Back to the bread and butter, so they say, today, as our third league game of this spring season saw us host a depleted Ruskin side, who, however, showed great spirit and gave us a competitive game.
Three players down today, Max away, Arron ill and Kai? not sure?, so it was left to the group of eight to ensure we get back on track.
The management decided to give three players a run in goal today, and it paid off as it allowed us to swap a few players into slightly different positions to get them all a good run out on the pitch.
First period began with Lol in goal, Mark at the back, Alex in front. Ben, Bryan and Matt in the middle and Sam up front. Tigers made their intentions known with Bryan putting in a good cross in the first minute, Matthew shooting just wide. Ben had a good corner cleared, again Matthew shot and well saved. Another run by Bryan saw 2 corners in succession but no end product.
Matthew was seeing a lot of the ball, but Tigers could not turn their superiority into goals, and despite Lol having nothing to do, and Alex pushing up, the period ended 0 - 0.
Second period began, with Ben H coming on for Matt, who had worked hard, Mark now went in goal! another first!
Lol moved to last man, and Ben H went out on the left, and after 3 minutes of this second period, Tigers made their posession count, Ben H fed Sam on the left outside of the goal area and he moved in and hit a low shot that crept under the Ruskin keeper, 1 - 0, Tigers. Tails up, and Betley went forward again, Sam passed to Ben, who fed Bryan in his own half and off he went storming throw the right and hammered a hard shot past the Ruskin keeper who could not block it, 2 - 0 Betley.
On the rare occassion Ruskin got forward, Alex and Lol carefully cut out any danger and showed their concentration was switched on, Ben was pulling the strings in the middle, Ben H working hard on the left and Mark had a lie down in goal! (only kidding), he was itching to get back into open play.
Third period, and Bryan went in goal, Mark moved to left midfield, Ben H up front for Sam, Matthew back on the right.
In the first minute, a rasping shot by Matthew hit the post! Mark put two lovely corners in, but no one got on the end with their head! Ben had a shot well saved, as the under strength Ruskin tired, but still Alex had to be his toes as he cleared a couple of breakaways.
Ben H was hustling in the box and got his reward with his first Betley goal, after a goalmouth scramble and a slight deflection of a defender, he poked home, well done Ben, and 3 - 0 to Betley.
The game was all but over now, so much so that everyone else at the centre had gone home, except for the two teams, the referee and the solid hardy (nutty) supporters! even the lights went off before the end!
Marks passing and overall play earned him man of the match today, well done, the game ended 3 -0. We will have much sterner tests to come this season, but with only an 8 man squad, it did us good to get back on track with a solid win.
A finalword to our opponents, despite their set backs, they never gave up, chasing us, harrying us and not letting us walk away with the game, it reminds us of the fact that all of us, just love to play the game and get out their and enjoy it whether win, lose or draw, its good not to loose sight of that, well done Ruskin
Till next week and start again, thanks for the support guys and gals.
