100% record broken but still undefeated
In a game where we were were 2-0 up and then 3-2 up, Heddon managed to throw away the lead twice to a very tidy Hayden Bridge team. Uncharacteristically conceding 3 of the worst goals so far this season, or 1/4 of the goals conceded over the entire season, we still could have won it at the end with some sustained pressure over the last 15 minutes when we remembered that we are, in fact, champions and decided to play like it.
Richy opened the scoring with a cracking finish following a cracking through ball from Walker, followed by a goal from Murta which I can’t remember what happened (it was 2 days ago now!) but it was a Sean assist! His second goal to make us go up 3-2 was a header! see I have a cracking memory! now where was I.....?
Oh yes, time for Joe's part in this little adventure to come. For those not there Joe decided to completely miss the ball and let their lad through on goal to score. He tried this trick successfully in the first half, only for the ball to hit his standing leg and bounce straight to Ross, a quality bit of skill, however this time his air shot landed at the feet of their striker to finish, a sublime piece of trickery! Everyone makes mistakes Joe, its how you react to them that makes you a player! Lesson learnt today hopefully.
Their second goal came from a free kick that probably shouldn’t have been given, however that was not a good enough reason for the wall to part like the mosses parting the sea! Deflection follows, Bull wrongfooted, 2-2.
Cue 15 minutes of some if the worst play and bickering we’ve played all season and should have went behind. Eventually once we worked out that we liked each other again and can play football, we grafted like a team and they were never really in it. Murta scored that header to put us ahead and surely win it, only for Sean, who one can only assume was enamoured with Joe's generosity and wanted to emulate, decided that he would provide the Hayden bridge striker with the ball and then all the room in Mexico ( no me neither, but I’m tired now) for him to finish with aplomb!
cue 15 minutes of pressure from us where we should have scored but alas! our 100% run ended. Ross just pipped Murta to man of the match.
Think too many players are rocking up and just doing enough to win a game, thinking someone else will win us the game and chase that opposite player back, which was fine until now. We won’t smash teams anymore, the quality with Ryton twice and Hexham then the 1st division means that 16-0 scorelines may well be a thing of the past. For those that think we'll beat Ryton with ease, think again, they were an open goal from equalising in the the other cup game and might well have went on to win it. They know us really well now and will change their team to stop us playing. We need to be on our game!
its time for everyone to play like a team, take ownership for their quality on the ball and workrate without it, work their nuts off for everyone and show the quality that we have for the FULL game and we win dominate games, even against better teams.
We now have a week where we play a final and a semi final. Its something that isn’t too big for us - this is where we want to be. if we play to our level, pass the ball and graft as a team when we don’t have it and get in peoples faces then we'll win both games as no one can live with us!
I'm excited!
let’s go!
