Crossblades put in a spirited performance to knock out a resiliant FC North Wiltshire side by 2 goals to nil.
Fielding a strong side in a 5-3-2 formation, Crossblades started the game cautiously with North Wilts causing the Blades several problems early on. The early exchanges were pretty frantic with both sides panicking on the ball. North Wilts had the first chance on goal, coming from a corner a towering header and Hampshire scrambling to tip the ball of the bar and out for a corner. A truely awesome save.
At the other end, Will Wright was causing the opposition all sorts of problems with his pace and trickery. Gilbert and Jacobi looked livley upfront, making some good runs. Chilton and Webb provided them both with some good balls, and the 2 Carl's strength was too much for North Wilts defence at times.
After good work from Pete North in disposessing an opponent and Carl Gilbert's tenacity, Will Wright fed the ball to Jacobi, who beat his man and held of another to fire home a good shot from a tight angle on the left. A deserved lead for Crossblades.
Liam Matthews and Jack Lowe were winning everything in the air, giving James Squire the space and time to play some accurate passing from the back.
Hampshire remained untroubled for the rest of the half and with Mike Booth now at full fitness, he was coasting through the oppositions midfield at will, a delight to see. Webb and Booth continued to link well, their tireless displays enabled Chilton to get hold of the ball and make some good forward runs in difficult conditions. After receiving the ball from Booth, Chilton turned his man and fed Gilbert in to feet. Gilbert turned the first man expertley, megged the second man and fired right at the keeper.
Half time came soon after with James Squire tinkering with the team by bringing off Adam Webb and replacing him with Ash Cook. Cook moved to defence, and Squire slotted in with Booth and Chilton in the midfiled 3. Playing against the wind, it was North Wiltshire that pressed hard at the start of the second half. Never quite testing Hampshire, North Wilts had most of the posession in the early exchanges. Crossblades always looked dangerous on the counter however, with Will Wright and Mike Booth's pace too much for the oppopsition. The killer ball proved elusive however, as the game trailed off in to a scrappy midfiled battle. Jimmy Squire started to get told of the game, and through his hard work, he fed Will wright who inturn centred the ball to Chilton, after delaying his shot, Chilton fired right at the North Wilts keeper.
Walker came of the subs bench for Pete North, and fitted right in a Centre Back, winning the ball on the ground and in the air. With Jack and Liam keeping the North Wilts strikers away from Hampshire's goal, Booth and Squire once again dictated the play. After picking up the ball from Jimmy, Chilton fed Carl Gilbert down the right wing, Carl beat his man for pace and crossed the ball to Jacobi. Jacobi laid the ball to Chiilton who then beat 2 men and hit a solid left foot shot past the North Wilts keeper.
This effectivley killed the game and gave Crossblades a deserved victory against a much improved North Wilts side.
A good team performance in a match that was always going to be more difficult than last weeks fixture.
Negatives: Sometimes relying on the long ball too much. Need to provide better service to Gilbert and Jacobi, reading their runs quicker. Some times we need to give the ball a little sooner.
Positives: John Hampshire was commanding in goal. Liam, Jack and Jimmy were a solid partnership in the back 3, winning the ball on the ground and air. Pete North's first game as a wing back, and he did a great job defending and attacking. Will Wright's energy was high as always, with many of Crossblades attacks going through him. Adam Webb (missing from last week), gave a good performance in the middle of the park. Mike Booth goes from strength to strength and proved he is a class act. Jacobi and Gilbert are getting better and better as a partnership, one in which we know we can rely on to give us goals. Ash Cook and Chris Walker were both very good, coming in to the game in the second half. Slotting in well and improving the team.
