Two out of two start to the season

Saturday 5th March
vs. Active Soccer 3-1

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

After a four week break due to waterlogged pitches, the boys got going again with another solid victory.

Almost inevitably after such a long break, the match started scrappily in midfield, although Elliot and Matty were feeding Danny and Adam with quality balls down the flanks: both wingers were giving the full backs plenty to think about. They almost took the lead in the fifth minute after good work from Josh in midfield set Adam free. From the resulting corner, the ball was missed by the keeper and fell to Josh who could only hook it over the crossbar.

The boys went close form another corner in the fourteenth minute, again after good work from Danny. Josh’s ball fell to Jacob who saw his shot saved. Three minutes later, good interplay between Adam and Seamus left the forward free, only for the keeper again to make the save.

With Jacob and Danny being replaced by Ciarán S and Tom, the boys finally got the lead their forward play deserved in the twentieth minute. A mix-up from a goal kick allowed Adam to pounce and his fierce shot high into the net was too good for the keeper.

Active Soccer had given few problems to the defence, but Ciarán B’s concentration was tested just after the goal as he was out quickly to take the ball off the forward’s foot. At the other end, Ciarán S was working hard, chasing the ball down and putting the keeper under pressure. Adam was still speeding past the full back to force another corner but Active Soccer broke out  - and there was Stephen to clear up at the back an ensure the boys went into the break a goal up.

Jacob and Danny came back at the start of the second half, giving Seamus and Elliot a break. Almost from the restart, the boys conceded a free kick on the edge of the area, but the wall blocked away the shot. As another attack was easily dealt with, Ciarán B’s clearance left Joe in acres of space down the right, forcing another corner. The ball arrived with Adam in the middle but his shot went wide.

The boys were finding plenty of space wide and the second goal came from a throw-in on the right after five minutes. As the ball pinballed around the box, Jacob scrambled it home to double the lead. A minute later they should have had the chance to go further ahead, but the referee denied what seemed to be a clear handball.

Marshalling a changed defence well, Stephen became more decisive as the game progressed, ensuring Active soccer didn’t get a sniff at goal. He was helped by the forwards now pinning their opponents into their own half as their keeper needed safe hands to keep them at bay.

Seamus and Elliot returned to the pitch, with Joe and Tom giving way and Josh taking his all-action display to the right. Straight away he was pressuring the left side of the defence and being upended for his efforts. From the free kick, the ball fell nicely to Caleb on the edge of the box and his shot into the roof of the net left the keeper wishing he was a foot taller.

Three goals up, there was plenty of space now in midfield and Caleb was taking full advantage, feeding the ball left and right to Adam and Josh. The pressure was on as Adam saw another shot go narrowly wide and a corner passed dangerously through the Active Soccer defence with nobody getting a touch.

Adam turned provider, as he spotted Seamus had strayed offside and so sent Josh free on the right, only for his shot to be turned away for yet another corner. Waiting again for the loose clearance on the edge of the box, Caleb saw his goal-bound shot ricochet off the defender’s back, fooling even the ref who gave a goal kick. They were straight back on the attack and a deft flick from Ciarán S just cleared the crossbar.

He's here, he's there...

A second clean sheet was on the cards, until the last minute as Active Soccer broke through the left side of the defence and, although Ciarán B came out to narrow the angle, the shot went in off the far post for the consolation goal.

The boys were trying to restore the three goal lead as the final whistle went with the keeper just managing to keep shots from Jacob and Seamus out of the net.

After a slow start, the boys got the reward of a victory against a side to which they lost heavily in October. With each game, they are taking greater advantage of the extra space wide and the defence is getting tighter and playing as a unit. Up front, there is still some work to be done to stay onside but playing as they did in the second half they will give anybody a game.  

The Man of the Match award was given to Josh for a bustling display in a busy midfield which he maintained when out on the right.