Following lots of cancelled matches due to inclement weather we were finally able to get our boots on today and enjoy a closely fought and exciting match. Full credit to Birchwood for putting up a tremendous battle with a man short and for really giving us a run for our money. We started the game using a 3-2-1 formation which we hadn't tried before but due to tremendous efforts in training we found it difficult to decide which two defenders should start the match. Consequently we chose to start all three, including Dominic who played his first game for us today. We were also hoping that having three at the back would stop any early goals against us, and this proved to be effective. Unfortunately this meant we lacked a bit of firepower up front and as soon as the team had settled into the game we reverted back to our normal 2-2-2 formation. Despite a bit of rustiness from lack of matches, the game proved to be a great team effort and whilst there were a few things we found to work on in future training sessions, everyone worked really well together and produced some great moments.
Congratulations to Domininc who got through his first match unscathed and once he'd settled into the game proved to be very strong on the ball and when tackling. Both Alex and Kyle produced another solid perfromance each with some top tackles when called for and lots of covering play. All the midfielders had their own individual moments including some good forward runs and a great effort on goal (Jacob), great defensive play and nicking the ball off the opponents on numerous occasions (Thomas), great movement, excellent passing and a couple of good attempts on goal (Ethan) and solid running and tackling and likely to need to spend the next week in the shower after her mudbath (Hollie).
Up-front Katie deserves recognition for a solid performance throughout her time on the pitch. In the first ten minutes she really took some stick off Birchwood and was pushed and shoved for the duration without once losing her cool and was rewarded with a free-kick after being up-ended at the side of the pitch. Jake was his usual consistent self when he came on the pitch and produced some good solo efforts as well as nice team play. We were unfortunate not to score when he delivered a beautiful pass across the face of the goal from distance, to Jyoti who was very unlucky not to tip it in. We were rewarded for persistence however when Jake finally broke through the Birchwood defence for a solo one on one moment against the keeper which he wasted no time in smashing into the back of the net in one of his now trademark screaming finishes! Jyoti has become incredibly strong in training and is starting to show this on the pitch more and more and will surely be on the score sheet very soon.
A very well deserved man of the match trophy today went to Jako in goal who produced probably his finest performance of the season. Whilst only having to save one or two actual shots he came steaming off his line on three or four occasions when Birchwood broke through our defence and produced what were most likely match saving tackles to clear the ball away from the area that he completely owned today!
Thanks once again to a great bunch of parents and kids whose support really makes it worthwhile for us as coaches and thanks to Birchwood for a good and fair game. We now need to play them twice in future league matches but in the meantime we can look forward to progressing in the cup!
