Season 3 Wednesday 31^st August 2005 ____________________________________________________________________

This game was going to be our one and only friendly. It was the first time these boys had seen each other since our presentation afternoon two months earlier, not even a training session. Keynsham had been placed in the ‘A’ group, had been training & had beaten us last time we played. How would we fare? It couldn’t have looked worse one hour prior to kick off. The rain lashed down accompanied by overhead lightning and very loud thunder, but impressively, by the time we kicked off, the rain had stopped and all we could hear were a few receding rumbles.

Game 1 - The line up was:

Joby

James Callum

Jim

Josef Josh

Joe C

Rolling Subs: Ethan & Max

The opening exchanges were tough with James being fouled at the start. They had a shot early which Joby was equal to. From the kick, Keynsham won the ball back but this time their shot fizzed wide. Josh won the ball and played a lovely pass up the wing to Joe but he was crowded out by three defenders. Keynsham passed well and soon were one on one with Joby. He came storming out of his area and dived at their feet to win the ball, and although he couldn’t see where it went, it was cleared by Jim. James won the ball in defence, passed forward to Josh who threaded the ball through for Joe, but he was fouled. His kick was cleared and back to our end where Joby made a great save. James threw to Josef, his strong tackling got the ball to Josh and he went forward until it was cleared for a throw. James passed a lovely attempt to Josef but it was cut out. It came back to James so he did it again and this time found his man. Keynsham had a corner, which skimmed our post but we managed to clear.

HALF-TIME: KEYNSHAM 0 FRYS 0

They attacked down the right and Sam Black took a pot shot, which seemed to surprise the team and somehow it squeezed in 1-0. We tried to get back at them and Max took a free kick for a foul on him. He hit it high and hard but one of their defenders just got his head to the ball. Keynsham came at us again and Joby raced off of his line. He didn’t get it, but did enough to put their forward off and that allowed Callum time to get back and clear the ball. Josef played a ball through to Joe but he was tackled. Max won it back and cannoned a shot into one of their players. It bounced to Ethan but his shot was just wide. Callum was then called upon to defend stoutly under pressure and passed forward well to Ethan. His pass to Joe was hit at goal but again was blocked.

Keynsham attacked again and James tried a different technique, he fell on the ball! It worked though and we cleared the danger. We attacked strongly but this time Max’s shot was just wide. Joby then slid in on an attacker but the ball came loose and Callum made a superb goal-line clearance. Keynsham then attacked again and a back-heel flummoxed both Jim and Callum, but Joby was on hand to clear. Against the run of play and a ball shot back off of the post to one of their players and it was soon in the back of the net 2-0.

FULL-TIME : KEYNSHAM 2 FRYS 0

Man of the Match – Chosen by Dave Kipling for excellent play – Joe Bray

Game 2 - The line up was:

Jamie G

Oscar Jack Y Sam B

Jordan Spike

Dan

Rolling Subs: Tom & Sam K

Right from the start it was clear that Keynsham would be relying on their two quick footed forwards, one trying a cheeky back-heel goal which Jamie was alert to. But the pressure was kept up and after Jamie had tried to clear the ball at the edge of his area, it fell to another attacker, and despite Jack & Oscar’s valiant efforts, it found its way into the back of the net 1-0. We tried to get straight back into the game and from the kick, Spike and Dan almost one-two’d their way through the entire team. Jordan played a lovely ball through to Sam K, but two of their players were in the way. We lost the ball wide left and the quick Keynsham attacker surged down the line, evading two tackles from Sam B. Jack & Oscar came across to try to stop him but he cut inside of them both and it left Jamie on his own and with no real chance 2-0. Sam B won the ball, beat a player and passed to Sam K, but his shot went just wide. For a while the ball was going from one end to the other, Tom putting in a lovely cross, which no one could get their feet to. Tom was then involved at the other end when a shot hit his back rather than the back of the net! Tom then went on a run and leathered a hard, high shot, which was actually too powerful and went over.

HALF-TIME: KEYNSHAM 2 FRYS 0

We started the second half a lot better and both Sam K & Spike were involved in a melee by the goal but it just wouldn’t go in. Tom then had a shot but their ‘keeper parried it away. Sam K then tried a scorcher, but it flew just wide, thanks to the fingertips of their ‘keeper. All of this pressure would surely lead to a goal, but when it came it was in a rather unexpected way. Tom went to our right to take the corner, as we had been practising throughout the summer, with our players attacking from the edge of the box. With their players watching us, and their ‘keeper with only one eye on the ball, it flew in high and curled into the goal 2-1. Sam K then played a lovely ball through to Spike but he was out-muscled. By this stage, Keynsham attacks were rare. One they did have led to a great save from Jamie as he pushed it around the post. After another attack, Jack ran back strongly to push the ball to Jamie ahead of their attacker. Spike and Dan tried to go again but were stopped just short of their area. A cross came in and was cleared to Spike. He shot first time and it raced agonisingly across goal and wide.

FULL-TIME : KEYNSHAM 2 FRYS 1

Man of the Match – Chosen by Maurice Baker for excellent play – Tom Johnson

OVERALL RESULT : KEYNSHAM 4 FRYS 1

Afterthoughts………………………………………………………………

Yet again against Keynsham, we play excellent football but end up losing! I’m not worried about the result, we played some good passing football and as with last time, with a bit of luck in front of goal could have won the game.