Sweet Revenge As Lions Are Tamed

Monday 11th April

vs. Marina Sands Lions 2-0

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

Classy football up front and defending by the whole team in the second half brought a victory to savour for those both on the pitch and off it. School on Monday will be something for some of the boys to look forward to!

From the whistle, they were on the attack and got the perfect start after only three minutes as Josh picked up the ball from Caleb and coolly lobbed the ball into the net from outside the box, leaving the Lions’ keeper floundering.

With more than just three points at stake, this was always going to be a fast and furious game and Stephen and Elliot needed to be alert only a minute later, conceding a corner which was easily cleared.

The boys were already playing the better football, keeping the ball on the ground and creating space with movement and precise passing. Adam, Seamus and Jacob brought the ball out to relieve the defence and although the Lions stood firm, Adam had a chance moments later to set up Josh but this time he shot wide.

The wind may have been with the boys but the Lions pace on the attack kept them on their toes and Ciarán B made a vital block with an outstretched leg in the 8^th minute to keep them in the lead. Elliot was having a busy time and some determined defending was needed, even as the Lions came close with a header narrowly wide from another corner.

Caleb, Jacob and Josh combined down the left with passing good enough to grace any pitch, only for Jacob to pull his shot wide. The Lions were struggling to hold the boys at bay now as first Adam and then Caleb provided chances for Seamus but he couldn’t extend this season’s tally.

The weak spot in the Lions’ defence seemed to be their left and more incredible one-touch football between Caleb, Josh and Adam in the 17^th minute set the winger free but another chance went begging.

The Lions finally broke out and Stephen again needed to be alert and Ciarán B pounced before the forward could react. He was at his best again in the 20^th minute to get down and make the save after a mistake on the edge of the box.

The ball had been like a hot potato in this half, but when the boys brought it under control and relaxed, they were creating the chances but without any luck in front of goal as Seamus’ reliable right foot deserted him once again.

It was a tight first half but the boys had carved out the better chances and deserved the lead that they had all worked hard to gain. On the touchline, nerves were jangling – would one goal be enough now that they were playing into the wind?

Tom and Ciarán S were on for the second half, with Elliot and Jacob taking a break, and the Lions came straight at them looking for the equaliser. Within two minutes of the restart, Ciarán B was called on to block away a shot with Joe on hand to help it clear.  

The boys were struggling to get out of their own half but valiant defending by Joe, Tom, Stephen and especially Matty was keeping the Lions at bay and leaving Ciarán B to watch as the ball went wastefully wide, mixed with the odd easy take.  

It wasn’t all one way traffic, however, and again it was Matty, feeding neat low balls down the left wing for Adam to chase that ensured the Lions couldn’t relax at the back.

In the 40^th minute, more resolute defending kept the Lions out as Danny blocked the ball along the goal line for a corner. Fired in from the left, a stray touch from the boys saw the ball squirt just wide for another corner. Although Matty’s head was there to clear the ball, the shot from the edge of the box buzzed wide.

Sometimes the touches were strong, sometimes they were just enough at full stretch but the boys were standing firm. Out wide, Danny and Adam, working with Joe and Matty, were the first line of defence as the Lions struggled to fashion any clear-cut chances. Instead it was Adam, racing around the full back in the 43^rd minute only to be tackled as the centre back came across to cover, who carved out the opening. With a quick throw-in, Seamus was in on goal only to push it narrowly wide.

A minute later, Matty was on hand again to make a succession of tackles and slip the ball into midfield. Josh set Adam away down the left for a cross that the Lions’ keeper was grateful to hold onto.

In the 50^th minute an absolutely knackered Danny was replaced by Jacob and he was soon pushing the Lions back on the right. The Lions had tried a number of different combinations up front in the second half without any luck and even when a shot made its way through in the 51^st minute, Ciarán B was able to make a comfortable save and take his time with the clearance.

The Lions seemed to have run out of steam by now – the centre backs knew they had been in a game with Seamus at them all match, aided by Ciarán S in the second half, and both had been quick to drop back and work when necessary. Still the lead was only a single goal and, as Seamus’ determination let Caleb set him up, his miskick in the 55^th minute left everyone on the touchline with no fingernails left.

It was if Seamus had just been playing with our nerves as, set free by Josh as he popped up on the left side yet again, he slipped the ball past the despairing keeper with two minutes left to finally leave one side of the pitch wild. Job done, at last, barely a smile crossed his face as his team mates mobbed him.

With the game as good as won, it was left to Ciarán B to expertly step across the forward to see the ball out and the boys to see a shot from a late Lions’ corner go high and wide to see out the game.

In the past, the boys have been overawed by the physical presence of the Lions. Not tonight. There was a determination to win this match, laced with spells of splendid football that marked this out as one of their best performances. They thoroughly deserved to win the game and strengthen their position at the top of the table. All thirteen boys played a vital role in the victory but for some staunch defending, fearless headers and taking every chance to turn attack into defence, Matty was a well-deserved the Man of the Match.