Match Report – Game 6 – Saturday 30th October

vs. Scarisbrick 4-1

Team: Ciarán; Josh, Stephen (capt.); Joe, Caleb, Adam; Seamus. Subs: Elliot, Jacob, Matty.

This was a comfortable win for the boys which, with luck and some composure in front of goal, could have ended up with Scarisbrick conceding as many goals as in their other games.

After a slow start with a low sun behind them, they were finding plenty of space down the right with Josh and Joe linking well. As a 3^rd minute corner went begging with nobody at the back post, the boys continued to open up their opponents’ defence without producing the killer ball.

In the 6^th minute, a poor goal kick fell straight to Seamus but the keeper made amends, blocking with his legs. A minute later, they went even closer as a long range shot from wide on the right from Caleb hit the top of the crossbar.

Still keeping the left back busy, a square ball from Joe reached Adam, whose shot forced a good save from the keeper. There was no joy from a series of corners, until Joe got on the end of one from Adam in the 13^th minute but his shot was high. Moments later Adam broke down the left but again there was nobody to take advantage of the cross.

After 15 minutes, Matty, Jacob and Elliot replaced Josh, Joe and Seamus to try and break the deadlock. Caleb, who again was battling in midfield, and Jacob quickly began to link up. Elliot was working hard to get on the end of the host of openings, slipping at the last minute and then finding the keeper at his feet as Adam sent in a low ball.

The boys were getting closer and, after Adam had seen a long range shot fizz wide, they finally went a goal up in the 22^nd minute as a neat ball through the middle from Caleb gave Elliot the chance to tuck it into the corner. It was only the Scarisbrick keeper, with two saves from Adam and Caleb, who kept the difference to one goal at half time.

Seamus, Joe and Josh came back on for the second half, as Elliot, Adam and Matty took a break. Ciarán needed to be alert straight from the kick off, as Scarisbrick started quickly. From his clearance, Josh picked the ball up, worked some space and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner. The lead had been doubled after only 30 seconds!

Scarisbrick tried the same trick from the next restart and went even closer than before, as the ball rattled the crossbar and post. The boys hit back with period of play that left their opponents pinned back as Caleb and Joe saw shots either go wide or be deflected for corners. From one of those, Jacob saw a low header go just past the post.

Ciarán’s contribution in the first half had been with deep kicks peppering the edge of the Scarisbrick box but his handling skills were needed in the 6^th minute to push a shot over the bar after some poor tackling in midfield had left Scarisbrick in space. From the corner, Seamus broke out but could not take advantage.

Substitutions in the 10^th minute saw Elliot, Matty and Adam come back on for Seamus, Josh and Caleb. Elliot and Matty dropped into defence and they kept it tight for the rest of the match. This released Stephen, who had had his usual solid game, into midfield.

The boys kept the forward momentum, as Joe saw a shot pushed wide and Jacob worked hard on the right to force another corner. In the 16^th minute, they finally got some reward from the many corners: Adam swung one in from the left and Stephen, finding space, popped a header past the stranded keeper.

A clean sheet should have been on the cards but an error in the 17^th minute by Ciarán from a throw-in left the ball to trickle over the line and the keeper looking for the ground to swallow him up.

As Scarisbrick took some heart from their undeserved lifeline, Jacob broke out but his shot was straight at the keeper. He repeated the run in the 22^nd minute but it wasn’t to be his day as the shot hammered against the foot of the post with the keeper beaten. A minute later, another thumping clearance by Ciarán was picked up on the right by Jacob and his cross left Adam to tap in the fourth goal. There was still time for more bad luck for Jacob as his excellent volley from a good early cross was just wide.

To their credit, the boys created a host of chances throughout the game – but it will be finishing that will be high on the list for practice before another early start against Ursuline next week.

The versatility of Elliot – scoring the first goal and effortlessly slotting into right back to finish the game – saw him receive the Man of the Match medal.

Match Report – Game 5 – Saturday 16th October

vs. Silcox Villa: 2-3

Team: Ciarán; Josh, Stephen (capt.); Joe, Caleb, Adam; Jacob. Subs: Elliot, Matty, Seamus.

The boys started brightly against unbeaten Silcox Villa, with Joe getting a shot in from wide after only 55 seconds. Joe then went on set up Adam but his shot was wide. Adam was seeing a lot of the ball down the left and, with a neat through ball from Jacob, saw another chance blocked away by the keeper.

Silcox were picking the ball up in midfield, despite Caleb’s best efforts with his head and it took a last ditch tackle by Stephen, with three forwards behind him, to keep them out. Stephen was playing up to last week’s form but the whole defence went to sleep after 12 minutes as a left side corner was headed in with the Silcox player under no pressure.

The boys were creating space in front of goal however: the shot at the end of a fleet-footed dribble from Adam was blocked away soon after a looping lob from Caleb had just cleared the crossbar. Silcox were still a menace as they continued to pick up the ball in midfield but the boys were back on level terms in the 19^th minute, again from a corner, as the low ball from Adam was prodded home by Jacob.

The half continued to follow the same pattern, as Silcox Villa threatened from midfield but the boys continued to carve out the chances. A snapshot from Adam – although he was nearly tackled by a two year old girl running onto the pitch! – was saved and an error from the keeper nearly let in Jacob. Silcox Villa barely deserved their half time lead, then, as another left side corner this time was expertly headed back across the goal into the top corner.

With Matty and Seamus replacing Joe and Jacob at half time, the second half began like the first, with the boys pushing on looking for the equaliser. Another mazy run from Adam produced a half chance but Silcox were busy at the other end. Another corner was met with a bullet header but this timer Ciarán was able to push it onto the bar and take the rebound.

A defensive mix-up nearly let Silcox in but again Ciarán was there to make the save. Although Silcox went close soon after, the boys pulled the score back to 2-2 in the 7^th minute. A ball into the danger area from Matty, indecision from the keeper and there in a shot was Seamus, slipping it under the keeper for the equaliser.

As soon as they were on equal terms, however, the boys went to sleep and Silcox went straight back up the other end and restored their lead, as Ciarán could only push away a shot to the unmarked forward to tap in. With Elliot replacing Adam, they almost got back to level terms as quick as they had gone behind as a run from Seamus on the break saw him shoot narrowly wide. A long range shot from Adam, quickly back on to replace the injured Stephen, fizzed wide.

Into the last quarter of the match, Silcox Villa began to take a stranglehold on midfield as they continued to pick up the loose balls as the boys pushed on. Ciarán was to prove more than up for the task, however, as he pulled of a series of solid saves and handling safe enough to make a keeper down the M62 blush! Diving bravely at the feet of the forward to take the ball, a reflex save with an outstretched foot, a challenge enough to put the forward off – Silcox Villa were held at bay. Helped by some solid tackles by Matty and some bad misses, Silcox could not extend their lead.

It was not all one way traffic, however, as battling work from Elliot and Jacob, back on for Caleb, kept their defence busy and a lob from Seamus just cleared the bar. With Josh now raiding down the right, he linked up with Seamus to force a corner but Silcox broke out quickly and it took a double save from Ciarán to prevent the fourth goal.

With no game next Saturday, the boys must surely have run out of table-topping teams to play when they return. By then, a couple of solid training sessions should see them get a better balance between attack and defence and turn the current series of narrow defeats into the victories they deserve.

Man of the match: an almost unanimous vote (well, at least one parent has to vote for somebody else!) saw a bravura second half display from Ciarán rewarded with the medal this week.  

Match Report – Game 4 – Saturday 9th October

vs. Camlyn Rangers White: 0-1

Team: Ciarán; Josh, Stephen (capt.); Jacob, Caleb, Adam; Seamus. Subs: Elliot, Joe, Matty.

This was a much improved performance from last week. The boys failed to capitalise on first half chances in an even game and undeservedly lost to a late second half goal.

Both sides fought for superiority in the early minutes: Adam and Seamus linked well early on, only for the chance to be snuffed out and a dribble from Adam forced a save from the keeper. Either side of this, Camlyn got in long range shots which were comfortably dealt with by Ciarán. As the half wore on (and Ciarán’s push around the post did not result in a corner), the defence continued to hold strong, with a Caleb header clear from a corner and the usual strong defensive work from Stephen and Josh ensuring their opponents got no reward.

Midway through the half, a smart break down the right from Jacob won a corner. From Josh’s centre, the ball reached Seamus at an awkward height and he just failed to control it with the goal at his mercy. Having seen a generous free kick on the edge of the box for Camlyn sail over the bar, Caleb collected the ball from the goal kick and sent Seamus free, only for the defence to hook it clear. A minute later, the boys nearly took the lead again as Jacob saw his shot cleared off the line.

With Joe and Elliot coming on for Adam and Seamus for the last five minutes of the half (it would have been six minutes, but the referee’s watch must have been a Hong Kong model), the boys continued to keep it tight until half time.

With no changes at the turn around, Camlyn started on the offensive but a solid header from Joe and a clean catch by Ciarán from the corner saw the danger averted. As Camlyn attacks were regularly halted by Stephen and Josh, a long range shot from Caleb and good interplay from Jacob and Elliot kept the other defence busy.

Six minutes in and a triple change saw Matty, Adam and Seamus replace Josh, Jacob and Elliot and soon after Camlyn had a goal rightly disallowed: their centre forward, yet again obstructing Ciarán at the free kick, pushed the keeper out of the way and the ball sailed into the top corner. However, this proved more costly for Matty who, in trying to head the ball clear, only succeeded in bouncing off the goal post – two minutes on the pitch and a shiner on Sunday being his reward this week!

With Josh back on as a result, the boys nearly paid for a daft mix-up from the goal kick. Camlyn had a number of free kicks without causing many problems to the defence and Stephen continued to block and tackle superbly. It was not one-way traffic, though – Seamus saw a shot go wide on the half way mark and a low free kick from Joe was hacked away.

A Camlyn corner in the 19^th minute nearly brought a goal but as the ball hit the base of the post Ciarán dived on the rebound. The Crosby Stuart netminder was giving an assured display with safe handling from shots and corners – even when one escaped his gloves, the crossbar and Stephen came to his rescue.

Elliot and Jacob came on for the last five minutes, with Seamus and Joe making way but disaster struck with only three minutes left as Camlyn picked up a loose ball from a throw-in and the shot from just outside the area eluded the defence.

Desperate for an equaliser, the boys pushed on but were nearly caught again, only for Ciarán to take it bravely at the forward’s feet. As a last minute shot from Jacob went wide, so did the boys’ chances of getting something from this game.

This was a stronger defensive display from all the team, who deserved at least a point from the side who beat them in the Shield final last season.

Man of the Match: A true captain’s display this week from Stephen takes the award. Well in, Stevo!

Match Report – Game 3 – Saturday 2nd October

vs. Active Soccer: 1-6

Team: Ciarán; Stephen (capt.), Josh; Adam, Jacob, Joe; Seamus. Subs: Elliot, Matty

Passive defending against a much-changed Active Soccer saw the boys suffer a heavy defeat.

After a bright start, poor defending from a throw-in after only two minutes, with a flick-on to an unmarked forward, set the tone for the match.

The boys almost hit back immediately though, as a long ball from Josh left Joe in lots of space but his shot went just over the top. Jacob then set Seamus through but the shot was blocked; a minute later the same two linked again, only for Seamus to shoot wide under pressure.

Five minutes in and a well-weighted free kick from Joe was headed wide. The boys had Active Soccer pinned in their own half with Jacob finding space in the middle and Adam causing problems on the left – a solo run from defence by Adam saw their keeper make a good block to prevent the equaliser.

As well as they may have been playing going forward, the boys left themselves open to the break and paid a heavy penalty. Active Soccer broke out, found little resistance in midfield or defence and scored. By the fifteenth minute they were three down from another poorly defended throw-in.

Matty replaced Adam and soon after Jacob nearly got one back as a long distance shot hit the post. Matty found space on the left but a delayed shot was blocked by the defender.

Active Soccer were soon back on the attack and, from a free kick on the edge of the box, Ciarán made a sharp save but a fourth goal, again on the break, soon followed.

Elliot came in at right back for the second half, allowing Stephen to push on. Finally the link-up between Jacob and Seamus worked: a dribble, a pass and a fifth goal of the season for the nippy forward.

With Stephen working hard on the right and Jacob always looking for space, the boys played better in this half. Adam, back on for Matty, saw a header go narrowly wide but a fifth goal came 10 minutes in as goalkeeper and defence faltered to allow Active Soccer to score.

To their credit, the boys kept looking for goals. Stephen saw a shot from wide out skim along the bar and Adam had a shot pawed away. Joe came on to replace Seamus up front and the Active Soccer keeper pushed out a Josh free kick. The final substitution then saw Matty replace Jacob for the last three six minutes.

Active Soccer then got a sixth goal as, after an accurate cross-field ball, the forward sent a precise lob from a narrow angle into the net with Ciarán stranded in No Man’s Land.

Searching for a late consolation, an on-target shot from Joe hit the defender on the head, only for the deflection to go over the bar.

The boys must learn that defending is a responsibility for the whole team and to hold their position on the pitch – at times they were all guilty, from keeper to forward, of being in the wrong place and allowing the opposition space and time. It was a hard lesson against a good team but they must improve quickly if they are not to suffer similar disappointment again.

Man of the Match: Jacob was awarded the medal this week, for good play on the attack from midfield, looking for the pass to the man in space. Well done!