Let’s Concentrate
On The League! Sunday 2nd
October 2005 ____________________________________________________________________
Our first taste of the Cup,
and against an ‘A’ Division side.
Unknown to Andy, the batteries were almost gone on the dictaphone, hence
the rather sketchy report.
Game 1 - The line up was:
Joby
Jack Callum
Tom
Ethan Josh
Max
Rolling Sub: Luke
After a bit of nothingness,
they attacked down the middle and Callum got his toe to it and suddenly Max was
one on one with their defender.
Unfortunately he just got there after and it was cleared. They had a free kick but we defended like
raging bulls, blocking every attempt, however Jack was injured in doing so and
had to hobble off with Luke going up front and Tom dropping back. We then came under some sustained pressure,
which culminated with a high shot from twenty yards to which Joby leaped up and
tipped it onto the crossbar and over. We
still fail to clear the area and it eventually came to a St Nick’s player
unmarked in the middle and he gave Joby no chance 0-1. The ball was played
into our defensive left corner, which we all thought would go out. Their player got to it and crossed, and as we
struggled back, their player came in at the back post and just hit it
wide. We finally began to find our feet
and some good tackling by Luke got the ball to Josh and his shot was
brilliantly saved by their ‘keeper for a corner. From the corner however they surged forward
but luckily the last player back, Callum, got to it and cleared. Jack then had to be on his toes to clear a
dangerous attack. Halftime came with a
third injury to Josh as well as one to Luke and Jack in the half!
We gained a corner, which was headed on by their
player and met by Ethan with a header of his own but it was just wide. Tom went down with an injured head and from
the resulting drop ball, they attacked and it needed a brilliant sliding tackle
form Callum to prod the ball back to Joby.
From a throw, Tom cross to Ethan’s chest but it just dropped for their
‘keeper. We up the pressure and a corner
from Tom was hit in hard and low and
deflected off a defender inside the near post 1-1. From a Saints goal kick
it came to Josh. He passed it to Max and
from him onto Ethan and Ethan calmly
slotted it under the ‘keeper 2-1. Max then won the ball but his shot was
blocked by a great sliding tackle.
Man of the Match – Chosen by Sarah Charles for excellent play – Callum
Payne
Game 2 - The line up was:
Jamie G
Mark Sam B
Jim Sam K
Spike
Joe
Rolling Sub: Dan
We started the game looking
better but they did have the odd attack.
The first of which wasn’t cleared and Jim passed across our goal to a Saints
player who gave Jamie no chance 0-1. A throw to Sam B was played to Sam K and he
crossed to Spike but the ‘keeper just got there first. A great passing move by Mark and Jim ended
with a cross from Joe, but Jim’s header was saved. Sam K then passed wide to Joe and ran for the
box. Joe returned the favour but Sam
just couldn’t get his foot to it. A
throw from Spike to Sam K and passed through to Joe, and his rasping shot was
pushed onto the crossbar for a corner.
We started to push a bit further forward to try to
get the win but Jamie’s goal kick fell short and we were left exposed at the
back and were unable to stop St Nicks taking the overall lead 0-2.
Mark was then alert to stop a quick break. Sam B was injured so Sam K dropped back into
defence and he stayed there for the rest of the game. What followed was absolute non-stop attacking
by us without being able to score. I saw
shots from Dan, Mark, Spike, Sam B, Joe, Sam K & Jim, all either saved or wide. We were passing the ball well amongst
ourselves but it just wouldn’t go in.
The last fifteen minutes saw two attacks from St Nicks, and the rest was
our team trying to get the equaliser but we just couldn’t
Man of the Match – Chosen by Michelle Evans for excellent play –
Jamie Charles
The first game was more for the Saints as they looked a strong side, but
we kept going and as they tired, we pounced and I thought were good value for
the win. The second game saw us much the
better team and in all honesty I cannot really remember Jamie being tested more
than five or six times. We should have
put the tie beyond them by half-time but they took their chances and we
didn’t. Such is the nature of all games,
but especially cup games. The boys
played very well against an ‘A’ Division side and showed that we are more than
capable of playing at that higher standard when the time comes.
Due to the nature of my
selection policy I have come to the decision that I will rest all of the team
at various points this season. With that
in mind I have pinpointed four more games where I will rest four players per
game. I will also give you the list in
advance so if I rest a player for one game but he will be away for another, he
can let me know and I will change it.
This will however only be relevant to the four games mentioned and if
you are away elsewhere it won’t count.
By doing this everyone will be ‘rested’ once this season, as opposed to
being ill or on holiday.
Oct 23 – Fry’s Jnrs – Sam B,
Ethan, Jim & Max
Dec 4 – Ashton Boys – Joby,
Mark, Josh & Callum
Dec 11 – Broadwalk – Tom, Sam
K, Joe & Jack
Feb 26 – Saltford Stars –
Jamie G, Spike, Dan & Luke
All details at www.fryclubfc.co.uk Boys Section/U9
Colts