This week saw a 're match' of the game from last week,against Ruskin Park Raiders, and whilst we got a deserved 1 - 0 win, we wanted this week to turn our superior posession into a comfortable scoreline if we could.
Comfortable! not tigers! it's halloween for gods sake, time to frighten us all!
We had nine of the squad available, no Kai again, and no Arron? so again we switched the keepers in each period to allow the full squad to get equal run outs.
Tigers started with Max in goal, Lol and Mark, Bryan, Matt and Ben with Sam up front. To our suprise, the first period very quickly became bogged down in the middle of the pitch, with very little creativity but lots of determination. And to the credit of the opposition, they were working very hard also to ensure they kept it tight. We did have Matt with a weak shot, Sam shot over from a pass by Ben, and Mark pushed forward to get a good long shot in from midfield. The period ended 0 - 0, was this going to be another tight result then?
Changes for the second period saw Ben go in goal for Max, Alex came on for Matthew and Ben H on for Lol. Ruskin were begining to get forward and Lol and Alex had to concentrate to sniff out the attacks. Mark had been pushed up front, and looked very comfortable there, and really tested their keeper with another hard shot, then again, shooting over. Bryan was getting his crosses in now and a good run and cross saw Max just missing the pass.
Bryan again broke out and a long run and hard shot saw the goalkeeper not hold on to the ball, pushing out to Max, whose shot was well saved.
Just as Betley were starting to look like getting to grips on the game, bang! a trick or treat was served on us! Ruskin attacked, both Lol and Alex got caught close together which left a lone ruskin attacker free in the box who duely slotted past Ben in goal for 1 -0 Raiders!
Third period, and changes again, Matt went on the right, Bryan into goal, sam for Mark and Max for Lol at the back. Betley needed something quick if they were to get back into this, and in the 27th minute, a good run and pass by Ben, t o Matt out wide whose rasping low shot hammered into the net, 1 - 1. Tails were on the up, Matt was causing problems, Ben had the upper hand in midfield and Sam was holding the ball up well. 2 minutes later and a short pass by Sam in the box saw Ben close in hit a good low shot into the corner, 2 - 1, Betley in front with just 6 minutes left.
Good passing continued, and a minute later it was 3 -1! Matt played a good pass in field to Ben, who drove into the Ruskin box for another hard and low shot into the net. Betley now had the game done, leaving it late though and giving us all a scare on this appropriate day! Ben was chopped down 10 yards outside the box, and Max came up to hit a great left foot set piece into the net via a slight deflection, 4 -1.
The game finished, a good result, last week we very dominant, and only got a 1 -0 win, this week, the game was evened up, and we come out winning 4 - 1. Just goes to show why we love this game so much, and the excitement it brings, well done Tigers, now lets carry on through to xmas and leave the fireworks alone next week!
thanks to all our loyal supporters forever singing their hearts out behind the goal!
lyndon
