What a breeze that had developed over the morning at the start of the Scole v Rocklands match. The wind was growing in strength along with the wind chill factor. No surprise then that the tea and coffee counter was busy.
I decided to warm the referee up by shouting expletives at Pete but it was to no avail as Pete was unmoved. Kevin was off so in stepped Martin Ayers from the U15’s to save the day running the line for the U16’s and many thanks to Martin for stepping in to help out. As I glanced to my right I saw Louis dressed ready to play and Louis was as keen as Norwich mustard to get back onto the field of play following a long layoff due to the fracture of his growth plate earlier in the season. But a few screws and some wire mixed with time put that right and Louis on his birthday weekend was about to return to the field of play. Some carefully placed pieces of tape finished the job off but I may have forgotten to say that there may be some discomfort taking it off.
The wind was building as Scole and Rocklands took to the field and the rest of us had various layers of clothing on to keep the wind and cold out. Rocklands had played Scole in a pre-season friendly where Rocklands didn’t play that well in the first half but made a good recovery in the second half. The late withdrawal of Matty due to a hand injury put Nathan between the sticks. Nathan kindly volunteered to be the man in goal with Joe T, Joe S, Luke C and Luke H in front of him. Steffen sat in front of the back four with Ewan and Eliot out wide and Louis and Robbie in the middle just behind Phil up front. Jack and Joe G waited for their chance on the line with Greg and Steve. Could the momentum Rocklands gained from last week carry over onto taking on the league leaders?
Rocklands kicked off with the wind behind them and immediately went into action from where they left off last week distributing the ball around trying to find the wide players of Ewan and Eliot with the midfield of Robbie and Louis already hustling the ball. Scole were quick onto the ball and also quick to push the ball wide or through the central channel but Rocklands were keeping Scole at bay and pushing past the Scole midfield onto a suspect back four and nervous keeper. Scole and Rocklands were playing some good football in good spirit a marked change from last week’s game.
Scole shot from just inside the box and it beat a diving Nathan to open the score board.
5 min: Rocklands 0 – 1 Scole.
Rocklands lifted themselves a notch and had a good passage of play creating some chances from the wide positons of Eliot and Ewan who were putting good balls across into Phil who as always chases down every ball and was troubling the centre backs of Scole firing just wide. The midfield pushed up a tad higher up the pitch putting more pressure on the Scole midfield and it was from one of Rocklands attack that Robbie twisted and turned and hit a peach of a shot past the keeper to level the scores.
15 min: Rocklands 1 -1 Scole.
I don’t think Scole had this in their battle plan and they were faced with a very different Rocklands that they had met in the pre-season although Rocklands were not at their best due to team changes but they were really beginning to play well and had carried the momentum from last week’s game through to the Scole game.
Scole had a couple of handy players but Joe T and Luke C were coping well when Scole pounced forward. Luke H was also having a good game trying to find Ewan and also putting his foot through it when needed. Joe S arrived feeling unwell but wanted to play as he did not want to let his mates down and admirable it was as he really put himself about again not letting anyone pass and using that great left foot he has to great advantage.
Nathan was making some good saves and clearing his lines well in the now increasing wind which was holding the ball up and at times going backwards. Nathan was judging the wind very well. Rocklands were back on the attack again and really putting in the shots going just wide or over the bar at times due to the wind. Ewan was getting the break well down the right firing the cross over to try and find Phil. Eliot had another great run beating his man and flicking the ball past his and just about to pull the trigger went he got the dreaded Rocklands bobble where the ball bounced very strangely indeed.
A corner resulted and a lovely ball curved in for the jumping Eliot to head toward goal but he Scole keeper collected well but the positive was that Rocklands were attacking the set piece and showing that they can dominate the set piece. Ewan swapped for Jack and immediately Jack was doing Jürgen Klopps gen gen game pressing for the ball high up the pitch forcing mistakes into the opposition’s game. Steffen was on the hunt and swept up everything before him breaking up play. But it was his forwards running game that brought about a long range shot that he saw the keeper off his line and hit the ball from a long way out and the by now retreating keeper had to contend with the bounce and the ball continued over him but he dived back and scooped the ball from behind himself to save the goal. Did the whole ball go over the line, who knows but either way another fantastic shot by Steffen. Scole were back on the attack and Joe G was on for Louis who did really well on his first outing of the season getting his foot in the mix finding his wide and central men well. Rocklands were doing well leading Scole into the break 2-1 but just before the whistle Scole got one back to even the scores.
Half time: Rocklands 2 – 2 Scole.
Now a confession at half time is that this reporter had forgotten his notepad and did not have the nous to use the phone as a recording device but after all it’s just a phone isn’t it?
The wind was really picking up now and looking back on the weather charts it was gusting to 83kmh just over 50mph with a steady wind of 35-37 kmh. Hence no wonder the ball was doing some strange things and the spectators were huddled into the shelter of the building.
Rocklands had it all to do in the second half against the wind and with Joe S looking pretty unwell but soldiering on, Rocklands had kept the league leaders honest and made them work for the score line.
Scole netted another to top the score board.
Rocklands 2 – 3 Scole.
Louis took a knock across the nose causing a bit of claret to flow along with a headache and feeling dizzy. His game was over for the day and we cleaned Louis up as the game continued. Scole had a good passage of play as Rocklands just lost a bit of the crispness they had earlier. Misjudging the ball or the bounce and giving the ball away in the danger zone. Scole capitalised on this and put another away.
Rocklands 2 – 4 Scole.
It appeared Nathan was not enjoying his day but he was also making some tremendous saves denying Scole more goals. Nathan’s ground clearances were excellent against a howling gale.
Rocklands were attempting to regain the possession they had in the first half but Scole were pouncing on every loose ball and again tapped one in to make it five.
Rocklands 2 – 5 Scole.
Rocklands began to find the possession near the end of the game as they pushed forward with a pass from Joe G dinked over the top for Phil to run at the goal. Rocklands struggled to get the ball to Eliot and Ewan out wide in the second half but Rocklands did not give up and attempted to play against a gale force wind and possibly tried to keep the ball on the ground and get it moving quickly again. It was a great first half and all about hitting the ball first time which pays off as the defence will find it hard to react to it with minimal time.
Rocklands battled well and although you may have walked off feeling a little down hearted which in a way is good as it makes you want it even more the next game. Everyone battled well and together, Nathan making some excellent saves and almost saving the penalty going the right way getting his hand to it. Joe S for feeling absolute crap but playing on for his teammates and his fellow back four of Luke C, Joe T, and Luke H lending a helping hand. The midfield of Jacko, Ewan, Joe G and Eliot for breaking up and creating play. Robbie for doing what Robbie can do score such sweetly struck goals. Louis making his comeback in style and Phil forever chasing everything down, hunting for the goal, keep going the goals will come Phil. But Steffen grab MOM playing to his strengths so well anywhere on the park.
Usually I don’t like taking just the positive slant but in this case we can as Rocklands played some good football and kept the league leaders honest for three quarters of the game and Rocklands are beginning to find their feet in a very competitive league.
If I have forgotten anything let me know and we can try and amend it
