On a cold and wet January morning the unbeaten league leaders, Guildford Saints, came to take on Guildford City Pumas. The last meeting between these two teams ended in a 0-10 thrashing, as City were given an exhibition in attacking football.
In a pre match team talk in the warmth of the clubhouse, the boys came out focused and knowing what they had to do. Three at the back with two running the midfield and a lone striker up front was the formation, and from the outset it paid dividends. Rather than sitting back City was immediately on the attack and for the first 3 minutes the ball wasn’t out of the Saints half. On the 4th minute a second corner was won and sent in by Sammy. The ball bounced in and out with first Benny then T and finally Sammy pushing the ball into the danger area, where Lucca crashed the ball home in the top right of the net. Cue 7 ecstatic parents jumping around like lunatics and another 7 in stunned silence.
From the kick off the Pumas were back in control breaking up every attack and from one such determined tackle after 6 minutes Sammy came away with the ball and, from behind the halfway line, sent a huge perfectly weighted pass up field for Lucca to turn his marker. Confronted with the onrushing goal keeper he calmly slotted it between the keepers legs for a second. Cue even more parent dancing and even quieter parental silence.
The Saints were then stunned into activity and the game settled into attacks from both sides with each attack repulsed by some excellent defending. The Positioning and cover of each other by the back three of Benny, Sean and Maric was exemplary. Maric’s breakdown of attacks and immediately moving forward to create a counter, was a text book example that Premier league teams could do with looking at.
Sammy took a ball to the stomach and was replaced by the industrious Danny, who was asked to take on the demanding midfield role. The Saints desperate to get back in the game moved up a gear, but some continued strong defending, supported by T and Danny kept them at bay. However on the 18th minute the defence was broken by a fine run down the right which allowed a ball to be played in and the resultant strike gave the Saints a lifeline.
The second half started with some huge pressure from the Saints. On one attack they managed to break through and send in a cracking shot, but an amazing piece of agility saw Liam dive down to his left and push the ball onto the post. Cue 7 parents groaning and seven others letting out a deep breath and cheering. However the score line wasn’t to hold and after 22 minutes the defence was breached again and the equaliser put away.
Sammy came back on with Danny switching to cover Sean and another period of attack and counter attack ensued with not team really creating an advantage but with the Saints having more possession and more threat, but with Benny throwing himself at players on more than one occasion, they were kept out. Sean came back on for the final 10 minutes with the hope that fresh legs could turn it but it wasn’t to be and the game ended with the Saints, for the first time this season, not winning. But for the Pumas this was their best match with a true Team performance that every player should be proud of.
