First round of the Portsmouth cup and it was a tricky tie away to a tough Gosport FC side a team we know well to be a hard and physical team so it was a game we could'nt take lightly.
Straight from the kick off they showed us just how the tempo of the game was going to be played it was set at a high tempo with alot of hard tackles coming out with a simple job to stop us playing are football and to upset and intimidate us.
We started with a 4-5-1 packing the midfield having again a strong bench in max sam and josh with jack missing out due to a twisted anlke.
Even though we found the first 10-20 mins hard and could not get the ball down to play are football we took the lead after 5mins with alfie hitting a shot from just inside the box the keeper made a good save only to find the ball spill to kierons feet which he took one touch and calmly slotted home to make it 1-0.
Unfortunalty we didnt push on from there letting Gosport out muscle us again being intimerdated into making challenges and within two mins we had to make two changes first a late challenge on lewis left him clutching the back of his ankle and then straight after that with lewis still strugglingto walk back round to the bench alfie was taken down hard from behind being court on the ankle which again left me no choice but to make a change with sam replacing lewis and max replacing alfie.
The game turned scrappy after that with the lads feeling a little intimerdated and with the first half ticking by Gosport created themselves a rare chance stealing the ball well in midfield slipping through a good first time pass which court our defence knapping there striker took a touch to set himself and unleashed an unstoppable shoot over the stretch of billy to level the game at 1-1 after 21mins.
Just before half time smithy took studs to his ribs which left me having to replace him with josh and force me into three changes to injuries in just the first half.
A good team talk at half time was needed the boys needed a pick me up something to get there blood pumping again so it was just a simple get out there dont let them push you around keep it fair but be strong get stuck in and show them you wont be no push over's.
Making two changes bringing lewis on for toby and alfie on for ryan s with lewis coming into midfield to give us that extra added bit of power and alfie pushing up top as a lone striker.
The second how however was no change to the first you could feel the tentsion from the side lines as challenge after challenge went it becoming a very close hard tought game with both teams creating chances without the breakthrough.
With the game running out of time we slowly started to get a grip of the game with are fitness and never say die attitude break through winning a corner it was alfie who swung it in near post with max losing his marker he slipped in between two Gosport defenders to head home a superb second on 55mins to put us ahead 2-1 with a little over 5mins to go.
Toby replaced sam with lewis dropping back into defence and as the mins ticked away it was Gosports turn to put on the pressure but the defence stood strong and cut out any chance and with just two mins to go the game was finaly sign sealed and delivered by smithy who played a great one two with kieron to smash home our third and make the core 3-1 on 59mins.
Ryan s replaced max straight after the goal and cameron replaced ollie who took a knock to his chest with smithy dropping back into left back but unfortunatly didnt have much time to get involved again with the game with the ref blowing up early to end the game and give us an impressive but very hard thought 3-1 win.
I was very proud of each and every player for there diterminatsion disire hunger and never say die attitude they took there knocks and just got on with there own game playing some good football at times aswell as showing that they can also play the tough side aswell and they wont be any push over's.
Man of the match i wish i could of given to everyone for there hard work but having to go to someone it was awarded to Ollie he battled that extra bit more taking some knocks along the way but credit has to go to every player.
Well done lads am proud of you all.
