Downend Upended!        Sunday 25th September 2005 ____________________________________________________________________


After our first defeat of the season and a week off to reflect, how would our team react?

 

Game 1 - The line up was:

 

Joby

 

Jack     Sam B

 

Dan     Luke     Jordan

 

Sam K

 

Rolling Subs: Spike & Tom

 

The game started with a bit of back and forth from both teams without much happening although Luke played two lovely passes, one to Dan and the other to Jordan.  The ball was then played wide, Luke crossed in to Sam K who beat the defender, shot between the ‘keeper and the post but it hit the post and came back to Dan and his shot was cleared off of the line.  Sam B took the corner, which was cleared and they broke with just Jack back.  Despite being the furthest from the ball in the corner, it was Sam B who got back to help Jack defend whilst the midfield meandered.  Sam B then won it on the halfway and passed wide to Sam K who knocked it to Dan.  He cut inside but his shot was just wide.  Our two defenders then decided to be attacking left wingers!  Good thing too as they passed to each other before crossing to pick out Dan and he coolly slotted it into the bottom tight hand corner 1-0. 

 

Dan then again passed a lovely ball from the halfway line to Jordan who tried to cross it but it was just cut out.  Then Spike was going left to right across their area.  He tried a back heel which went to no one, but fair play for the cheeky effort, it was nice to see (although not too often!)  We had a corner, which went for a goal kick.  Their midfield made our usual mistake of going too far forward and the ‘keeper’s kick came down to Tom who controlled it into his path and then from a good 15 yards belted it low into the right corner 2-0.  Ball came down from another kick and Tom brought it down for Spike.  He played it down the wing to Dan who crossed for Sam K.  The shot went into the side netting, but it was some great passing with the team working hard. 

 

HALF-TIME: FRYS   2     DOWNEND   0

 

They started by winning a corner.  Tom got it and broke out of defence and passed wide to Jordan who carried over the halfway line.  He passed inside to Sam K who didn’t wait for the two defenders to come to him and leathered it into the bottom left corner 3-0.  A corner came to Spike.  He dragged the ball back and went wide to Jordan who crossed it to Sam K.  Sam found Dan but his shot was at the ‘keeper.  Spike then won the ball and passed it from the left inside to Sam K.  Like the fourth Brazil goal in the 1970 World Cup final, he paused like Pele, before rolling the ball casually right for an in rushing Carlos Alberto/Dan, but unfortunately this one was into the side netting.  It would have been a classic though.  Tom got the ball, played a one-two with Jordan before smashing it past the ‘keeper.  We all thought it was in but it hit the post, came back out and was cleared. 

 

Tom then won a header which Sam K picked up and got back to Tom.  He ran at four players and we all thought he would be tackled but he managed to ride them all.  He then hit the ball across field to Spike ten yards out and he belted it past the despairing dive of the ‘keeper into the left side of the goal 4-0.  Sam B as last man tried to beat their attacker and lost it.  They had their only real attack of the half because of it but Joby was quick off of his line to clear it.  The ball came out from a high clearance 30 yards out and Tom caught it beautifully on the volley but it actually dropped over the bar.  A bit of a melee was sorted by Tom as he went in, beat two and then hit a shot which was deflected past their ‘keeper 5-0.  Sam B took a great corner and as it floated in, Spike got his head to it but it was just wide.  Tom won the ball from a throw, ran across the field and from 15 yards hit it and it squirmed out of the ‘keepers control and in 6-0. 

 

FULL-TIME : FRYS   6     DOWNEND   0

 

Man of the Match – Chosen by Michelle Evans for excellent play  Sam Pike

 

Game 2 - The line up was:

 

Jamie G

 

Mark     Oscar

 

Ethan     Josh     Jim

 

Joe

 

Rolling Subs:  Callum & Max

 

We hit a high bouncing ball into their area which Josh didn’t give up on and eventually the ‘keeper came and just got it.  Joe then went down the line and cut it back to Josh and he saw his shot tipped wide by the ‘keeper.  Jim won the ball and passed to Joe.  He played it into Josh who ran forward and passed left to Ethan.  He shot for the far post and Joe just missed getting his toe to it as it went agonisingly wide.  Josh then went to Joe and onto Jim and his cross shot was just missed by Ethan but at this stage it was worth the admission just to see the way our team were playing football.  It really was breathtaking.  A drop kick came out to Ethan and his shot was saved.  It came back to us and we were just passing Joe to Mark to Josh to Joe.  It was eventually lost but the players were looking for each other and passing so well.  (Note on the commentary – “The Yellow team have really really got this passing thing going!”)  Jamie in goal got the ball and rather than an aimless kick, kicked to Max wide right.  He cut inside, ignored Ethan and shot just inside the post from about 10 yards out 1-0. 

 

A corner came in and Josh flicked it high over the ‘keeper.  It hit the cross bar then bounced up and onto the top of the crossbar before rolling just over, but it would have been a sublime goal.  From a goal kick, Ethan, Max and Josh were waiting.  Ethan went forward, passed wide to Max but his cross to Josh was just behind him.  It didn’t stop Josh however as he checked back and then hit a shot as he swivelled into the goal 2-0.  They then had a break, past three of our defenders and although Jamie came out, the shot was hit with such power that it flew up off of Jamie and carried into the net 2-1.  They grew a bit with confidence and although Oscar cleared once, they cut past our defenders and shot under Jamie 2-2. A corner came to Max, he hit it wide to Ethan whose hard cross came to Callum and he duly restored our lead 3-2.

 

HALF-TIME: FRYS   3     DOWNEND   2

 

Downend’s ‘keeper kicked out to Joe, 20 yards out, one touch and then back with interest over their heads 4-2.  We then won the ball and three ran at goal.  Max was the one with the final touch under the ‘keeper 5-2.  From a corner, Max passed to Joe who crossed to Callum, but his shot was just wide.  Josh won a throw, which he crossed.  Ethan was running in but his shot was just too high.  Josh was under some pressure so Jamie called for it.  Jamie then looked around and saw Joe free.  His kick was accurate and after a one two with Max, they got the ball to Ethan but it went just wide.  Joe then went shoulder to shoulder with their defender and was penalised.  As he walked away he complained to the referee, “he fell over!” (you had to be there)  We commited too many forward at this point and they broke, but Max came from no where with a flying tackle to clear the ball.  We passed around really well but at the end it came to Mark and he went route one to Joe who turned and beat the ‘keeper 6-2.

 

FULL-TIME : FRYS   6     DOWNEND   2

 

Man of the Match – Chosen by Kim Burgess for excellent play  Ethan Chilcott

 

OVERALL RESULT : FRYS   12     DOWNEND   2

 

Afterthoughts………………………………………………………………

I know I keep saying that that was the best I have seen our team play, it really was this time.  Nuff said!

 

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