Groundhog Day Friday 27th April 2007
____________________________________________________________________
In
the rush from work Andy had forgotten the Dictaphone, so this would be sketchy
at best. We had had a great result on
Sunday so we looked to continue that against a team we had beaten 8-2 earlier
in the season.
Game
1 - The line up was:
Joby
Jack Callum
Josh Joel
Tom
Joe
Rolling Subs: Luke &
Dan
We kicked off and
straight from the kick we looked comfortable, and I felt that we should
win. We attacked early and committed
players, however they won the ball and broke out. Joel was the last player and tried to control
it as it came to him, however it slipped under his foot and their attacker was
through. Joby came out, but there was
nothing he could do 0-1. We attacked back at them and Joe worked down
the left and got in a cross which their defender deflected goal-wards, but it
went just the wrong side of the post.
They kicked out and Tom won
the header. He took one touch then hit a
low shot that flew into the back of the net 1-1. Jack then played the
ball out to Joe and his run and cross was met by Tom. He turned back, but then crossed it in, to
where Josh and their ‘keeper went for it, and Josh won 2-1. Soon after it was level again! One of the Fishponds attackers won the ball
and ran at goal. He went past Josh, Jack
and Joel, before calmly slotting the ball past Joby 2-2. They were buoyed by
this and as the ball dropped 25 yards out, their attacker hit it. It flew perfectly, dropping just in front of
goal, and Joby had been unsighted by other players as it flew in 2-3.
We were back at them however and Tom worked hard to win the ball, got it
out to Joe who beat a player and shot high, only to see it crash back off of
the crossbar.
They
launched another attack soon into the second half and a ball driven into our
box ricocheted around without being cleared, until a Fishponds attacker got his
foot to it 2-4. They attacked again as we tried to regroup
and Joby was alert to make a fine save at their attacker’s feet. He then hit a long ball up-field which Tom expertly brought down. He turned, ran past two defenders and beat
the ‘keeper at his near post 3-4.
Man of the Match – Chosen by Andy for
excellent play and effort – Josh
Game
2 - The line up was:
Jamie
Sam
B Mark
Spike Sam K
Max
Chilly
Rolling Sub: Jim &
Josef
Chilly
worked hard from the kick, won it well and got it to Max, but his shot was at
the ‘keeper. Sam K then brought the ball
out of defence, ran down the line and crossed to where Max was waiting and
twice he saw his shots blocked. Sam K then
had another run at them, found Chilly up front and he laid it off to Max, but
his shot was saved by the ‘keeper, onto the post, and a defender got back to
clear it.
We
pushed more and more forward and were bound to get caught eventually, as they
broke through. Luckily Jamie was alert
in goal and rushed out to dive bravely at their attacker’s feet to make the
save. It was pretty much the only thing
he really had to do for the whole of the 40 minutes. Nearing the end and a ball over the top saw
both Chilly and Max unmarked. Max
controlled it and then hit it, but it flew over the bar. In the dying seconds came the final chance
for an equaliser and again it came to Max as Chilly chipped it to him, however
he was leaning back and again his shot flew over.
Man of the Match – Chosen by Andy for
excellent play and effort – Max