Well it was almost a baker's dozen by the end of the game just one short.
Rocklands started from left to right playing against the wind facing Cossey and despite the clash of kit Rocklands played on wearing yellow bibs. Craig however was worried that they might follow in the footsteps of another local team who play in yellow and green our beloved Norwich! Anthony and Ewan were up front with Eliot and Callum on right and left wing respectively leaving Joe G and Louis in centre mid. Our new centre back pairing of Joe T and Charlie continue with Luke and Sam and Matty in goal. Joe S, Marc and Reece waiting in the wings.
As the chill wind bit through the spectators it was Cossey who were applying the early pressure via there tall midfielders who were playing the ball wide either side of the pitch. Rocklands started slowly and were finding it difficult to find there fluid style of playing football. However Eliot headed the ball onto Anthony who went on one of his trademark runs fired the shot only for the Cossey keeper to make the save however this rebounded off the keeper where upon Anthony pounched and put the ball into the back of the net.
5 mins Rocklands 1 - 0 Cossey.
Rocklands were begining to find their feet and began playing the ball out from the back going wide or onto the midfielder's who were providing the strikers with some good ball. At the Cossey end Joe T took the long throw which Ewan controlled well and put into the box where Joe G scored his first goal of the season calmy slotting it side footed past the keeper.
10 mins Rocklands 2 - 0 Cossey.
Rocklands were getting caught offside on a couple of the attacks but Ewan made it past the offside trap nicely going around the keeper only for the defender to take him out in front of goal and as he was in a clear goal scoring opportunity the penalty was awarded and Cossey were down to 10 men. Ewan stepped up and took the penalty well.
15 mins Rocklands 3 - 0 Cossey.
Cossey reacted well and fought back despite being down to ten men. They were playing some nice football and attacking at every opportunity and it was during one of there attacks that a Cossey player was brought down in the box and were awarded a penalty. The Cossey player took it well with Matty going the right way but it beat him low and just to the side of him.
19 mins Rocklands 3 - 1 Cossey.
The Rocklands back four up were playing well despite the hiccup with Sam playing some great passing football while creating his own space as Sam can do finding Callum. Luke was working well with Eliot overlapping well to collect the through ball. Not a lot got pass Charlie and Joe T and on the rare occasion it did Matty was there to scoop it up. Louis and Joe G controlled the midfield well with one going forward as the other stayed back. Both sides were playing some lovely football, Cossey with ten men were competing well. However Anthony and his direct runs towards the goal were proving a handful for Cossey at times with several shots on goal being well saved by the Cossey keeper.
Half Time Rocklands 3 - 1 Cossey. Cossey down to ten men but Rocklands would have the wind behind them for the second half.
Joe S came on for Callum playing on the left. Immediatley from the kick off Ewan stole the ball and played it through for Anthony to shoot on goal but the Cossey keeper was playing well and made another good save. Rocklands were attacking Cossey at every chance they could.
Joe S took a peach of a corner finding Anthony who took it really well sending the ball past the keeper.
38 mins Rocklands 4 - 1 Cossey.
The ball now was belonging to Rocklands as they started to play the ball wide and with pace opening up Cossey but the Cossey defence one in particular was playing very well. Reading the game well but the gaps were appearing and with Rocklands playing passing football remained composed at all times just waiting to pounce it was only going to be a matter of time before more goals would appear on the score sheet.
Eliot again stole the ball and made a strong run towards goal and with the keeper coming out he still had some work to do but he calmy lobbed the keeper.
39 mins Rocklands 5 - 1 Cossey.
Eliot came off for Marc to come on up front and it wasn't long before Rocklands struck again with Ewan scoring from a cross by Anthony.
41 mins Rocklands 6 - 1 Cossey.
Joe G came off for Reece to play upfront with Ewan slipping back to midfield. Rocklands were really stretching Cossey at times with Reece making some great runs into space working with Mark and Anthony. Reece was taking some great shots towards goal one in particular from a Joe S cross where Reece headed it onto the under part of the bar , did it go over the line or not? No one had a good line of sight but Reece's time will come. Our front players were being caught offside. But it was Anthony again running down the left noticed Reece was moving through the centre towards goal. Anthony had the goal in sight but he held his run slightly and played the ball to Reece who buried the ball into the back of the net. Reece had got his well deserved goal and praise for Anthony for such an unselfish act of team comradeship.
51 mins Rocklands 7 - 1 Cossey.
Barely a minute passed before Joe S at speed down the left looked across and saw his front players were offside so on he went at full speed and cannoned the ball with his left foot past the keeper.
52 mins Rocklands 8 - 1 Cossey.
Ewan appeared to have a blood injury after using his face to block the ball but again Ewan's devastatingly good looks remain intact! Eliot came on with Joe G replacing Reece.
Sure enough Joe S struck again aiming a rasping shot toward goal for the ball to rebound off the keeper for Joe S to score on the follow up.
54 mins Rocklands 9 - 1 Cossey.
Our back four did not let a lot get through with Charlie directing operations alongside Joe T very well. With Eliot back it was not long before he was back in action scoring from Marc putting a ball through to him.
58 mins Rocklands 10 -1 Cossey.
Cossey got to the Rocklands area but Matty collected the ball well and threw it immediatly to Joe S who ran with the ball and lobbed it towards Marc as he put his name on the score sheet.
59 mins Rocklands 11 - 1 Cossey.
Joe G challenged for the ball in the air and nodded it forward for Anthony who again took his goal well making it almost a bakers dozen only one short!
61 mins Rocklands 12 - 1 Cossey.
Reece came on for Joe G and Eliot dropped to midfield for the final few minutes.
Rocklands played some great football and played as a team throughout, playing for each other all over the pitch Although the score was hugely in their favour Cossey battled well till the end. It was the manner and style Rocklands played football today that set them apart, win or lose if Rocklands play football in that way they will do themselves proud and the club. It is for that reason that there is no MOTM rather the TEAM is the MOTM.
