Are first game in 4 weeks was a home tie vs East Lodge A in the Pompey Cup Semi final as we looked to book are third cup final in as many years....
We started with a 4-4-2 with toby and ryan s on the bench and still having smithy and josh ruled out threw injury..
We started strong putting east lodge under instant pressure and with the opening min breaking from the back sam played max down the right wing his cross was meet by kieron who layed off to alfie who done well to lose his marker and create the space for himself to smash home from close range to put us 1-0 ahead and within the next two mins kieron broke down the left taking on two players to cut inside the area and shot across the keeper into the bottom corner to put us 2-0 ahead after only 3 mins.
We had the game by the scruff of the neck and we could and should of gone 3-0 up on 7 mins but kierons shot was well saved by the east lodge keeper and from the resulting corner charlie smashed over the bar from close range,east lodge then went straight up the other end and a cross from the left found there striker unmarked but all he found was an impresive billy who made himself look big to bloke his shot...
After that the game slowly started to change in the favour of east lodge with there heads not going down they showed great spirit to put us under pressure and on 18 mins we gave away a sloppy corner which they took complete advantage of swinging the ball in billy managed to get his hands to it but it spun in the air for the east lodge striker to get a free header to make it 2-1 and put them right back in the game.
The game was end to end with both teams pushing for the next goal and on 22 mins thats just what we did, a great threw ball by lewis bounced up at the near post and before the keeper could take it in his hands cameron gambled and jumped to get his head to the ball to put us 3-1 ahead...
Toby replaced charlie in the 24th min with toby slipping into center midfield and jack dropping back into defence and it didnt take him long to get into the game getting stuck into takles and pushing forward trying to break up play and create chances...
As we were starting to see the first half out looking to go in 3-1 ahead we again gave away a sloppy ball out on the right which east lodge took advantage of from the throw the ball was swung into the box and with lots of hesatation in the area with noone looking to take charge the ball fell to there striker who lashed the ball home from 6 yards to make the score 3-2 bang on half time which ended up giving them the high going in at half time....
We had a good chat at half time just saying what we said at the start of the game to just get out there play our football and enjoy it but to just make sure we took control and started winning the first and second balls as in the second part of the first half we made it easy for east lodge at times...
We got off to a flyer in the second half with alfie and cameron coursing there back line lots of trouble with there movement and in the 33rd min we won a throw out on the left which jack launched into the box lewis gambled on it going over the defender and toe pocked it towards goal and there was cameron to gamble on it by losing his marker and tapping the ball home at close range to put us 4-2 ahead and back in control giving us that little breathing space...
Ryan s replaced kieron on 35 mins due to a knock on his knee with alfie dropping out left and ryan going up front playing off the last man and it didnt take ryan long to get a shot on goal with great play from cameron and max down the right max swung in a cross which ryan got on the end of but just couldnt lift it over the on rushing keepers head...
We kept pushing forward but were also made to defend deep with ryan n jack sam and ollie being solid at the back breaking down play under pressure and helping to push are midfield forward and in the 38th min we had a great chance to get are 5th and put clear day light between us and east lodge after a great alfie threw ball set cameron away but he was pulled down just inside the box and the ref pointed to the spot, alfie didnt feel compftable in taking the spot kick and with kieron off the pitch the job fell to are captain lewis, he struck a great well hit effort to the keepers right but the keeper went the right way and made a cracking save to keep the score a less convinsing 4-2...
East lodges number 12 and 10 had coursed us problems all game with 12s stregnth and 10s pace so there was always that worry they could grab a third to make it a tence finish but we continued to defend well leading from the back pushing forward with max being outstanding down the right hand side from the first whistle he had run there back line ragged with his skill and pace...
Charlie replaced ollie at right back in the 45th min to give ollie a rest as he seemed out of breath after a hard working shift he had put in..Kieron soon replaced ryan n in the 50th min to give ryan n a rest as he had played very well all game linking up with max time and time again down the right looking to push forward aswell as defending calm and confidently, so lewis dropped in at center back and sam pushing out at right back kieron filled in at left wing with alfie dropping in center midfield where he was so creative he had put in cross after cross in the second half and slipped threw some great threw balls which we were unlucky not to get on the end of...
In last 10 mins of the game east lodge won a free kick just outside the box in a dangerous position but lucky for us billy was like a cat growing that extra inch over night he plucked the ball out the air as it looked destin for the back off the net...
Then in the 56th min came the moment we dreaded after not taking are chances to put the game out of east lodges reach we gave the ball away and there number 10 drove down the right his powerful run took him past kieron and charlie like knife threw butter he cut inside and stuck in a dangerous cross which unfortunalty hit sam on his knees and bounced into the back of the net past a helpless billy to make the score 4-3 and set up a very tence final few mins...
Max was the visously taken out hard and late out on the right which resulted in him having to be subbed in the final mins with a nasty knock to his calf, so ryan n replaced max down the right on to double up with sam....
We stayed strong to see the game out and end the game with a well tought 4-3 win and a place in the pompey cup final for the third year running...
Man of the match was tight with everyone billy ryan n sam jack charlie lewis toby kieron cameron aflie ryan s max ollie all having solid games doing there jobs and helping the team in everyway possible to win the game but it was down to two in the end both max and sam having brilliant outstanding games for different reasons max who tore there defence apart from the start and sam for being solid from start to finish in defence breaking up any attatck in a calm and confident manner and thats what led me and darren to the choice to give sam man of the match as his marker was twice his size but he diddnt let it faze him got stuck in dug deep and was consistant in keeping us in the game from start to finish..
Great game lads and credit to east lodge for making us work for the result am proud of you so lets keep it up and make it a league and cup double :)
