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.