This was another friendly for the boys today, which was played in some very difficult windy conditions. This would be yet another test for the boys, playing on the big Broadwood pitch against a team who have also managed to recruit a few more talented players to boost their squad. This wasn’t going to be an easy 70 minutes for the boys! Both teams showing off their new sponsorship deals with two brand new kits, so it was a big day for both of them.
The game started off really tight, all areas of the pitch looking a little nervous with some basic mistakes, which allowed the opposition to counter attack but nothing really came of these attacks due to both defences being on their game. Both teams then settled down in to a rhythm and started to pass around the ball, still very evenly matched. It wasn’t until the 17th minutes after a six yard scrabble that Andrew Duncan managed to get his foot on the ball and smash it past Seafars keeper! Very scrappy in the six yard area however JBM managed to take the lead. No sooner as the goal was scored JBM looked the likely of the two teams to take the game in their stride. The JBM boys looked more settled and very much in command with only 3 minutes after taking the lead, Calum Roberts broke away down the right hand side of the pitch and found the back of the net, great move and a great goal! The boys looked very happy going into the second half with a 2-0 lead!
JBM had the advantage of the wind in the second half and used it to their advantage, spraying the ball to each of the flanks, with both Andrew Duncan and Calum Roberts working extremely hard. Jamie McTavish linking well with Logan Jarvie the boys again dominated with some great play. We also decided make some changes with bringing on the substitutes as it was a friendly it was also very important to see the whole squad get some game time under their belts and it was also trial a number of boys in different positions and partnerships. Some of the set plays we had worked on in training payed off and it is great to see the boys stepping up to the 11s game on this huge pitch. Not only fitness is a massive part to this transition to 11s but its also competitive now so any small mistake could cost the boys in the future. The corners and free kicks worked really well today, however we still need to work with the boys to polish this part of the game. We witness yet again some great play with 4 goals in the second half, all of them part of a team effort, Jamie McTavish scoring two great goals, Logan Jarvie with one and an unfortunate own goal by an attempted clearance by Seafar.
This game saw the boys bounce back from a defeat against a very good team, to taking the bull by its horns, showing how they can step up and dominate a game from start to finish. The game finished 6-0. It was a very close decision for the MOM as there was a few candidates for the award today, however it went to Jamie McT for two great goals, his game play and his work ethic, while nursing a knee injury!
Lee Kelly in goal had very little to do today, however when called upon he stopped everything and his distribution was superb, allowing the midfield to attack straight from the kick out. First Clean sheet of the season for Lee and I have now doubt that there will be many more to come! The defence, Brady Differ, Taylor Milne, James Wallace, with Ben Brown (Capt) acting as the sweeper had yet again another solid performance, all of them looking very strong and showing everyone that they will be hard to beat going forward. Calum Roberts and Andrew Duncan put yet another hard shift in, I honestly don’t know where they get the energy from, but they are both great assets to the 04s. Reece and Kenny working very well and will be a great partnership going forward, supporting the strikers and dropping back into defence to help out. Jamie McT and Logan Jarvie again proving to all that once they both gel they will both be getting a bag full of goals this season, against both of the boys working extremely hard and were rewarded with some gr eat goals. The subs, David Wood, Logan Jardine, Aron Stevenson, Reuben Gray, Dean Kelly and Stewart Kennedy, showed all the coaches today that they are more than capable of competing for their places on the pitch.
All in all this was a great effort by the boys, not a polished performance but was enough to dominate the game from start to finish despite both teams cancelling each other out at the beginning. As soon as the boys scored, this lifted them and then there was no way they would lose this game today. Despite the win we still have a long way to go, the boys need to get fitter, leaner and work on all areas of the game and looking at the last 10 days, I have no doubt that the boys will be firing on all cylinders continuing where they left off at the end of the 7s season.
Well done boys, let now train hard for the next game on Saturday against Carbrain 04!!!!!
