a phone call at 9:45, the pitch is double booked and we have to move to clifton. I had to scramble and text and ohone the 13 players that were making their way to the wrong ground! not ideal but we all got there in the end apart from Danny and George who couldn't find it.
Kick off:
From the off we were pretty much all over them, Don, Feeney and me seemed to have a free run through them every time. Our short passing and movement
created space, Ricky playing a little deeper brought the ball inside and played some great passes. After 5 minutes I had a wild shot and after that we had shot after shot. A left foot from me, Ricky on a great run pulled it back and I volleyed over with my left, 20 yards out I fred one wide. If only I could get one on target!
Feeney and Don enjoyed some great 1-2's but no real clear cut chances.
Don received the ball from Ricky outside the area back to goal and 2 men on him, I took it off him and ran passed 2 defenders into the area and fired a left foot through dfender and keeper, it squirmed through and Feeney was there to knock it in.
Again Ricky knocked a ball into the middle, tI did a flick, it went to Don who did a one 2 with feeney, Feeney with a little back heel. Don through rolled it into the corner/mis hit it badly but the bounce was as bad and beat the keepers flailing arms.
one bouncing ball down the right I thought I'd try a big lob, the keeper tipping over the bar.
A few corners were whipped in but nothing came of them. Dave was having a great game in the middle, Kieran also turned up. One ball fell to Farnie on teh edge and he whacked it low and into the corner from 20 yards. Keeper coudl have done better but still a great strike. He tried to curl one in the corner 5 mins later but just over.
half time was seconds away.
A big boot by them down our left side, Joe running across got in a mix up with Spick, tehy both left it, Joe slipped, their man was on it quick and from where I was slotted a great shot into the corner. Disappointing.
Half time 3-1.
We needed to keep playing the same game in the second half and not get complacent. However it seemed to be a different game, whether they rose their game or we slackened off, the balls stopped coming to feet up front and a lo of balls were lumped at our defense. Kieran and Dave were winning all the headers and Joe Spick and Pietro were winning headers and mopping up well. A few times overplaying it at the back, but it was good to see us trying to keep the ball for a change. This is definitely the way we have to play, composed at the back, using the wings, and quick one two's and low through balls for the forwards to get onto.
a long throw from Kieran down the left, a flick on by me saw Don turning ito their last man as it bounced Don chipped it over the challenge and he was through; he rolled it into the corner. 4-1.
we stopped playing the righ pass in the second half, taking an extra touch, not using the easy pass and it made it harder to get the ball up to the front. However, some crunching challenges by Dave all day, who played it simple when he could.
Ricky was now trying to take his man on a little more which was great and still knocking good balls in to the box. Don knocked one great ball in which I headed at the near post but was blocked.
the last 20 was open and we made some great chances. The ball into dons feet is where he wants it, when he got it I made a run and he played me through a few times with great balls. One shot just went over and the second was a sure goal from 15 yards but the defender knocked my toe as I swung and it rebounded off the post. A few pull backs back to Don or Trying to find Feeney didn't pay off. byt Don was always looking to find space for a shot, he managed a few but they were blcoked. Farnie had another smash from distance that was off target.
From distance Don had a long curler, which floated and floated and hit the crossbar bouncing down and was cleared.
Ricky made a run into the box and received a slight shove in the back and went down. Penalty. Harsh, but a foul is a foul.
I sent the keeper the wrong way and slotted it in.
5-1
Defense was solid and really had little to do. It was all about the Midfield and forwards today, which is not something we can usually say.
well done. Great performances by Dave, Ricky, Feeney and Don.
