The Green ‘Un                              Sunday 6^th March 2005 ____________________________________________________________________

The return fixture from earlier in the season.  At one point I didn’t think that we’d have 14 players so both Tom & Joby were asked to play twice.  In the end players turned up who had said that they probably couldn’t, so we had nine players per team.

 

Game 1 - The line up was:

 

Joby

 

James     Oscar     Jack

 

Ethan     Jordan     Sam B

 

Rolling Subs: Sam K & Tom

 

Right from the very start we were defending as Longwell Green launched their first attack.  Some good defending by Jack, was followed by an excellent save from Joby.  Sam B then went on a run but was forced out.  They came right back at us and fired in a shot which gave Joby no chance 0-1.  The pressure was relentless and both James & Jack needed to be on their toes to clear.  We did have our moments however with Ethan attacking the goal with a shot which was blocked.  Back to our end and both James & Oscar were called into action to clear the ball.  ‘Green weren’t to be denied for long however 0-2.  Tom was the next to make a good clearance, followed by Oscar, and then we made our own breakthrough.  Great play from our team got the ball to Ethan.  He beat one defender, then fired the ball in low past their ‘keeper 1-2. 

 

Back into our half and we had a throw.  We threw across pitch to no one in particular where a Longwell player hit a long shot first time, which flew high into the back of the net 1-3.  Tom then won the ball well and played a defence splitting pass to Sam K but the ‘keeper came out to make the block.  There was then a melee back in our defence as we valiantly threw everything we had in front of the ball, but to no avail 1-4.  We didn’t give up however and both Sam K & Tom went close with headers.  Near the end of the half Sam B got in a great last ditch tackle, but by this time, the game was a bit more equal.

 

HALF-TIME: FRYS   1 LONGWELL GREEN 4

 

In the second half, we started to exert a bit of pressure, Sam K and Jordan combining well to create a chance for Sam.  Sam K then had another shot, forcing a good save out of the ‘keeper.  Then Ethan, Jordan & Sam K pass their way through the defence but Jordan’s shot was wide.  With so much pressure coming from us, we did leave ourselves exposed to a breakaway, and when it came, although both Jack & James tried their best, they were out numbered 1-5.  Ethan then had a great header, but it was a pity that it was completely unintentional, off of the back of his head! 

 

Longwell then attacked down our left and crossed in hard.  Jack was running back 20 yards out and in trying to cut it out, leathered it straight past Joby, which for me was the best goal of the game 1-6.  Sam K kept trying up front and shot just wide, and then back to our end where some good defending couldn’t stop their last goal 1-7.  Our heads didn’t drop and Sam K & Tom played some one-two’s through their defence before Sam K buried it 2-7.  They tried again but Joby made a magnificent save.  Jordan then had a great run but shot at the ‘keeper.

 

FULL-TIME : FRYS   2 LONGWELL GREEN 7 

 

 

Game 2 - The line up was:

 

Joby

 

Luke G     Tom

  

Dan     Josh     Spike

 

Joe

 

Rolling Subs:  Callum & Ben Watt

 

Steve Batt took over the mic for the 2^nd game.  I asked for just a few of the salient points!  Never mind eh?

 

Tom tackled from the off and got the ball to Joe.  We should have had a hand ball but won it back and Josh passed to tom and he ran up the wing.  Josh played a lovely one-two with Tom and shot, with Spike almost getting on the end of it.  Tom then passed to Joe, who played in Spike, and he made no mistake 1-0.  They attacked but Luke was there to clear.  Longwell then got into our box but Josh won it, passed to Dan who went on a run but it was cleared as he entered their area.  Luke was then fouled and Tom shot from the kick.  Dan passed to Luke, but he lost the ball in our area and we watched their shot go wide.  Luke played forward to Spike, onto Josh and then wide to Dan.  Joe chased a pass and then Josh got onto the ball and eventually won a throw.  They attacked again, but Tom cleared.  Tom passed to josh which was lost, but Luke cleared the danger.  Joe went on a run, passed to Dan, to Josh and back to Joe, but his shot was wide.  They attacked again, but both Tom & Josh combined to clear.  Tom then lost the ball in our area, but Joby made an excellent save. 

 

Dan played a one-two with Callum, then he was barged about a bit, but managed to keep hold of the ball and got it to Joe.  Joe found Ben and he shot.  It was blocked out to Joe but his shot was wide.  Joe played the ball wide to Dan.  He found Josh whose cross found Joe but his shot was saved.  Callum was then called upon to defend as the last player and he cleared well.  Longwell then had a shot, but again Joby saved well.  They had a corner which was cleared following a scramble.  It came back in and Luke cleared whilst Callum was injured and then Joby made the final save.  Joe ran up the left, found Ben, and he found Dan but he was tackled.  Callum found Dan and he gained us a corner.  It was cleared and they broke, giving Joby no chance 1-1.  Ben then got the ball but his shot was saved.  Joe back-heeled to Josh, but Josh was fouled.  Joe passed the free kick to Josh, but his shot was deflected for a corner.  They broke down the pitch from the corner and Joby had to be alert to make a great save.

 

HALF-TIME: FRYS   1 LONGWELL GREEN 1

 

Ben controlled the ball down the wing, crossed it into the middle to Josh who laid it off for Tom, but his shot was just wide.  Tom then threw to Ben who went down the wing, crossed to Tom and he passed to Josh.  Josh passed to Callum and he found Tom again but he was tackled for a throw.  It was however a great passage of play.  Tom took the throw and Spike barged his way through, but saw his shot fly just wide.

 

At this point, after a virtual word for word commentary, the tape ran out! (30 minute tape as well!)  In the rest of the second half, we came to dominate and a wonderful hat-trick of goals by Ben sealed the victory, the best being the second.  Joe passed inside from the left, Ben took it right and from a good 20 yards, leathered it, leaving the ‘keeper no chance.

 

FULL-TIME : FRYS   4 LONGWELL GREEN 1 

 

 

OVERALL RESULT : FRYS   6 LONGWELL GREEN 8

 

Afterthoughts………………………………………………………………

Had we taken the chances that our play deserved, we could have won the game easily, however in searching for the goals we left ourselves exposed a lot and a few times it cost us.