Boys pay the price for midweek exertions

Saturday 31^st March

vs. Active Soccer 1-4

Team: Matty; Elliot, Tom, Joe, Adam; Danny, Lewis, Caleb (capt.), Jacob; Josh, Ciarán S. Sub: Cormac.

Active Soccer gained revenge for their defeat four days earlier as the boys put in a sleepy performance.

Overnight illness made Ciarán B an absentee and so a reshuffle was needed as Matty went between the posts and Adam filled in at left back. To his credit, Matty did an excellent job and his Man of the Match award was well merited.

Active started as if they meant business and the boys struggled to get out of first gear. They went behind in the 3^rd minute after an attack down the left was not cleared to touch and Matty was left with no chance on the shot.

Matty was needed to make another good save after 6 minutes and then Elliot and Tom teamed up to keep them at bay. It took fully 10 minutes for the midfield to work some attacking space. From the resulting corner, Ciarán S headed wide after a weak punch from the keeper.

As they finally began to make things more difficult for their opponents, they got their reward in the 12^th minute. Josh had set up Lewis to fire narrowly wide from long range before some neat footwork from Jacob set up Adam on the overlap. His cross was whipped in and was too much for the keeper who could only drop it at Ciarán S’s feet to equalise.

A swerving shot watched into his hands kept Matty busy but they were soon causing problems again at the other end. A goal bound volley from Joe from Lewis’ corner was blocked to safety and as they broke out, it needed a brave header from Elliot to stop the attack.

Most of Active’s chances in the first half were from long range and Matty was equal to them all – a great defensive header from Caleb after Matty’s parry had gone for a corner kept the scores level and then the midfielder nearly found one of those gaps they exploited so well on Tuesday to send Josh away on the right.

The midfield were battling for the ball now, with Caleb and Lewis linking better, looking for the pass or the space and not panicking on the ball. Ciarán S was just beaten to Josh’s pass by the keeper and, along with Lewis the three again forced the Active defence to concede a corner.

Adam’s defensive duties prevented a break on the boys’ left but with half time beckoning, they fell behind after some poor refereeing. Joe was shielding the ball back to the keeper when he was bundled over and the forward rounded Matty to score as the boys waited for the whistle for the blatant foul.

If that left the boys with a sense of injustice, it served to fire up Active Soccer who started the second half brightly. Matty proved himself stronger than the defenders around him to keep them out in the 30^th minute and needed Elliot’s help to clear off the line after the dawdling midfield was easily by-passed.

The third Active Soccer goal was coming, though, and the boys were again exposed down the right after 35 minutes from another (foul) throw and two forwards were queuing up at the back post to score. Having reminded Ian that Matty should not stray out of the box with his clearances, the referee was nevertheless willing to allow Active Soccer to regularly stand well over the line to take the throw-ins…

The boys knew it wasn’t going to be their day three minutes later as Active scored again. Ian had not left the pitch after treating Adam for a knock and the defence was getting into position as the referee allowed the corner – which was also an incorrect decision - to be taken straight away and the Active forward rose at the back post to score.

Matty was confident at his near post after some weak defending allowed the shot from a narrow angle as the boys looked to restore some pride, went to three at the back and Adam pushed forward. It nearly paid dividends as Josh found some space, but the ball stuck under his feet and then Jacob forced a great double save out of the keeper, only for Caleb’s header from the corner to go wide.

They continued to try and play football as a run of passes through the midfield showed what they can do and put the Active defence on the back foot. Cormac replaced Danny for the last eight minutes with a fresh pair of legs, covering back and trying to link up going forward.

As time ran out Adam was stopped only by the last defender and a barnstorming run out defence from Lewis saw him shoot just past the post. Tom’s foul allowed Active one last chance but the wall did its job and the free kick went wide.

Late team changes, along with some of the boys having been away with the school and a few knocks – Danny was just back from injury, Tom hobbled through the match and Elliot was not moving freely – contributed to the poor performance but Active Soccer had shown in their fight back in the semi final what they were capable of. It has to be said that some shoddy refereeing also played its part – he was even slow to respond to the Active player on the ground holding his head in the second half. The break in matches for Easter and training sessions on grass will give the boys the time to regroup before the Cup Final, provisionally arranged for a few days after some other semi final between YNWA and Z-Cars.

Boys edge nine-goal thriller

Tuesday 27^th March

vs. Active Soccer 5-4

Team: Ciarán B; Elliot, Tom, Joe, Matty; Jacob, Lewis, Caleb (capt.), Adam; Josh, Ciarán S. Sub: Cormac.

The boys advanced to the Spring Cup Final against TMS as they saw off Active Soccer in a titanic semi-final encounter.

After the goalless draw in the group phase, this promised to be a close encounter but the boys got the ideal start with a goal in the first minute. Matty’s ball down the wing gave Jacob the perfect chance to set up Ciarán S to round the keeper, only for the striker to be brought down. Caleb was coolness personified as he buried the penalty in the corner of the net.

The boys were playing with a lot of confidence going forward and Jacob shot wide in the 5^th minute after a neat turn and pass by Ciarán S had opened up the defence. Minutes later Ciarán S himself was stopped only by the last man as another long Lewis throw caused problems for the Active back line.

Their opponents were not lying down, however, as first Matty and then Tom needed to be strong in defence but, after Lewis had gone narrowly wide with a fierce long range drive, they doubled their lead in the 15^th minute.  Ciarán S laid the ball intelligently back to Caleb and his lob took out the whole of the defence as Josh ran through the line to lift it over the keeper and into the goal.

Just in case the boys thought it was all going their way, Active Soccer pulled a goal back in the 17^th minute. A missed header allowed the forward, who looked to be standing offside, the chance to beat Ciarán B.

This was developing into an attack-and-defend battle as first Josh shot into the keeper’s hands and then Tom was on hand for a vital touch to see the ball out for a corner as Active countered. The boys were always looking to exploit gaps in the heart of the defence and were quicker to the loose ball in the area and restored their lead two minutes before the break with a freak goal. Joe, who had kept up a recent run of solid defensive displays, saw his free kick inadvertently strike Jacob and then Josh who watched it trickle over the line.

The luck was with Active Soccer a minute later as Adam’s shot shaved the upright after another great ball from Caleb left him in acres of space and they finished the half on the attack as Active Soccer stood firm against free kick, throw-in and corner.

After the restart they continued in exactly the same fashion as Lewis took advantage of a mistimed header to almost create a chance for Ciarán S. The powerful midfielder’s free kick in the 31^st minute was just beyond Ciarán S but Jacob came in behind only to head over the bar. It was no surprise then that they extended their lead in the 33^rd minute as Ciarán S turned provider for Adam to shoot high into the net.

A minute later and Active Soccer were back in the game. The turn and shot from the forward may have left Ciarán B with no chance but midfield and defence had switched off to allow the opportunity.

It really was end-to-end stuff now as Ciarán S had two great chances to restore the three goal lead – the forward is going to make somebody pay for his bad luck soon – and he and Adam caused more problems from a long kick out from Ciarán B.  Tom and Joe were showing the midfield how to use your head in clearing the ball and Tom had to be alert to clear to safety as Active Soccer tried to claw their way back into the game.

The boys proved that attack is the best form of defence, however, by scoring their fifth goal with 10 minutes left, as Ciarán S knocked the ball back into Adam’s path and his cross-cum-shot fooled the keeper.

Elliot, like the rest of the defence, had worked hard, especially with the wingers pushing further forward, and he took a knock which saw him replaced by Cormac just after the goal, as Josh dropped back into defence.

Active Soccer pulled one back in the 48^th minute as the forward beat a slow defence to head over a stranded Ciarán B as the game got even more frantic. A rare moment of composure between Adam, Ciarán S and Cormac almost set Jacob free one-on-one but instead it was another moment of madness in defence as the boys failed to deal with a throw-in and the fourth Active Soccer goal ensured the final three minutes of normal time would be tense.

The two minutes added on by the referee was probably the last thing anyone wanted to hear but the boys spent Fergie time on the attack as Lewis’ free kick was saved to win a classic cup tie.

Despite being in the lead for all bar 40 seconds and Ciarán B having few saves to make apart from the goals, the prize of a place in the final for the winners meant the boys never looked comfortably in control of the match. All the goals conceded came from mistakes that could easily have been avoided, but the boys deserved their place in the final. Man of the Match was Jacob, full of energy and perfectly weighted passes.

Back on track

Saturday 24^th March

vs. Marina Sands Tigers 5-0

Team: Ciarán B; Elliot, Tom, Joe, Matty; Danny, Lewis, Caleb (capt.), Adam; Josh, Ciarán S. Subs: Cormac, Jacob.

“Win all of the rest of the games and you’ll win the league!”

Having been reminded how poorly they had played last week, Ian told the boys that the chance to win the league was still in their hands as he sent them out against the Tigers.

In a first half where they tended to overhit the through ball, or watch it run away down the slope, it was Adam who caused the greatest threat. A series of mazy dribbles left the fill back with twisted blood but time and again there was nobody on hand to finish it off. Adam himself shot over and Lewis put one wide in the 7^th minute after the winger had cut it back to him as the Tigers were pushed back.

Joe stepped up to lift it over the Tigers back line and was on hand to clear to touch moments later as the Tigers finally broke out. The Tigers came close to taking a lead on that attack but, as their manager bemoaned the total control the boys had in midfield (“they’re running rings around you”), they finally took the lead in the 12^th minute. Josh and Lewis had seen shots go straight into the keeper’s hands but it was Tom, taking Lewis’ throw under control, who lifted it high above the keeper for his first goal of the season.

Jacob replaced Josh at the restart as Caleb’s through ball was just too strong for the hard-working Ciarán S to control. Tom and Joe were covering behind each other on the rare occasions the Tigers crossed the half way line as, in midfield, Caleb and Lewis tried to exploit the gaps in the Tigers’ defence.

The short corners were working better this week as in the 18^th minute Adam’s shot from out on the left was tipped wide by the keeper. The Tigers never properly cleared the next corner and Adam was on hand on the edge of the box to take the loose ball and pass to Lewis whose shot from 20 yards flew past the keeper and deep into the net.

The boys were again reminded that the Tigers could cause trouble as Ciarán B made a great block as they broke on the right but the boys finished the half back in their penalty area as they just managed to clear Caleb’s splendid corner, fired in under the crossbar.

Josh and Cormac came on for Danny and Tom for the second half, with the boys going to three across the back and greater numbers in midfield. Although Ciarán B made a comfortable save from the kick off, the changes worked almost immediately as Adam increased the lead in the 30^th minute: Ciarán S kept the ball alive across the face of the box to set him up and his high shot left the keeper groping at the air.

Two minutes later and the boys were four up. The push in the back on Ciarán S looked as if it was in the area – no matter, as Adam’s curling free kick found the top corner of the net.

The Tigers were getting stretched at the back as the midfield tightened their grip. A mistimed header nearly allowed Jacob a run on goal and their defence scrambled it away for a run of corners, ending with Matty heading into the keeper’s hands. Lewis’ shot may have been wide of the mark in the 37^th minute but it nearly decapitated the unsuspecting spectator behind the goal.

The Tigers showed some fight but Ciarán B was on hand to stay up and save well in the 39^th minute and made himself a big obstacle a minute later, doing enough to put the forward off as the shot went wide.

Two-goal hero Adam took a knock and was replaced by Danny, with Lewis taking a rest and Tom returning to the pitch with a quarter of the game left. Josh had a goal disallowed for offside in the 45^th minute and his low cross moments later was put narrowly wide by Ciarán S.

Josh was relishing in the space and time on the right wing and a series of crosses and corners provided a host of chances. Ciarán S saw one shot blocked and Cormac’s shot as the ball came out hit the defender. Cormac also had a shot taken off his foot as the Tigers held out.

Josh was well supported by Elliot as the game wore on as the boys played out of defence down the right. The fifth almost came down the other wing, though, as Jacob’s nimble footwork set Ciarán S free – his first shot was blocked and he watched in despair as his second hit the foot of the post.

The scoreline finally reflected their dominance of the game two minutes from the end as Josh saw another great corner scrambled away to Tom who set it back into Josh’s path for him to curl it out of the keeper’s reach – the fifth goal to come from outside the box.

The Man of the Match vote went to Adam for a great display on the left but some of his team mates were worthy of mention. Ciaran S worked tirelessly upfront with no luck. Tom may have got the opener but his defensive display was invaluable, as was that of the rest of the back four, including the ever-alert Elliot who was there covering late on to stop the three man break on his own.

If the boys are proving themselves to be expert in the delivery of corners and free kicks, they are yet to show the composure in the box to take full advantage, as countless superb balls went begging – all five goals came from outside the box – but if they keep creating the chances, the victories will surely follow.

Disjointed in defeat

Saturday 17^th March

vs. Maghull FC 1-2

Team: Ciarán B; Elliot, Tom, Joe, Matty; Danny, Lewis, Caleb (capt.), Adam; Josh, Ciarán S. Sub (unused): Cormac.

This was a disappointing performance by the boys, beaten by a terrier-like display from Maghull who merited the three points.

Boys win again despite dogged defence

Saturday 10^rd March

vs. Ursuline Seahorses 4-1

Team: Ciarán B; Elliot, Tom, Joe, Matty; Danny, Lewis, Caleb (capt.), Adam; Cormac, Ciarán S. Sub: Josh.

The boys made it two out of two in the Spring League, although it took second half goals to hammer home the greater possession and territorial advantage they had for the whole game.

Ursuline were pushed back from the kick off and were to spend most of the first period struggling to get out of their own half. Lewis and Caleb were looking to exploit space behind the full backs, with Danny and Adam seeing lots of the ball. 

Early shots from Caleb and Lewis were comfortably taken as the boys struggled to take advantage of their superiority. Josh returned from injury to replace Cormac midway through the half and his energetic display in midfield, with Caleb pushing on, gave the Seahorses no relief.

Tom’s 14^th minute header from a corner, after Adam’s cross was narrowly sliced wide, was pawed out from under the crossbar as the boys came closer to taking the lead. Tom then stepped into midfield to find Ciarán S in space on the right. His cross fell to Caleb only for the ball to stick under his feet and the chance went begging.

With Joe picking up any loose ball that the midfield missed, the boys continued to search for the opener. A typical jinking run from Adam on 17 minutes was stopped by the last defender and a sparkling move between Danny, Caleb and Ciarán S presented him with another chance. Stretching for his shot, the keeper made the block and Ciarán S’s effort was kicked away. From the corner, the boys finally took lead as the ball ran through to Adam, whose shot was too hot for the keeper to catch.

They came close to a second in the 23^rd minute as Lewis’ superb free kick, after Ciarán S was upended, was just taken off Joe’s head. This time the corner was short and Josh’s cross found Ciarán S, whose stooping header was just wide.

Ursuline forced a corner in some rare relief but they were soon back defending as Tom got the ball behind them and Matty couldn’t get enough on Josh’s cross to increase the lead before the break.

They started the second half again exploiting space on both flanks, but the early chance came to Lewis, from a clever square pass from Caleb, who shot straight at the keeper.

Josh came close a minute later, after more good work from Adam, but the second finally came after 35 minutes after Ciarán S set Adam up; he lifted the ball over the first defender into the danger area and last man bundled it into his own net, under pressure from Caleb.

The defending was getting more desperate, as Ciarán S was again fouled on the right edge of the box but it was Ciarán B who came to the rescue after 42 minutes, staying on his feet to block the shot with his legs as Ursuline attacked on the break. They paid for a lack of concentration straight after, though, as Josh’s clever ball took out the defence and left Danny with a run on goal: he kept his cool and slotted it past the keeper for the third.

Lewis was giving another commanding display in midfield, unafraid to get his head to the ball and also providing a threat with his long throws. He set Adam up after 45 minutes and the winger’s shot was taken by the keeper at the second attempt.

Cormac came back into the action for Danny after 49 minutes but it was Ursuline who got one back two minutes later. Ciarán B did well to block the long range shot but the forward was far quicker than anybody else to the rebound to slip it home.

The goal stung the boys back into action to get the fourth goal their commanding display merited. After Josh had been fouled in the 52^nd minute, once again on the right edge of the area, Caleb’s free kick was only cleared to Adam but his shot was blocked.

They may have survived that attack but the goal came a minute later. Josh and Adam linked to good effect on the left and the flanker’s shot was only pushed into the path of Ciarán S, giving him an easy tap home and the chance for a Ballotelli-style celebration.

With Josh just offside in the last minute, after Caleb’s ball had beaten the defensive line, the boys kept up the pressure right up to the final whistle.

This was another victory based upon defensive strength – from Tom, the ever-reliable full backs Elliot and Matty, and marshalled by Joe – and an improving midfield where, despite a good performance on return by Josh, it was once again impossible to look beyond Lewis for Man of the Match.

Springing into action with a big win

Saturday 3^rd March

vs. Churchtown Athletic 9-0

Team: Ciarán B; Elliot, Tom, Joe, Matty; Danny, Lewis, Caleb (capt.), Adam; Cormac, Ciarán S.

In difficult conditions, and with only eleven fit players, the boys were once again far too strong for Churchtown and started the Spring League with an easy victory.

The boys spent most of the first period camped in their opponent’s half as Lewis, with Joe behind him, took complete control of midfield. Caleb and Danny went close early on and, after Adam had dribbled through the defence in the 6^th minute, Ciarán S just failed to open the scoring as his shot stuck under his foot.

The frustration lasted only a minute longer, though, as a strong run from Danny found Cormac unmarked in the box and his cutback set up Lewis with an easy goal.

Lewis almost doubled his tally in the 8^th minute and Adam, sending the right back dizzy every time he got the ball, forced a good save from the keeper at the foot of the post. The second goal came after 10 minutes and Lewis was again involved, His throw-in was touched on by Adam for Ciarán S to swivel and shoot beyond the keeper.

Ciarán S was scythed to the ground in the box in the 13^th minute, but the referee was obviously feeling generous towards beleaguered Churchtown. Cormac saw a shot saved and more great play from Lewis forced a corner as they kept their opponents pinned back but it was Danny streaking down the wing that set up an easy tap in for Ciarán S for the third goal after 15 minutes.

That opened the floodgates as the boys doubled the score in a three minute spell. Ciarán S broke from half way in the 19^th minute to coolly slot home and then completed his hat-trick a minute later with another break, this time sent free by a pass from Caleb that took out the whole Churchtown defence. Finally, Danny got in on the act after 21 minutes, his tap-in set up by Adam once again ripping the right side of the defence apart.

The boys were not in the mood to let up, though, and a long range shot from Caleb followed by Matty’s header from a corner and another mazy run and shot from Adam almost extended the lead before the break. The seventh goal came in spectacular fashion two minutes into the second half as Lewis picked himself up after being shoved in the back to lift the free kick into the top corner of the net as the keeper could only watch it fly past.

Danny went haring down the right, only to be stopped by a great tackle, and he shot narrowly wide in the 35^th minute after Cormac’s mishit landed at his feet.

Lewis’ shot a minute later went through everybody without getting a touch but Matty’s covering tackle moments before was a warning that the boys were getting too adventurous. Churchtown still had no answer for Ciarán S’s pace, though, as his clever touch on 40 minutes left him free to run out of his own half on the attack, only for a defender to get back to block his shot.

The boys were almost caught on the break as Churchtown took advantage of a lack of defenders, only to shoot wide. They had their moments during the middle of the half and it took a great header to clear a corner from Joe, a solid challenge from Matty and Ciarán B finally making a meaningful save in the 42^nd minute to ensure a clean sheet. Their five minutes of defensive madness included one or two mix-ups between Ciarán B and the defenders in front of him but the ball ran harmlessly wide – just!

After another Caleb corner had run straight through the box in the 48^th minute – the long corners worked better than the short ones today – the boys scored their eighth in the 50^th minute as Elliot’s cross was miskicked into the path of Adam to score from close range.

A minute later, Adam got a second after Lewis’ ball into the box and his volley dribbled under the keeper. Lewis nearly setup Matty and Tom, from Caleb’s corner, then Cormac on the run came close to scoring the tenth but Churchtown avoided another double figure drubbing at the end.

With most of the match played in a downpour and with no substitutes available, the boys kept going for a comfortable win. Ciarán S’s four goals were all coolly put away but it was a commanding midfield performance from Lewis – and a pair of goals – that meant he took the Man of the Match award.