WET, WINDY and a WIN?
Following on from the friendly played last week where Rocklands hit the post, crossbar again playing some good football but the ball was not falling in the net once again for the toiling Rocklands U16’s.
Would the away trip to Scole be a different prospect on a wet cold wild windy winter’s day? Rocklands of late have played some good football in a very competitive league and are now beginning to score goals. The Scole pitch looked heavy and slippery under foot and as Kevin once again took the flag to run the line Rocklands had Matty in goal and Luke C and Joe T at centre back with Sam and Luke H on the outside. Nathan and Eliot were the men to wreak havoc down the outside and Steffen, Jack and Robbie playing just in the middle with Robbie feeding Ewan. Phil and Joe S waited for their chance once the rolling subs began. Joe G still fighting off a virus but had his seat which he shared with Louis the other Rocklands recovering midfielder. Both out to give the lads support.
Rocklands kicked off playing left to right and almost immediately Scole were on the attack winning the free and 50/50 balls. But the Rocklands defence were shutting them out; Luke C and Steffen were clearing the ball early on and putting the work in. Scole put in an accurate shot but Matty was on top of it and collected cleanly. After a typical Nathan run who crossed it back inside for Robbie who duly pinged a shot goal ward but the Scole keeper like Matty wasn’t letting the early goal in.
Sam and Luke H had their hands full as Scole launched attack after attack from the set piece or open play but Matty was punching it clear or saving it well. Rocklands were playing against a particularly gusty wind and Scole were using this to their advantage finding their wide players and cutting the ball back into the centre. The Scole striker got the ball from a counter attack and caught Rocklands on the hop but Luke C was on hand to chase back and shut down the threat. Robbie was having some joy in midfield and after losing his man almost found Eliot to his left who was running into space on goal if it wasn’t for the interception just in the nick of time from the Scole defender, Eliot however had the better of him and we know how Eliot can rifle in a shot.
Joe T was called into action clearing the goal line avoiding the early goal for Scole. The resulting corner however was Scole’s opening the score line from inside the box.
15 mins: Rocklands 0 – 1 Scole.
Rocklands from the kick off found Eliot on the left side and it was only a great save by the Scole keeper denying a goal but Nathan was quick on the scene for the rebound. But the Scole defence cleared their lines and counter attacked quickly zipping the ball round the Rockland players and it was now the turn of the Rocklands defence to clear their lines and it was from one of the clearances Scole collected the ball and scored.
19 min: Rocklands 0 – 2 Scole.
Rocklands were for the moment being overrun by some moments of indecision and game management which lead to two further goals, simple tap ins.
24 min: Rocklands 0 – 3 Scole.
28 min: Rocklands 0 – 4 Scole.
Once again Joe T cleared the goal line and Nathan was putting his strong runs in but he had an experienced defender opposite him but Nathan beat him and fired another shot in which the keeper collected well. The Scole defence were able to be breached but Rocklands had to keep the ball in the mid to final third of the pitch. Joe S came on for Sam just before halftime as did Phil for Luke H.
Phil moved up front and immediately began to make some good runs linking well with Ewan and Eliot.
Half time: Rocklands 0 – 4 Scole.
Rocklands had some good passages of play when they had the ball but it was Scole who always got to the ball, got in front of their man first, and challenged which made it difficult when Rocklands lost the ball.
Rocklands had the wind behind them now along with some cold rain making for the pitch to become even heavier. After the halftime pep talk which despite the score line Rocklands had to dig deep to get some intact pride back. Phil, Nathan and Eliot were linking up well finding each other with either just the touch or the wind carrying the ball just past the player but they were running in to space which is the most important part. The midfield began with moving into space and challenging for the ball shutting down the Scole players earlier getting to the ball first. This was giving Robbie a fraction more time on the ball to find the right option. Midfield is such a difficult place to play when knowing to go forward, commit to the ball going forward then back just as quick as you came forward. Steffen however was covering every inch of the heavy pitch and low and behold the Rockland lads were pointing and asking for the ball to be delivered, talking was back along with desire and determination not to go down without a fight. The mongrel was raising its face; yes I say raise the mongrel.
However Joe T wasn’t able carry on and after a quick re shuffle Joe S moved to centre back, Ewan at right back the fight back continued without their talisman. Rocklands were beginning to play the football we know they can play and Steffen again found Nathan with a nice ball only for the keeper to block his shot again. It was now the turn of Robbie who jinked his way round the player finds Steffen who passed into space where Nathan was rapidly approaching and his shot again forced the keeper into pushing it wide. Phil collected the ball from Robbie again and made some great ground toward goal and saw Jack coming through the centre. Phil cut the ball back toward Jack who promptly dispatched it into the back of the net. Eliot’s persistence had paid off and Jack scored when his Granddad had come from Scotland resplendent in Rocklands scarf and hat saw him put Rocklands on the score sheet.
55 min: Rocklands 1 – 4 Scole.
This spurred the lads on and Robbie floated in a lovely corner which saw Steff rise up and head it goal ward but the keeper cleared his line well. Joe S had the bit between his teeth as well and was in no mood to let anyone pass and as we all know when his nostrils flare and Joe S is in that mood no one is getting past which is precisely what happened. Joe S stopped all before him with strong challenges, forcing the striker off the ball and brushing him aside before finding his wide or central players. As Scole were having trouble getting through a speculative long range shot made it five for Scole.
65 min: Rocklands 1 – 5 Scole.
Phil continued to make great runs and troubling the Scole keeper and if the pass was maybe a tad softer or quicker he may have had a little more luck and rub of the green. However Phil persisted and was duly rewarded by collecting the ball and battled his way around the defender and past the keeper to make it a second for Rocklands.
70 min: Rocklands 2 – 5 Scole.
Rocklands were having some good passages of play especially with Eliot, Nathan and Phil combining well along with Robbie’s distribution. Rocklands put pressure on the Scole back four and it was paying off as a free kick was awarded and no one has a better left foot than Joe S who stepped up to take it from just outside the area. The ball was whipped in at pace and all the keeper could do was parry it and Nathan was on to him like a rocket almost getting another goal for Rocklands.
The referee blew to finish the game at 5-2 but take the first half away and it was 2-1. The first half was completely different to the second half in determination; desire levels were where they should be at the start of the game. The response was what Steve and Greg were after and it makes for more enjoyment on the pitch. When Rocklands play like that they can match most teams and catch others off guard. Hunger desire determination whatever makes up the mongrel exlir needs to be applied from the start of the whistle to the end of the whistle. MOM was awarded to Steffen who in his new position really worked hard and grab both half’s by the scruff of the neck and encouraged the rise in the second half. Luke C had another great game at the back as did Joe S and Phil along with Eliot and Nathan combining well up front.
Look at Vardy in the premiership who would of put money on him beating the record but he did, not because he is in the mould of Messi or Suarez but his desire to score, make that 50/50 challenge gamble on the ball being there, gamble on the keeper making a mistake has put him where he is today all the way from non-league to the premiership.
Along with making that 50/50 challenge and gambling Rocklands displayed in the second half that if you get to the ball first, beat your man, get in front of your man and mix that with some mongrel for 80 mins then you can be friends with your opposition after the game. So flare the nostrils, fight for the ball all over the pitch you have seen what you can do when you do it.
You need to be fully warmed up and switched on because if you train hard you play hard, get the pre match warm up moving, get your teammates in the right place mind and body. Press the buttons, everyone is slightly different but you know each other well enough now to find the buttons to press.
Get the mongrel rising.
