Into The Valley Of Death          Sunday 19^th February 2006 ____________________________________________________________________

Oscar, Jack and Josef were all away and Max called off on the morning of the game having failed to recover from an illness in time.  There were doubts over both Joe & Sam B, who had also been ill, but both passed late fitness tests (they woke up and felt better!).  Andy cleverly forgot the dictaphone, so asked Paul then Anita to record the goals and relied on memory for the rest, hence the paucity of the material and the use of a large font!

 

Game 1 - The line up was:

 

Joby

 

Callum     Spike

 

Josh     Jordan     Tom

 

Dan

 

Rolling Sub: Joe

 

We kicked off the game, and very soon it became apparent that, back on grass (not sticky mud), we were playing the way we knew we could.  Joby looked untroubled by their attempts on goal for most of the game.  Spike playing out of his usual position in defence was solid and looked comfortable, with Callum along side, imperious in his play.  Josh, Jordan and Tom were strong in every challenge, never giving quarter to the opposition, and Dan attacked every time the ball came near him.  Joe when he came on, caused panic in their defence every time he won the ball.  Josh’s ball through the middle got to Dan, but his shot was blocked.  They attacked and a great sliding tackle from Spike soon stopped that.  Tom attacked down the wing and crossed it in, only for the ball to elude everyone.  They attacked back at us and a clever ball through split the defence.  Joby charged out, but the shot eluded him, ending up nestling in the right hand corner of the goal 0-1.  We attacked back and Josh flew down the wing and crossed to where Joe was coming in with just the ‘keeper to beat.  He must have taken his eye off of the ball however as it rolled agonisingly past him and out for a throw.  From the throw, Joe won it, beat a player, crossed to Josh and this time it was Josh, with a lunge for the ball, who just missed connecting with it.

 

HALF-TIME : FRYS   0     ST VALLIER   1

 

I felt that we got stronger in the second half, but they were still a dangerous side, dominating possession at times, but we still created chances.  Tom flew down the left wing and their defenders went after him.  Tom crossed the ball, past the defenders, past the ‘keeper who was on his front post, and the ball came to Dan with an open goal.  For the third time in the game however, we didn’t make proper connection with the ball and Dan’s shot rolled just the wrong side of the left post.  They gained a corner on the left, the ball was crossed in and the attacker on the line caught the ball with a sweet volley and it was in the back of the net 0-2.

 

FULL-TIME : FRYS   0     ST VALLIER   2

 

 

Game 2 - The line up was:

 

Jamie

 

Sam B     James

 

Luke     Ethan     Jim

 

Sam K

 

Rolling Sub: Mark

 

This was a completely different game from the first.  St Vallier obviously go stronger in their first game as our second equal team tore them apart without getting the real killer touch.  Jamie was largely untroubled, although when the shots did come in, he was alert and ready to make the saves.  Sam B and James marshalled the defence well, and when Mark came on, James went into midfield and was a revelation, tackling, getting stuck in and making perceptive passes.  Luke and Jim were constant threats down the wing as Ethan dominated the middle.  Sam K looked as though he could score every time the ball came to him.  We did most of the attacking and it was no surprise when Sam K passed Ethan the ball and he coolly slotted it past the ‘keeper 1-0.  James won it in the middle, passed to Sam K, but the shot was saved.

 

HALF-TIME : FRYS   1     ST VALLIER   0

 

The second half was more of the same as Sam K had numerous shots, just unfortunately they were wide or over, although not by far.  Had this been on a full size pitch with big nets, Sam would have been in double figures!  Luke and Jim combined well to get the ball to Ethan but he stabbed it wide.  Then came the sucker punch, near the end, a corner came in, and our team literally stood still and a Vallier player on the line turned it in 1-1.  We had a few more shots but it was too late.

 

FULL-TIME : FRYS   1     ST VALLIER   1

 

 

OVERALL RESULT : FRYS   1     ST VALLIER   3

 

Afterthoughts…………………………………………………

It’s no shame to lose to the team that ended Oldland’s unbeaten run, and I take a lot of heart from the fact that, on another day, we could have had three in the first game and five in the second.

 

We come at last to the final resting game.  Every player has now taken their turn and had one enforced rest.  To remind everyone, this won’t happen next year, we will go strong every week:  26/02/06 – Saltford – Sam B, Spike, Luke & Jack