Saturday 22nd February
vs TMS 3-4
Team: Ciarán; Elliot H, Caleb, Ben, Louis; Dylan, Ollie,
Elliot R, Adam; Joe, Jacob. Subs: Cormac, Josh.
This was another good performance by the boys against one
of the top teams in the league and they arguably should have taken something
from the game.
Without both first choice centre backs, they could have
been rattled by conceding in the first minute, as the big TMS forward broke
through the line to round Ciarán and slide it into an empty net. Despite Joe’s
long range effort, it got worse in the 5th minute as they were
exposed on the left, and the same forward doubled TMS’s lead.
Rather than fold, they kept on playing football and slowly
worked their way back into the match, to the extent that they were the better side
in the first half, despite going in two down. Dylan was having a lively debut
on the right, linking up with the livewire Jacob up front. They had chances,
with Joe pulling a couple of shots wide. Adam found space on the left but was
guilty more than once of shooting when balls into the danger area were the
better option.
Ben had been alert in the 10th minute to stop
TMS in full flow and, when Josh joined him at the back in the 19th
minute, at the expense of Elliot R, it freed up Caleb to bring greater authority
to midfield.
TMS no longer had time on the ball as all the boys worked
hard to close down and press their opponents and they Caleb and Joe combined to
steal the ball and release Adam after 27 minutes, only for Jacob to
shoot wide across the goal.
Cormac replaced Ollie in midfield at the break, to add
more industry in the centre, and they got the perfect start to the half. From a
free kick for handball a minute in, the TMS keeper somehow got to Joe’s free
kick to keep it out of the top corner but Jacob was quickest to respond and get
it over the line.
The wind – much less influential than two weeks ago – was
with them, as was the momentum, as they went in search of the equaliser. Caleb
volleyed into the keeper and Joe’s low cross was just cut out by the TMS
netminder after he and Dylan had pressured the full back into an error.
TMS were still a threat – a wild looping shot kept Ciarán
alert – and Ben was exposed in the 48th minute, his foul on the TMS
attacker giving the referee an easy decision. Ciarán had no chance with the
penalty as TMS re-established their two goal cushion.
Back they came and, after Jacob had regained possession,
he passed to Joe who forced a good low save from the keeper at the near post.
Louis’ corner angled in under the crossbar and Joe was on hand to score with 20
minutes left.
Elliot R and Ollie came back on for Cormac and Adam and
they got the equaliser they fully deserved in the 55th minute. Joe
was adjudged to have been fouled in the box and, despite the keeper getting to
his penalty kick, was far more alert than anyone else to slot home the rebound
(Alonso style).
Ciarán pulled off a good save with his legs just before
the hour mark but, from the corner, the ball took a number of deflections
before landing the in the back of the net (Gosling style).
Both teams had half chances before the end but Josh had
coped well with the TMS attack, along with Ben, and Elliot H and Louis were
solid throughout at the back. Jacob continued to try and fashion chances in
attack and there was some relief in the TMS camp at the final whistle.
This was a thoroughly entertaining match, with the
conditions favouring neither side by the end. The boys stuck to their passing
game and were the equals of a team who had conquered Maghull in their previous outing.
They continued where they had left off against the Hibs a fortnight ago and all
involved can be proud of their performance, with Dylan taking the Man of the
Match award for his great display on the right.
