At last some warm weather and the first league game since December. The Samurais have always been tough opposition and were 3rd in the league having only lost to the two top form teams; the Incas and I.L. Kestrels.
The Samurais won the toss and opted to play the first half up hill. The wolves attacked from the kick off, winning a corner after a good move between Jacob and Ollie. Dylan put in a good ball and Jacob passed to Ollie who had his shot blocked.
The Samurais were dangerous on the break and Nathan was doing a great job marking their No 9. The game was end to end and William and Tom were busy in defence tracking their runners.
The wolves were passing the ball well and Dylan had a sot wide in the 3rd minute. Cole had to make a good save a minute later as the Samurais kept up the pressure. Dylan then had another shot saved and the goalie just gathered the ball as Jacob raced into the box.
Nathan, Sam and Ollie were closing down quickly in midfield and Dylan shot over the bar from a good ball down the wing by Ollie.
With 5 minutes of the half remaining, the game was evenly poised but as the Samurais pushed forward Jacob picked up the ball and played Dylan in behind the defence. Dylan was clear on goal with just the keeper to beat and not a defender in sight. As he reached the penalty area their GK raced out and brought Dylan down with a cynical, two footed challenge just as he played the ball past him. It would have been a sending off in any other game! Unbelievably the ref then awarded a free kick on the edge of the box despite the huge divot left by the GK’s challenge well inside the box!
Dylan fired in the free kick, the GK blocked, the ball fell to Jacob and one of the defenders caught his shot!! Immediately the defender realised what he had done and dropped the ball like a very hot potato and Jacob chased it over the line. All the boys screamed for a penalty, but, quite rightly, the referee played advantage and the goal stood. 1-0.
In the last few minutes of the half Dylan had a shot saved and then put in a great cross to Jacob who shot over the bar.
Half Time 1-0
The first 10 minutes of the second half was again fiercely contested with both teams playing good football. Sam and Tom were very strong in midfield and played some good quick balls forward. Jacob had a shot saved from a good pass from Sam and Cole had to come out quickly to save with his knees.
Mid way through the half Tom was pushing forward and picked up the ball in space. With the Samurais marking our forwards, Tom had time for a long range shot into the bottom, left corner for his first of the season. 2-0.
The Samurais then had two shots go wide after good defensive pressure from William and Nathan. The midfield battle was still hotly contested and after winning the ball, Sam played a perfectly weighted through ball for Dylan to run onto. Dylan controlled the ball well and fired in a powerful shot to the top left corner. 3-0
Despite being three goals up and only seven minutes left, we should have known not to relax against the Samurais after previous games when they’ve come back to win. Sure enough within a minute they had got one back after breaking forward quickly. A hard low shot from the left crept in at the far post past the diving Cole. 3-1.
Two minutes later and they got their second. The Samurais attacked and got the ball into a massed penalty area. The Wolves struggled to either gather or clear the ball and after what seemed like an age bouncing back and forth, the Samurais no 9 found a gap through all the bodies to slot the ball into the back of the net. 3-2.
The Wolves defended heroically for the last few minutes and finished exhausted, battered and bruised but with a well deserved win.
Final score 3-2. Well done all!
