This was an extremely competitive game with both teams eager to pick up points. The teams were very balanced at the start with half chances being created by both sides but neither really converting. We were pressing high as a team and on several occasions mange to intercept balls out from their defence and both Jason and Paul got shots away with Jason twice working their goalkeeper.
The midfields somewhat neutralised each other but we were getting the ball up to Jason and Rob and Linden were joining from the flanks. Unfortunately, we were forced into an early substitution with Linden picking up an injury but Andy came on and we held our shape well.
We continued to see plenty of the ball and Jason, Andy and Rob all coming close to opening the scoring. Just as it looked like we were controlling things, the Woodnesborough managed to work the ball up their right and a quick turn and shot saw the ball fly passed Steve and high into the net.
We restarted and continued to play well. Our press was working and we forced them backwards with us winning the ball all over the pitch. On one such occasion Paul intercepted a pass in midfield and pushed forward drawing a defender before slipping the ball through to Jason. He cut inside and sent a low shot passed their keeper and we were level.
Unfortunately, within a couple of minutes Woodnesborough had regained the lead. A poor pass by us on the edge of their box was intercepted and cleared straight to their forward who was already beyond our defensive line and he made no mistake in beating Steve.
There was only a few moments left until half time and this was uneventful and we went in a goal behind.
We were playing well and certainly in the game. Our shape was good and pressing keeping them going back so there was nothing to change at half time.
The second half started as for the first. Both teams were sparring for possession and try to create clear cut chances. Steve was call into action a couple of times as he had in the first half and Jason bought off a sharp save from their keeper.
We continued to probe down their flanks and some good interplay between Andy, Jason and Rob saw Rob through on goal. A rash tackle from behind resulted in Woodnesborough losing a player to a Blue Card for Denying a Goal Scoring Opportunity (DOGSO). We were awarded a free kick which we didn't convert.
With us a man to the good we pushed for the equaliser but we found the next couple of minutes frustrating and we struggled to get any real control of the ball. We seem to lose our shape somewhat and despite the man advantage we never really created much going forward.
Back to full strength and having made a substitution Woodnesborough now overloaded the midfield. They were finding two on ones and we seemed to be chasing the ball. We were clearly tiring and fresh legs were introduced to try and get a degree of control back. We started to make a few errors with balls out from Steve going to their players or to people who were marked with little room to manoeuvre.
Our passing was also looking laboured and we were in each others way and not creating the space we had been finding. We defended deeper and this just invited more pressure onto ourselves but we still created chances. Andy, Jason and Rob all had chances to score and equalise but tired legs saw the shots go wide.
With a couple of minutes to go and everything still to play for Woodnesborough attacked with initial shots being blocked and defended well but the ball broke to their striker on our left. He went for a shot but miskicked it so badly that the ball span in the opposite direction, wrong footing Phil completely and allowing the striker to then get a much cleaner strike away and passed Steve.
We remained in the game right through to the end but and we tried everything we had to restore parity to no avail and the game finished Canterbury 1 - 3 Woodnesborough Seniors.
We knew this was going to be a hard and physical game and every player gave their absolutely all to this, I could not have asked for anything more. To a man, we worked tirelessly from the first whistle to the last. My thanks to the entire team.
My special thanks go to the supporters for their comments at half time and at the end and the encouragement they gave from the side lines as well as offering suggested changes as the game progressed.
The Player of The Match was Jason for his hold up play and a very well taken goal.
Paul
