In The End Sunday 18^th November 2007

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After last week’s debacle and a chat at training, we had a chance to redeem ourselves. Bristol Utd were bottom having lost every game. If we were to feel that we had learned from the Henbury game and we looking to move forward, we had to win this game. Sam returned after missing Henbury, however Josh was unavailable.

The line up was:

Joby

Jack Callum Joel

Spike Sam Aaron Tom Max

Joe Charlie

Subs: Dan & Chilly

A nice bit of attacking down the line by Aaron led to a cross. No one attacked it, but Spike managed to win it and his ball back to Tom saw a shot which went wide. Sam took a corner which went right to Max at the back, but his header was cleared. Aaron was brought down about 22 yards out. He took the free kick, not very well, but it came back to him so he hit it first time for the right, and it hit the post and came out. Sam K forced them into the right corner and won it. Sam’s ball out found Tom. He chipped the ball into the left corner of the box. Their player got his head to it and looked as though he had flicked it on for a corner, but Joe raced after it and from the narrowest of angles, leathered it past the ‘keeper 1-0. A high ball in front of our defence saw Joel go for it, but they got there ahead of him. Suddenly they were away down the left and the attacker went around Joby as he came out and made it level 1-1. A great ball into the box found Charlie with his back to goal. He turned and was brought down so Tom stepped up to take the kick. The ‘keeper dived the right way and got his hand to it, but there was enough power in the shot to see it in 2-1. They cut through us as a simple ball in saw us just jog at it rather than sprint to the ball and a deft touch got them behind our defence. Joby was out quick to narrow the angle and this did enough as the ball rolled wide from the resulting shot.

HALF-TIME : FRYS 2 BRISTOL UTD 1

They attacked down the middle. Tom stumbled off balance, allowing them to run through where he had been and they were in on goal, with an early shot seeing them level again 2-2. A ball into our box saw no one take responsibility to clear it and when a touch finally came it just rolled out of the area to where a Bristol player was running in and his shot went high over everyone, and although Tom & Joel tried their best on the line, it was in 2-3. Some great work by Charlie saw the ball to Chilly, who beat their ‘keeper, but the offside flag was up. Max & Sam worked hard and got the ball to Aaron who beat a player and hit it 3-3. A big goal-kick by Joby saw Sam head it on to Charlie. He played in Chilly who tipped it past the last defender and beat the ‘keeper 4-3. We battled hard in midfield and then Charlie closed down their defence. They played it back to their ‘keeper without looking and Chilly pounced, shooting through the ‘keeper’s legs 5-3. Max won the ball and passed wide to Joe who beat a defender and shot, but it came off of the post and went wide. We attacked down the right with some hard work from Chilly who crossed it in. Their defender slipped and the ball found Max. He passed left to Joe who shot high over the ‘keeper and in 6-3. They attacked again and got into the box. Joby dived at it and parried, but they shot again and it was in, although to our credit, I saw five players dive across the face of the goal in an attempt to block the shot. None of them got there, but I was proud of their desire 6-4. A corner came in and the spin on the ball saw it evade Joby. Everyone thought it was in except Callum who got to it on the line and cleared it. We forced a corner on the right and they were just unable to clear it. It eventually found its way to Joe on the left who returned it to the far corner with interest 7-4. For their determination and the way they never stopped battling, even after going behind from a winning position, I gave the Man of the Match to the whole team.

FULL-TIME : FRYS 7 BRISTOL UTD 4

Man of the Match – Chosen by Andy for excellent play and effort – The Whole Team

Afterthoughts…………………………………………………

I was distraught at times at some of our naïve play when we let them back into the game. Whether we thought we had done enough to win? They certainly didn’t think so and kept trying to score. In the end we got back into it and the way they battled to the end was a credit to the team.