide.

FULL-TIME : FRYS 4 SALTFORD 0

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

OVERALL RESULT : FRYS 7 SALTFORD 1

Afterthoughts…………………………………………………

Although the score-line was comfortable in the end, there were long periods of discomfort for the spectators as we struggled to get back into our rhythm. That is really to be expected after nearly two months of no football. As the game went on we found our groove again, although surprisingly we scored less goals in both second halves whilst playing better football!