Today the team played their hearts out against the league leaders for whoem winning has become a weekly assurance.
On another blustery day it was absolutely key today for the team to concentrate on their roles as Alsager are a team who know where the back of the net is, they are fast and can pass.
Starting midfield trio of Owen, Bry and matt seemed to disrupt Alsager well, with Max De Sar supporting just behind the centre mid. Both Lol and Mark marshlled the defense in a period where we restricted the opposition to no direct shots and a handful of half chances, all of which Charl looked after easily.
Despite being on the back foot most of the half, both Bry and Matt had good runs deep into the Alsager half, but playing without a striker mean't that they were left isolated and ultimately any shots were forced wide. The period end at no score, with the Tigers now kicking with the wind, so if we were going to score in open play this was to be our chance.
With three subs the second period was going to prove more difficult to organise, however Owen sat well at left back and Evel picke dup the reigns down the left side. Sam Samba took the right side reigns and more latterly moved into centre mid with Alex holding the defensive role in front of the defence.
Again Alsager pushed on and came close a number of times in the half, two of which required brave saves from Charl. However midway through the half Mark found Evel wide on the left deep in the Alsager half, she struck the ball which curled goalward, but always straight into the keepers stomach..........GOAL shouts the assistant coach who saw that the keeper was 2 feet behind the goal line. After a short pause the ref blew and amazingly the Tigers took the lead.
Alsager were in shock, I was in shock and in fairness the majority of the Tigers were in shock. Nonetheless the Tigers continued compete and Alsager began to get frustrated.
The third period started and almost immediately the Tigers looked like a different team. Concentration looked shakey and positions were all over the place and consequently all of Alsagers pressure eventually paid off as they scrambled an equaliser early on.
Moments later Alsager were unlucky not to change the game as they managed to scoop the ball over the bar from close range and fired wide from a good position. Charl kept goal well but unless the formation changed all their hard work was going to be unrewarded...
With formation changes Max, mark and Lol began to stabalise the ship, Bry and Evel, Owen and Matt again challeneged well and both alex and Sam performed their jobs well. Everyone played their part, with just 30 seconds to go the tension was building Alsager shot wide and the time ticked away. Charl put down the ball for a goalkick, the players were marked and the referee nodded, it was nearly over.
Typical that no drame is ever complete without a last minute twist, the kick went, Alsager pciked it up, and somehow it was slipped through the heart of the defense onto the right foot of their best striker, he drove towards the edge of the area, Lol closed in, Charl rushed out, my head hid in my hands as the striker pulled the trigger, charl drived .................. I peeked out to watch the ball pass the far post by a coat of paint!!!! Stress...
Fulltime and relief for us all, supporters, players, coaches and referee!
Without a shadow of doubt their hardest test to date where really they were all MOM but for his defensive qualities Lol Viddic took the award today.
Fantastic relief at the end of the game made even more pleasing as the Tigers are the first team to take points off Alsager this season and we may be the last!
Our improvement has been enormous and the team are really moving foward, just a few more goal would be good to turn draws into good wins.
