What a performance today to maintain our unbeaten run! Most importantly collecting our first clean sheet.
PJ was immense in the first half, being forced to contribute more than we'd like due to a slow start. Once Rory got his head around the (literally) giant task of man-marking their huge #9 and Matthew & Luke set about locking down our penalty area, we started to make moves going forward. It wasn't until the 21st minute that we broke the deadlock however.
Toby picked the ball up on the edge of the Burley penalty area and performed an outrageous pirouette, only to be rewarded with being floored by a scything challenge. Ben Wilson stepped up to take the free-kick, having been on the pitch for all of 30 seconds, and duly despatched off the inside of the left upright. Game on.
We still struggled to put many passing moves together and the game spent a lot of time to-ing and fro-ing without either side producing much towards the end of the first half. This is with the exception of our second goal. Isaac continued his frankly ridiculous scoring run in the 35th minute, Seb Calder playing provider with a perfectly timed, weighted and directed through ball which Isaac latched onto before smashing across goal from well outside the area. Burley's keeper could only flap at the strike and we were 2-0 up on the stroke of half time.
After stringing together all the footballing clichés I had at my disposal regarding jobs half done, the boys were sent out for the second half, a much better 35 minutes of football followed. Finally we were protecting the ball, creating going forward and defending like lions. PJ had - in his words - one save to make in the second period, whilst Bully gave their defence and goal keeper a torrid time. Only after he'd struck twice more, once from a great pass over the top from Toby and once following a superb assist by Louie, did it stop (he was substituted, that is the only way he can be stopped these days!).
Nathan and Sam came into the fray, joining second half substitute Harry Foster in securing a great 4-0 win for the team. The second half also featured not one, but two rabonas from The Ledge, who was full of running throughout the final period of the game. Nathan, Sam, Ben and Louie all had opportunities to make the score line even bigger, only to be foiled by bobbles and last ditch challenges.
One of the (many) spectators asked if it felt that all the hard work was starting to pay off. After 3 wins and a draw in our last 4 games, all supported by fantastic performances by the whole group I'd have to say yes. Yes it is.
