SHREWSBURY JUNIORS COLTS 0
SAHA COLTS 10 – Jack, Ryan, George (3), Finn (3), Matty J, Jacob
Played at Shrewsbury Sports Village on 20 November 2016
Kick-off at 11:30
Attendance 50
Colts were making their debut on Shrewsbury’s answer for Hackney Marshes – The 7 Pitches – and knew that they were going to be at their best after a hard-fought 6-4 home victory against Juniors earlier in the season.
Colts sparred with the physically-dominant Juniors side in the opening exchanges. The first opportunity fell to Ryan who had a good shot saved from the left wing.
Colts took the lead in the sixth minute as a fierce right-footed shot from Freddie was tipped onto the post for Jack to dart in and tuck away. 1-0
Freddie struck a great diagonal free kick from left wing into the box in the eighth minute but Colts were just unable to get a touch on it.
Lots of good balls were being played forward by Will and Ryan for busy Jack to run onto.
Cole and Jacob continually put their bodies on the line in defence. Ryan also got back on more than one occasion to help out.
Jack almost got on score sheet again after the keeper parried out a long range shot from Will.
In the thirteenth minute, Colts worked the ball from right to left, with Jack hitting a shot that deflected off Freddie before Ryan drilled home a great left footed shot from outside the box. 2-0
Juniors kept fighting and were unlucky a minute later when a long shot flew just past the post.
Early in second period, Matty J was unlucky to have a volley from George’s corner saved on the line. Seconds later, George delivered a pinpoint cross from the left wing but Matty was just unable to head it in.
In the twentieth minute, Matthew P intercepted a pass from the back into the path of George who skipped past two players in the middle of the field before striking it past the onrushing keeper with his left foot. 3-0
On the one occasion Colts got caught out at the back, Zen came out to snuff out the danger. Juniors had three more shots that went just past the post after Colts continued to press forward.
Just before end of second period, Zen fired a long goal kick into the right side of Juniors penalty area for Finn to run onto and tuck away right-footed followed by a Ronaldo celebration belying his Liverpool FC-supporting roots. 4-0
George broke free with the ball and drifted past a man before playing a through ball into the path of Matty J, who scrambled it over the line to make it 5-0. Matty found that the ground conditions weren’t as soft as he expected as his power slide celebration came to an abrupt halt.
Play was stopped for a couple of minutes after George received a boot to the head. From the restart, George intercepted a roll out from the keeper and put it past the keeper only to strike the post. Arch-poacher, Finn was on hand to tuck away the rebound this time followed by a ‘header’ celebration. 6-0.
Into the third period, George and Ryan combined well with Ryan going close on three occasions. Matty J hit a well-struck shot from the right wing just wide after being played in by Freddie.
Freddie was having more influence in midfield and played George clean through only for the keeper to save his shot.
After lots of pressure the next goal was inevitable. Will played a first time left-footed through ball from defence to George, who ran through the centre and calmly finished past the keeper despite the efforts of two defenders who followed it in. 7-0
A couple of minutes later, George won the ball after putting pressure on a Juniors defender and tucked away with his left foot after rounding the keeper to make it 8-0.
Five minutes into the final period, Will was strong on the left and played it into the path of Jacob who passed it calmly into the net. 9-0.
Freddie had been pinging through balls all day and did it again for Finn to simply make it 10-0.
A series of good saves by Zen closed out the game and Colts had produced a convincing team performance underpinned by great defending by the whole team to keep a clean sheet.
Match Highlights
Zen keeping a clean sheet.
Jacob getting on the score sheet with a great finish from outside the box.
Cole playing the ball out of defence.
Will adding calmness to the midfield.
Jack causing a nuisance up front with his pressing.
Matthew with a nice range of passing from midfield.
Matty getting a deserved goal for his hard work up front.
Freddie creating lots of chances from midfield.
Finn’s array of post-goal celebrations.
George making some nice through passes.
Ryan whipping in some wicked crosses from the left wing.
