Today we put in a good all round performance. From Dominic in for the absent Isaac and throughout the team we saw great efforts and desire to win this fixture. Our opponents played the first half with just nine players but with a strong wind at their backs they set up to defend strong. Inside the first minute Dan latched onto Sams' throw-in and thumped in his first goal for the Royals. Yarnton could have thrown in the towel but they didn't and we were made to fight for every ball, no-one was getting an easy ride. Tom twisted his knee in challenging for the ball and had to sit out for a long section of the half and Sam soon joined him on the sidelines to make it a nine a side game for the last five minutes of the first half. With a late freekick the visitors almost drew level but Dom was alert to the danger and pushed the ball over the bar to safety. We had struggled in the most part against the strong wind and a very keen linesman but that would change after the break.
Yarnton had a player arrive for the second half and Tom returned to the action after a long spell of treatment and therefore we had our numerical advantage restored. In the middle of the pitch Joe and Dan were beginning to get the upper hand. It was from Dans' knock on that Tyler raced and outsprinting the Yarnton back four he buried his shot into the bottom corner to double our lead. Both Sam and Ned were probing down either flank and forcing corners from which we threatened further goals. The third goal did arrive via the move of the match. Tom picked out Tylers break down the left side and with just the keeper to beat Ty unselfishly squared to George and the striker gleefully side footed home. With ten minutes remaining our back four became three when Charlie went up top to see if we could force any more chances. It was from Charlies' great through ball that George notched his second and our fourth. George kept his nerve to loft a sweet lob over the on-rushing keeper and into the net it was a quality finish. From another great passing move George fired over with Ned offering in support a pass would probably have been the smarter move. Sam and George then worked a short corner with George curling a shot against the foot of the post , Joe following in held his head in his hands as his shot cleared the bar. Dominic saved smartly late in the game to keep our first league cleansheet intact. Harlie ,Tom, Luke ,Charlie and Dom can all be proud of their defensive display today and the distribution from the backs was excellent yet again. We used our extra man wisely in the second half keeping our passes nice and short . Well done lads two more games to go so now start thinking who your pick for player of the season will be. We are having a good back end to this season and if we keep it up over the next two games we will finish mid-table. Many times we have had play with no subs and all of you have continued to struggle through matches whilst carrying knocks for that lads thank you very much.
