So after a disappointing result last week we returned to our fortress for the fixture aginst st cleres u21’s.
The gaffer decided to make a few changes due to injury and absences mainly in defence with steve coming out of the white sticks and luke standing in and burton slotting in at rb.
Due to a very eager ref there wasn’t much time for a warm up before kick off.
The game started much like a mayweather fight, very little excitement but a lot of pushing and feeling eachother (especially the opponents no.20).
We were passing the ball around well and the back four were in control of their strikers and the first real chance of the game came after about 25 mins when junior who had taken on the responsibility of target man became provider when he delivered a pin point ball over to Bobby who put his shot aginst the post from 7 yards out. After speaking to bobby after the game he said at this point he had a familiar sinking feeling that today would not be his day.
We continued to press as our defence were cutting out all that st clares could offer and we got our reward 5 minutes before half time when Robin picked up the ball spotted at least 3 Bobby’s to his left and somehow managed to pick out the correct one, bobby ran on goal and had a shot from which the goalkeeper was able to get part of his anatomy in the way only for it to drop at the feet of the tap in king Seph. 1-0 well deserved. Half Time
Second half started as the first finished with us pushing for the second. After 5 minutes Bobby was off due to injury and on come Langley up top. The next 15 minutes was like a pushing match with neither team able to push that extra bit and get the goal they craved.
St cleres got a corner and with the amount of effort we had been putting in we had a moment of concentration lapse and st clares got a free shot in from there corner which bounced through a handful of players and luke was unable to prevent the goal. 1-1
Normally this would be where our heads would drop in previous games but not today, the desire and determination put in by us would not go to waste. We continued to press with Langley and junior putting pressure on their back four who looked like collapsing with the continuation of pressure being applied.
Not sure if it was john’s decision or by captain insano but junior and seph swapped places to add a new dimension to the attack. It was Seph who then ran the ball up the right wing and went shoulder to shoulder with the opposition being fouled by their captain, that after lots of moaning from St. Cleres resulted in a free kick to thames.
Charlie delivered the in swinging free kick that went over the keeper and hit the post and bounced out but luckily on to the arse of Robin into the path of the one and only tap in king Seph. 2-1
The adreline started to pump into the bodies of thames players who continued to push for the killer goal and with only a short time left it looked like seth was going to complete his hatrick after he ran through onto a through ball and 1 on 1 with the keeper but as it was not a tap in his shot went wide.
With only minutes left St. Cleres tried to knock the ball long and high into our half but Bronson was equal to all that they could throw at him as he headed the ball right back into their half as the back four remained strong throughout and soon the ref blew the final whistle.
2-1 well deserved 3 points.
After this performance the bar has been set with the level of determination showed and the gaffer will surely demand this week in week out.
Bring on the next game!!!
