Saturday 9th
March
vs Town Green 1-2
vs Town Green 1-2
Team: Ciarán; Adam, Matty,
Connor, Tom; Josh, Ollie, Joe H, Caleb; Jacob, Cormac. Subs: Ben, Elliot, Joe
T.
The boys continue to improve
but a first win in 2013 still eludes them: this time they ran the league
leaders close but came away empty handed.
Jacob and Josh set up an
early understanding, even with Josh asked to play out on the left. Ciarán pulled
off a fine save in the 4th minute as two forwards broke through a
high defensive line. Tackles from Matty and Josh followed another block from
Ciarán two minutes later and the Crosby keeper held on to a header from a high
cross in the 8th minute as the defence clung on in an early Town
Green onslaught.
As Cormac made way for Joe T
after 12 minutes, and Caleb dropped into the midfield hole, they got a better
grip of their opponents. Joe T held the ball up well, bringing Ollie and Jacob
into the game and Caleb now had the time to look for balls down either channel.
Joe T forced a couple of
errors from the Town Green keeper, with no reward. Taking a ball from Jacob
after 23 minutes, he cut in menacingly from the right but the defender hustled
it to safety as he broke into the box.
Growing in confidence as the
half progressed, the quality of headers in defence and midfield gave Town Green
fewer opportunities although it took a solid tackle from Connor and a
tremendous save from Ciarán, clawing the low ball to safety, to keep it
scoreless at the break.
Encouraged to press their
opponents higher up the pitch, Connor again covered on the right of the defence
to snuff out an early threat.
Elliot replaced Tom, nursing
a knock to the shoulder, after 32 minutes and the boys’ composure saw them take
the lead three minutes later. Joe H sent Joe T down the left, forcing a corner
from which Matty’s bullet header was cleared off the line. They came straight
back at Town Green, however, as Josh – spotting Jacob free on the right –
angled a perfect ball behind the centre back for Jacob to control and rifle
neatly past the keeper – a goal of some quality.
Ben replaced Joe H at the
restart and his cross-cum-shot in the 39th minute, after Ollie had
won the ball back on the edge of the box, forced a good save from the keeper.
The quality of headers
throughout had been excellent, so it was disappointing that a loose header in
midfield allowed Town Green back in to the game. They pounced on the loose
ball, the forward rounding Ciarán to slot home the equaliser. In the freezing
conditions, the Crosby keeper was beginning to
struggle with his goal kicks and a flat clearance in the 44th minute
created more pressure but Connor and Elliot were more than a match for the
forwards. Another tame kick was cleared for a Town Green corner: this time the Crosby keeper was powerless to prevent the free header
from giving them the lead.
Cormac replaced Ollie in
midfield for the last five minutes but it was Connor, on hand with block
tackles in the dying minutes, who saw the game out.
 |
| Jacob Johnston - Man of the Match |
The boys deserved something
out of a game that they controlled either side of the break. They continue to
improve but the victory still will not come. Jacob took the Man of the Match
award, looking for space and opportunity all the time and showing a great touch
for his goal, ably supported by Josh – out of position on the left.
