This was another great game of football and was played in terrible conditions with the rain lashing down hard on everybody! We looked a bit lethargic at the start of the match and were clearly unsettled, probably due to the cold and rain and it took a goal from Eagle to finally settle the team down. Unfortunately we didn't get back quick enough to cover the defence and were overrun by 4 or 5 opposition players whom Jako was powerless to stop. This was the wake-up call we needed and once we'd gotten over the initial shock of conceding our first goal in a long time, we dug in deep and started to hit back. The defence stood firm and made sure very little got past them from that moment on with each defender playing a great part and some excellent forward runs particularly from Dom and Marc, as well as great tackling ability. Thomas has really learned to read the game well and was equal to everything that came near him and Dan has become much stronger in his tackling and clearances.
Ethan hit a great curling effort which would have been a clear contender for goal of the year if it had found its way into the net, but the woodwork was just enough to prevent him scoring. Trav opened our account on 14 minutes with another beautifully taken trademark goal, followed by Tom 3 minutes later when relentless pressure allowed him to pounce on a loose ball in the goal area and hit it into the net. A further minute later saw Katie back on the score sheet when she hit a great corner which bobbled and weaved its way un-opposed into the goal.
Amazingly and despite continual pressure for the rest of the game, we weren't able to score again; hitting the woodwork on a number of occasions and the Eagle keeper having a great game was also able to prevent us. Following the initial upset this was a performance to be proud of and showed our resilience under initial pressure in holding our nerve and hitting back. Once again everyone played very well and there were lots of moments of individual brilliance from all of the players. Ethan picked up the parents player of the match trophy for a truly brilliant performance for the whole time he was on the pitch. Excellent attacking play and great tackling throughout. Joe gained the coaches player of the match for the monumental amount of pressure he put onto the defence and for chasing every ball. Jako was clear and commanding in his goal, making sure that his players knew where he was and what he wanted at all times!
A huge thank you and well done to everybody for another great team performance and a massive thank you to all parents for their support in such terrible weather.
