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Starmaker                    Sunday 21st October 2007

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Our other new signing was finally available as Charlie entered the fray.  Everyone was available eventually after most of us got lost finding the place.  When we did we found a lovely pitch, if on the large side…….  To cap it all, for the first time, a game that we were involved in was to be the Evening Post HML Star Match!

 

The line up was:

 

Joby

 

Jack     Callum     Joel

 

Josh     Sam     Aaron     Tom     Max

 

Chilly     Joe

 

Subs: Spike, Dan & Charlie

 

We attacked well and a big throw from Joe was knocked on by Tom and as Chilly attacked, it was cleared.  A corner swung out by Tom was knocked back by Sam to Tom.  He overhit the return but Max chased, cut inside the defender and then split the defence with a ball for Chilly to chase, but it was just too fast for him and the ‘keeper got it.  There was a bit of to and fro in the middle before a high ball at our defence was left by all three and their attacker was through.  Joby narrowed the angle and then dived well to save the shot which then narrowly trickled outside of the post.  Again more pressure followed and a well struck shot was clasped low by Joby, then we attacked down the left with Chilly holding off their defender, then as another came across he tapped it past him, but the tap was slightly too hard and the ‘keeper pounced on it.  We kept the pressure on and eventually a shot from Max was well held.  We had a throw on the right which Sam headed on and Aaron was away across the halfway line down the wing.  He angled his run at goal and then shot for the far post, but it went just the wrong side.  They had a breakaway which led to a shot which Joby saved.  He drop kicked wide to Max who laid it back to Joel, however he miss hit it across goal and their attacker hit it.  From our side of the pitch it looked in although Joby dived well, however luckily for us it went wide of the post.  A ball over the top was chased by both Joe and Chilly and their defender was forced to clear wide.  However because it was such a wide pitch it didn’t go out and Josh raced onto it and crossed it.  Max had a shot which was blocked and then it came to Joe three yards out, but it took a deflection just wide for a corner.  Tom then hit a ball wide for Sam to chase and he crossed a lovely ball in for Chilly about five yards out.  He stretched for it, but it hit his chest and then went straight at the ‘keeper. 

 

HALF-TIME : BROMLEY   0    FRYS   0

 

They attacked and a high bouncing ball from the left deceived Joby and he had to spin towards goal and managed to push it for a corner.  The corner came in and Josh had his leg stamped on, but the Ref’ watched the ball out and this time it was hit high for goal and over everyone 1-0.  Josh was then tended to, and you could clearly see a stud imprint on his leg so he had to come off and his day ended there.  They broke and we were struggling, and Joby raced out to narrow the angle, panicking the attacker into a slice well wide.  We attacked and were into the box with Chilly chasing a ball diagonally to the right across the box.  As the ‘keeper came out, all he had to do was reverse pass it into the ‘net, however he hit it at the corner which he was heading towards and the ‘keeper was able to dive and push it out for a corner.  We switched to an attacking two at the back, three up front in the final minutes and a ball into the middle was won by Joe and hit wide to Aaron.  He attacked and crossed and it was blocked to the edge of the area where Max was waiting and he thumped it hard and high, over the ‘keeper, under the bar and in 1-1, with just two minutes to go!

 

FULL-TIME : BROMLEY   1    FRYS   1

 

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

 

Evening Post Star Man – Chosen by the Evening Post reporter for excellent play and effort – Max

 

Afterthoughts…………………………………………………

The long grass that had just been cut, combined with that cut grass everywhere made playing conditions hard for both teams and at times in the first half especially we were caught out with passes not reaching the intended target.  Also, I have to say that that was the most amount of times I have ever seen a team swing their leg at a ball and miss hit it!  At 1-0 down with ten to play I made the decision that I’d rather lose 2-0 trying, than 1-0 not, so went three up front and two at the back.  I know it caused some initial confusion but the boys soon adapted and I was please at how quickly they grasped their new roles.  As for the decision, today it worked, next time it may backfire.  Finally, congratulations to Max for winning Star Man, it’s a great achievement and wonderful that it was a player from our team!

 

And now read the Bristol Evening Post report