Today seen travel to Victoria Park to take on last season’s Division 1 Champions Holywood, who we could not beat last season but the boys were determined to put that right today and buoy did they.
We started very quickly out of the blocks Holywood took kick off and with two minutes on the clock we had scored, Jack Patterson threw over across that Noah Crenshaw controlled and laid it off to Stuart Graham who buried it into the back of the net 1 : 0. Two minutes later it was 2 : 0 again Jack Patterson was torturing the Holywood defence down the right swung the ball in to the box in the scramble in the box the defender tried to clear the ball as Reece Atkinson threw himself in front the ball came off him and into the back of the net. We were in total control of the match with Stuart Graham, Reece Atkinson and Kurtis Barkley braking down everything in midfield and supplying great balls through to create chance. Noah Crenshaw was unlucky in the 15th minute not to make it three when he latched on to the ball just on the edge of the box and his shot just went over the crossbar. Then in the 18th minute both teams were reduced to ten men when Matthew Guest went in for a tackle but miss timed it and caught the player this saw one of the Holywood players come towards Matthew and push him and Matthew pushed him back, the Referee sent both players off for violent conduct, in the letter of the laws the Referee was quiet correct but I must say it was only handbags and probably a good talking to and a yellow each could have solved the issue better. Anyway this small pitch is probably more suitable for 10 a side. We continued to control the game and anytime Holywood thought they were in our defence of Brandon McFerran, Jack Hare, Bradley McCourt & Andrew Graham stopped them in their tracks and when called upon Jai Sykes safe hands in goals done the rest. We put the game out of sight in the 29th minute and this time it was our top goalscorers turn to get on the score sheet when Brandon McFerran played a superb ball through for Jack to run on to and the skipped past the Holywood defence to put it past the oncoming keeper to make it 3 : 0 at Half time.
Holywood grabbed an early goal three minutes into the second half when we failed to clear or box and their striker poked it into the net with the help of a deflection of one of our defenders to make it 3 : 1 but that would be their last chance as we grabbed the second half by the scruff and controlled the game again. Andrew Graham limped off with a knock to his ankle to be replaced by Marcus Baron at left back. Holywood were trying the high ball over the top but soon realised that our big to central defender Jack Hare and Bradley McCourt would cut that out at every opportunity. We continued to create chances but were unlucky when Kurtis Barkley's long ranged effort goes just wide. Ryan Hannah came on for Noah Crenshaw and made his presents known right away with some great ball work and passing on the unusual role for him on the left wing. Stuart Hannah came on to give the hard working (player of the match) Stuart Graham a well earned rest and the Hannah brothers would combine for one of the best moves of the match when Ryan got the ball on the left turned inside beat two of the Holywood defenders saw his brother Stuart clear and played a great pass to him, Stuart went one on one with the keeper but his shot was hit straight at the keeper. The last to subs were introduced, Bradley Clarke came on for Jack Patterson who had run himself into the ground and Alex Majury came on for Kurtis Barkley who had another outstanding game in the midfield.
Full Time: 3.1
Mangers Comments: What a superb all round team performance boys, you have now shown yourself that you can challenge for this league. Next stop Rosario with more of the same, well done all.
