Our final game before the Christmas break was a game of two halves. The first half, very poor by our standards..... the second, a great turnaround and much better performance! The pre-match talk was all about how we were going to take the game to Intersports, and play our great style of play, challenge for everything and chase the ball down. This just didn't happen, much to the frustration of the onlooking parents and managment team! We did have a bit of the ball early on but we were careless with the ball, miskicking the ball and not completing many passes to each other? We were second to every ball and just not competing. We all scratched our heads trying to see the reason why we were just not clicking on the pitch......answers on a postcard please.
Intersports were rewarded by our scrappy defending in our own area with players standing and watching their players have free shots at Tyler before one shot went in. 0-1. Intersports had us pinned in our own half and must of had a dozen corners, most of which were given away very softly! We came in at half time lucky to still be in the game. The half time hairdryer came out again and the riot act was clearly given to the team after what could only be described as our worst performance of the season! The second half we came out with a little bit of fire in our belly's and set about turning the game around. We huffed and puffed our way to an equaliser in the 49th minute with Lewis slipping Connor through on the right who then crossed for Jack to put the ball into the net!! 1-1 game on. Lewis scored shortly after in the 53rd minute when Jack took a ball, and then put Lewis in to smash it into the corner of the net! 2-1 looking much better. Brad then went close with a free kick from distance but was unlucky this week. A lapse at the back gave Intersports hope as we succumbed to the ball over the top, with their striker finishing well to make it 2-2. But we were not to be stopped and were given a penalty in the 60th minute for handball. Lewis stepped up....... but was in two minds and ended up putting it over the crossbar! But with encourgement from his team mates to keep his head up, just two minutes later he set up jack to score his 2nd and Thurrocks 3rd! 3-2. The game wasn't won just yet and Intersports came straight back at us with Tyler making a great save to keep us in front. A good team move with the ball being moved from player to player and finally Lewis flicking it on for Jack to complete his HATRICK made the game look safe.4-2. Another flowing move saw Callum break down the left and unleash a cross shot which was diverted in the net by an unlucky defender! 5-2 A complete turnaround was finalised as the ref blew for full time! The next round of the cup now awaits us as our 100% record stays intact!
Well done lads for the 2nd half fight back! But lets not repeat making us poor spectators very nervous on the sideline again!!!
