Tri, Tri And Tri Again Thursday 6^th April 2006 ____________________________________________________________________

Lytchett were a team half an hour away. We had been waiting for two weeks on Dorchester but in the end they couldn’t raise a side, whereas Lytchett came back to us 20 minutes after the first enquiry with a yes, then half an hour later again to confirm a social gathering afterwards including some food at their Legion. We were even advertised on their website. We looked forward to this game with great anticipation and the weather was beautiful. Andy was on the mic and camera again, so with both games playing at the same time, Mark & Tom took charge of the game with Ryan in goal and Maurice and Dick the game with Jamie in goal. Callum C was there again, but this time as part of the squad ready to play. Craig Andrews kindly agreed to ref’ one pitch as they could only get one. Tom wussed out!

Game 1 - The line up was:

Ryan

Callum P Jack

Dan Josh Spike (Max)

Joe

Rolling Sub: Callum C

We started strong against a very good opposition, Callum P and Jack putting in a few tackles as they looked to breach our defences. They did get through down the left and went around Ryan, but our team got back in numbers and made the block on the line. They attacked again, and despite Jack’s close attention, managed to get the shot in. Ryan got his hand to it and push it wide, but before it could go for a corner, Josh got back with an overhead kick to keep it in play. Joe won the ball in midfield and played a great defence splitting pass to where Callum C had run through and he hit it first time towards the bottom right hand corner, but their ‘keeper got down and made a brilliant save to tip it away for a corner.

Joe then showed a great turn of speed down the left and crossed in to where Callum C was waiting. He turned and shot and the defender headed it upwards, Joe came flying in and headed it toward goal, but their defender headed it clear for another corner. Dan and Spike battled well together and got the ball to Joe, but as he tried to shoot he was crowded out. At this point Andy decided he wanted Max’s passing on this pitch and Spike’s tenaciousness on the other and swapped them over. A few minutes later and the pressure finally told. Joe threw into the area and their defender cleared but only as far as Callum C, and he hit a looping shot up and over the ‘keeper and into the back of the net 0-1.

Ryan was called into action as their attacker went through and hit a stinging shot. Two more good saves from similar shots soon followed. Josh ran the length of the pitch but ran out of legs before he could get his cross in. Lytchett then broke down the left wing and as Ryan came out to narrow the angle, fired the ball low past him and into the net 1-1. Josh, Max and Joe then combined well in their area, but the ball was cleared. We attacked again, but the ball broke loose and they counter-attacked the length of the field and Ryan, one-on-one made a fantastic save to keep us in the game.

The ball came in from the right and Ryan and Jack mis-read each other, the ball eventually going out for a corner. From a throw, Callum C won the ball, advanced a few yards and hit it hard and high, but their ‘keeper made a fantastic save, pushing the ball over the bar. They then broke, Callum P making the challenge but the ball came loose to an unmarked attacker and he gave Ryan no chance 2-1. They had one more attack, but Max slid in to clear for a throw. Callum C got through and shot, the ‘keeper parried it and another defender cleared off of the line. From the clearance, Josh headed on and Max battled, but it was cleared.

Man of the Match – Chosen by Alison Payne for excellent play and effort – Josh

Game 2 - The line up was:

Jamie

James Sam B

Josef Max (Spike) Jordan

Sam K

Rolling Subs: Luke A & Luke G

Max and Sam B chased back to help James win the ball in defence and he played it back to Jamie. Jamie hit a massive long kick, their two defenders went for it and missed it. Sam K took a gamble on the bounce and he was in, one-on-one with their ‘keeper and he coolly passed it past him into the net 0-1. They attacked down the right and James went across and put him off as he crossed wide. Max won a great ball in midfield and played it wide to Jordan. Jordan threaded the ball into Sam K and he hit the ball hard, but the ‘keeper got part of his body to it and it went out for a corner.

They broke from the corner, but James, now fully recovered from his nosebleed on Tuesday was there strong with a great tackle. Another long kick from Jamie was won in the middle by Max. He found Luke who passed it on to Jordan. Jordan then passed inside to Sam K and as three defenders converged he dinked it right to where Max was, ten yards out and acres of space and after a touch to steady himself, he made no mistake with the shot 0-2. Sam B battled through three players and got the ball forward but they won it back, attacked down the right, came in and hit a rasping shot, which Jamie could only parry down, and their other attacker was the first to follow up 1-2.

Sam B won the ball and attacked down the right, getting it to Sam K. He crossed it, Josef let it go, fooling their defence, but Luke A’s shot with his left foot went wide. The ball then came into our box and wasn’t really cleared, and in the melee, they got their foot to it 2-2. Sam B took the base kick and we had gone too far forward. They played it wide and shot, but luckily it went the wrong side of the post. Josef won the ball with his back to goal, turned the defender well, but the defender wasn’t to be beaten and pulled him down, Craig the ref’ having no alternative but to give the penalty. Josef wanted to take it, but Sam K stepped forward under Dick & Maurice’s instruction, and he buried it 2-3.

There was then a bit of a battle for the ball in the middle of the pitch, so Sam B resorted to a rugby tackle to bring him down! They attacked down the left and Jamie came out, doing enough for the ball to break to us and we cleared it for a corner. The kick came in high and Jamie went to punch it clear, but their were just too many players crowding the box, and it came to a grateful Lytchett player who couldn’t miss 3-3. They attacked again but Spike was firm in the middle and passed wide to Luke G who found Luke A. He passed inside and Josef tried the shot, but it went wide. A throw came in, one of our players turned their back on the ball so Jamie had to try to make the save one-on-one. The attacker took a swipe and Jamie dived in, but the attacker actually mis-hit it and it went right to another player who had the simple task 4-3.

Man of the Match – Chosen by Fran Glover for a good game & great play – Sam B

More photo's in the gallery

What two great games, both end-to-end and very exciting. Our hosts afterwards were superb and our thanks must go to them for the short notice game as well as the welcome we received. Thank you Lytchett Red Triangle!