A friendly against fellow prem team led to the team conceding more
goals in one game than any game previously in the almost 7 years with
the team. We knew with missing players JR, JF and HJ that it
would be a challenge and that a number of players would, for some of
the game, be playing out of their most suited position. A good start
with lots of positive passing football with strikers looking bright
and purposeful. Hart had two excellent pacey wide players that once
again caused panic as soon as they had the ball. Phantoms scored first
and tails were certainly up. Good play from centre to wide left, led
to a ball into the box that was passed into the goal. Equaliser was
U7s football, with the fast wide man up against a flat defence with no
covering defenders, so he knocked the ball through, chased after it
and slotted it home. Hart then took the lead, a mistake handing the
ball directly to oppo in penalty box to slot home. I could see some of
the boys slump a bit, given the good play and good start they'd made.
To their credit they got back in it again some good combo play in
midfield, with attackers supporting the play and the through ball to
the impressive JRI to score. 2-2 half time.
Sluggish start second half, specifically the wide/attacking support
play, slipping back to some of the old poor technique. Hart looked
more dangerous and scored, with ball slipped between CB and fullback
to score. With 15-20 mins to go phantoms fell off the proverbial
cliff. Passive and prone to silly individual mistakes particularly
positionally, creating an unwarranted flood of goals. Soft goals from
corners and hoofs over the top darkening the clouds in the last 20
mins.
