SKCC KEEP FAINT TITLE HOPES ALIVE!!
On an overcast morning with slight drizzle in the air SKCC were looking for a more positive result after conceding an equalizer deep into stoppage time in the reverse fixture earlier in the season.
Andy actually won (I say won the other guy actually called it wrong!) the toss for a change and decided we would play uphill for the first half. However things couldn't have got off to a much worse start for the team in yellow with only a minute or so gone the SKCC defence was robbed of the ball to send City's rapid striker clean through on goal where he made no mistake in firing a powerful shot past Stew who had no chance of saving it.
With Aaron & Josh controlling the midfield SKCC then started to dominate the game. The first real effort came from a speculative 40yd effort from Andy which was heading for the top corner before the keeper scrambled back to make a save. The keepers less than sure handling was duly noted and the SKCC drew level when another speculative long range effort this time from Josh's left foot which appeared to be heading for the keepers hands somehow ended up in the net behind him 1-1.
The dominance was further rewarded when Nick took a long ball under control and exchanged passes with Tim Hydes on the left hand before unleashing a cracking drive across the keeper into the roof of the net 2-1. SKCC did suffer a few scares with City hitting the post when they probably should have scored. Towards the end of the half a seemingly harmless free kick to SKCC just inside the City half was floated brilliantly into the box by Nick which found Aaron unmarked where he brought the ball down on his chest and then flicked the ball through the keepers legs and in off the post to round off a decent half for SKCC 3-1.
At half time we stressed the need to keep going in the same vain and it was noted that the City boys were huddled together and taking their half time talk very seriously and that was evident at the start of the second half where they had changed their formation bringing their captain forward to join the attack and put the SKCC defence under more pressure. This paid off within 5mins with a ball over the top latched on to by their Captain who coolly slotted home 3-2 game on. The SKCC defence had to weather a further 15mins of pressure with a series of last ditch tackles and interceptions before gaining control of the game again. Stew was called into action after he mishit a clearance which fell to City's powerful striker who immediately sent it back heading for the top corner before Stew pulled off an amazing save to keep it out.
The game was then sealed Nick sending over a cross from the left hand side for Tim Hydes to coolly volley home with the side of his right boot. 4-2. The compliment was returned 5mins later when good work between Bliss and Tim H down the right ended with a great cross from Tim finding Nick who brought it under control and rifled home 5-2.
All in all a good day at the office for SKCC and their faint hope of bringing home a 3rd consecutive title is still alive, just!
