So here we are again in are 4th sucsessive Portsmouth Cup Final and again we find ourselves up against WPTs who we had resently pipped to the A League Title, so we new it was going to be a tough game and revenge for them would be on the cards.
We started with are normal 4-5-1 formation, looking to gain the upper hand with that extra man in the midfield.
We started off slow and soon found ourselves under alot of early WPTs pressure with alot of it coming down are right hand side and within the first 5 mins Billy was already being called into play making a couple of good stops as well as having to be very alert and quick off his line.
We soaked up the early pressure with Ryan, Jack, BK and Ollie standing strong and clearing there lines, we did how ever lose out alot to headers as well as failing to pick up on the 1st and second balls, we let WPTs have to much time and space in the center of the pitch, but it was us who got the breakthrough on 8 mins, Kieron picked up on a lose ball just inside there half and went on a messi type run, going straight through the heart of there defence, past one, past two cutting inside back onto his left driving through the center halfs and slotting the ball neatly passed a helpless keep to put us 1-0 ahead and help settle any early nerves.
The first half slowly balanced itself out after that we grew in confidence and the back four were having the games of there lives and when every they were breached Billy was there to mop up, we didnt really get the midfield 5 involved as much as i wanted and Zack was finding it hard playing the lone striker but heading in at HT 1-0 ahead was testiment to how hard we worked n defended as a team.
During half time i didnt have to say much just had to get through to the midfield that we had to make that extra man count and start getting the ball down and make WPTs do all the chasing and to not be on there second touch but there first hit them from the whistle get in there faces and put them under pressure.
Well the half time team talk defenetly worked because we blew out the traps like a rocket, with Alfie starting to get involved more pulling the strings and creating chances, Max and Kieron started to find more time and space out wide, Camerons trickery begain to flow and Smithy grabbed the center of midfield by the scruff of its neck and started to dictate everything that came his way and it only took 5mins of the second half until we got a second, in the 35th min Smithy broke down an attack in midfield finding Cameron, who slipped the ball out wide to Max who used his pace to tear down the right hand side bursting into the box and crossing for Zack who took a touch turning the defender onto his left peg and smashed the ball hard and low into the bottom corner to make it 2-0.
We new it was far from game over, but with Ryan having an outstanding game at right back Jack and BK being solid as a rock at the back and Ollie being his usual cool and calm self breaking anything down at left back it left Billy vertualy nothing to do in the second half.
Zack took a few knocks during the game and was replaced after 39mins by Joel who got straight into the thick of things chasing down any and every defender putting them under pressure with his pace and eagerness.
We controled the game from then on resulting in WPTs playing the long ball which is not normaly like them, but everything they pushed forward was either swept up or smashed straight back at them, the one touch pass and move moving from center to out wide switching play everything we have been working on in training started to flow, creating plently of chances, gaining alot of possesion with everyone pulling there weight and in the 48th min it was vertualy game over winning a free kick on the edge of the WPTs box Alfie stepped up and smashed a brilliant unstoppable shot into the top corner to make it 3-0 and get a goal his performances have deserved lately.
Sammy then replaced Ryan at right back just as his legs were starting to tire and to get a fresh pair of legs on as alot of there play came down are right hand side but Ryan was on form today.
Then in the 53rd min the man of the match the heart of our midfield Smithy broke clear cutting across there defence to unless a stunning strike from 30 yards high over the keepers head to make it 4-0 and top off what had been an amazing second half performance.
In the 54th min Josh replaced Alfie, Jake replaced Cameron and Charlie replaced Ollie for the last 10mins and continued the hard work.
We did have a chance to make it 5 just before the final whistle after Kierons shot was judged to be blocked by a hand of a WPTs defender and we were awarded a pen, with Zack being off the pitch the resposability fell to Kieron but his shot was well saved by the keeper, so it ended 4-0 a much bigger out come than previously expected but one which are second half performance deserved.
So it was another Cup Final victory and are 4th cup final win in as many years and another League and Cup double ending a very sucsessful season on a major high, all that is left is tour after being runners up 2 out of the last 4 tours we would love to take the next step and come home with the tour title and make it a treble winning season.
Man of the Match was awarded by the league to the outstanding Smithy.
Am so proud of you all lads and am already looking forward to next season COHY CHAMPIONS CHAMPIONS CHAMPIONS and well deserved.
