Saturday 14th
September
vs. Marina
Sands Jags 5-2
Team: Ciarán;
Elliot R, Tom, Sam, Elliot H; Adam, Caleb, Ollie, Louis; Joe; Jacob. Sub:
Cormac.
The boys got
their U13 season off to a flying start with a convincing win over a Jags’ side
with one or two very familiar faces.
They were at
their opponents from the start with Caleb setting up Adam in the 2nd
minute, only for his shot to be cleared off the line. The boys struggled to get
a good passing rhythm going and, when the Jags broke after 7 minutes, Ciarán was
called on to smother the shot.
Sam rose to
meet a 9th minute corner, only for his header to be cleared off the
line and Caleb’s long range effort went wide as they began to take control. The
game was being played almost entirely in the Jags’ half: Jacob shot high and
then the defender slid along the line to deny Ollie after Adam and Joe had
combined to set him up. From the resulting corner, Jacob’s header was blocked
as the Jags hung on.
Sam was
looking solid at the back on debut but slack defending on the right wing allowed
the Jags to set up a chance and take the lead, totally against the run of play
in the 21st minute. A poor restart left them on the back foot again and
it took a flying save from Ciarán, tipping the ball round the post to prevent
the Jags from quickly doubling their lead.
The boys got
the equaliser they deserved after 29 minutes as Adam freed Joe to thunder home
from outside the box, the keeper having no chance. Confidence suddenly began to
ooze through the team, Caleb got his footwork going and they regained control
of the game. It was route one football that set up the lead in the 33rd
minute, though, Ciarán’s clearance bouncing through for Joe to pick up, control
and slide past the keeper for his second. Ollie and Louis then combined to set
up Jacob just before the break, only for his shot to be saved.
Cormac
replaced Ollie for the second half, looking to put more stability into the
midfield, and the boys extended the lead in the 39th minute. From a
cross on the run from Joe, Jacob laid it back for Louis who was denied by
keeper and crossbar. Adam picked up the rebound, rolled it out to Caleb who
found the narrow gap between keeper and post with dead-eye accuracy.
Ollie
returned, giving Joe a break, in the 43rd minute as a Jags’ free
kick flashed across the box but this was a rare chance as Caleb and Cormac now
had a stranglehold on midfield, stifling anything the Jags tried to create.
Louis was
rotated off after 49 minutes and Joe took only two minutes back on the pitch to
complete his hat-trick. Set up by Ollie, the keeper was badly out of position
as Joe took full advantage to slot it into the open half of the goal.
Another
replacement produced the fifth goal – and Joe’s fourth of the morning – in the
54th minute as Louis came back on at Adam’s expense and almost
immediately slipped the ball down the left for Jacob who shrugged off the
defender and slipped it square to Joe. The Man of the Match was far quicker to
the ball than the keeper, who was soon turning back to fish the ball out of his
net again.
Ciarán
needed to stand up big and tall as a Jags’ free kick ricocheted off the
crossbar in the 61st minute in a rare chance for the newest Marina
Sands off-shoot. Adam, back on for Caleb, broke on the left, and combined with
Jacob to create a chance for Elliot R – who had grown into the game in his
first appearance – who shot narrowly wide.
A Red Arrows
fly-past was a fitting salute to the boys’ performance and even the Jags’ consolation
goal in injury time could not take the shine off an excellent performance.
The boys put
the disappointing results since Christmas and changes in personnel behind them
to start with a morale boosting and fully deserved victory. Credit must also go
to Ian’s selection, with Joe pushed up front to great effect. After a rusty
start, the defence of Sam, Tom and the two Elliots began to work as a solid
unit. The creativity of Ollie and Caleb in midfield was shored up after the
break by Cormac’s work rate and Adam and Louis supported Joe and Jacob,
frustrated by his lack of goals but never less than willing up front. Perhaps early
starts at Buckley Hill suit them?
