The match was Kingsboro v Ram Youth with both teams able to finish the day as high as third if one team was to win. The reality of a loss for either side would be a possible relegation scrap going into the final two games.
The 1st half started with Kingsboro keeping possession of the ball rather well but it was quite noticeable early on that Ram Youth could be dangerous on the counter attack. This was clear as each time Kingsboro's play was broken down in the centre of midfield they hit balls in behind Kingsboro's defence with very quick wide players getting into dangerous positions behind their respective full backs. The game was very scrappy as there was a lot of poor passing by both teams but as the game went on it was clear that Ram Youth had the physical edge as most second balls were won by the team in blue.
There was a very good battle in the middle of midfield with both respective sides two central midfield players battling ferociously for the ball. It was a game that looked to have 0-0 written all over it going into half time as neither team really created anything to write about. Then suddenly as calls of "man on!" went out to James Andy who gave away the ball to Ram Youth there was a break on. The Ram Youth player ran straight through two of Kingsboro's defenders with no challenge made to slot the ball home well for 0-1
It was a very sloppy goal to give away and clearly had an effect on a Kingsboro team that were already failing to fight for every loose ball in the same way Ram Youth were. I say this knowing that neither team had really done anything of note to be going in ahead before the break. But this wasn't the end of the first half's story as just before the break a back pass to Kingsboro's goalkeeper which was cleared straight on to the shin of Ram Youths forward for 0-2. The only difference between the two teams in the 1st half was one team (Ram Youth) clearly wanted it more and poor errors by Kingsboro that led to goals. There was also the factor of teamwork as Ram Youth's players were all talking to each other which was not the case with Kingsboro as you could barely hear communication from any player.
The second half started much the same as the first with the ongoing battle in central midfield. There seemed to be a newfound energy in the Kingsboro side as Symon Wright especially was working really hard to create some decent openings. This resulted in the first real glimmer of getting back into the game for Kingsboro as a well-worked passing move fell to the feet of Symon Wright who lofted a right footed curling shot which was heading for the keepers top left hand corner. But the keeper managed to claw the ball away for a corner. The Ram Youth goalkeeper even though not really tested up to that point always looked in command of his area. It would also be unfair not to mention that the reason Kingsboro were limited to scraps would be because of the outstanding performances of the two centre halves of Ram Youth.
After this chances never really came and in all honesty Kingsboro had not really ever looked like scoring in the first half and the situation was the same in the second apart from Wright’s audacious effort. It really became a case of would Ram Youth press for more goals or sit on the lead they already had. Then unfortunately the game got put beyond doubt when just a simple ball over the top of a tired looking Kingsboro was finished very well by the quick right sided player of Ram Youth to leave the Kingsboro keeper with no chance 0-3
The final goal came at a time when the game was clearly already won as the ball over the top exposed the lack of real pace at the back of the Kingsboro defence. The ball let in the right-sided Ram Youth player to slot home a near post drive 0-4. The Kingsboro side had already looked tired before this goal and in all fairness there were a pocket of players who clearly work far to hard to compensate for the lack of desire from others.
So the game ended with an overall assessment of hard work paying dividends for Ram Youth. When this is put next to the errors made by Kingsboro it was a well deserved win for Ram Youth in the end. This result leaves Kingsboro looking to survive and leaves Ram Youth with an outside hope of promotion.
