A Win For The Dads?

Sunday 19^th June

vs. Birkdale 1-0

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

Solid second half defending after a set-piece goal secured the points in a hard-fought victory.

Although they started tackling and intercepting in the usual midfield battle, weak passing meant that they weren’t able to build on their efforts. Poor challenges meant that it took a brave double save from Ciarán B to prevent them from going a goal down after only 2 minutes.

Up front, Ciarán S started brightly, a header on releasing Seamus to force a corner, from which Lewis misdirected a headed chance. Ciarán S was then on hand again to pressurise the defender and then his touch created the space for Adam to get away a long range shot that went wide. 

The pressure told in the 7^th minute as another corner gave the boys the lead. As Josh swung it in, Jacob ghosted in to head home unmarked.

Fouled just inside the Birkdale half, Josh quickly took the free kick short to feed Adam whose excellent cross found Seamus who had just strayed offside.

Tom was making some important tackles and interceptions as the defence still needed to be alert. Birkdale found some space down their left but Ciarán B raced out to put off the forward and the shot went harmlessly wide.

Birkdale were defending high up the pitch and the pace of Ciarán S and Seamus meant they could take advantage. A ball over the top from Josh was picked up on the run by Adam but the uneven bounce off a bumpy pitch – which was working against both defence and attack – took it away from him. A clearance from Lewis in the 15^th minute deceived everybody and Seamus’ goal-bound shot was cleared away with the keeper in a heap in the dust.

After Tom’s timely tackle in the box five minutes before half time, Jacob fought to retain the ball and set Ciarán S free but once again a bad bounce just as he pulled back the trigger saw the shot go wide.

Birkdale were looking to level the score before the break and it took strong defending  from Stephen shoulder-to-shoulder with the forward to snuff out the chance – only for the defence to almost let them back in again as they waited for the referee not to give a penalty!

Changes at half time saw Joe, Elliot and Danny replace Tom, Ciarán S and Jacob for the second half. Into the second half, Birkdale began to push forward, looking for an equaliser, and they were to play in the boys’ half of the pitch for long periods. However, they were to have little impact, thanks to some excellent defending from the back four – Ciarán B was not called upon to make a save.

Joe slotted into the back four straight away, with a couple of telling tackles, and began to link up well with Lewis.

Danny was using his pace wide right to relieve the pressure and his hard work created the space for Caleb, whose pass ran away from Seamus. The boys were struggling to escape from their own half – although Birkdale were more of a nuisance than a threat – but when Adam rode two tackles and was then fouled, they wasted the free kick.

A nicely weighted touch from Elliot allowed Josh to pass through the centre backs for Seamus to run onto and Danny was on hand to recycle the ball from the defender. His ball back into the area ran to the keeper, who did well under pressure from Seamus.

Stephen and Matty had quietly got on with their job, making a series of blocks and tackles, and Joe was on hand again with enough of a challenge on the forward as Ciarán B came out to collect and his header clear from a free kick in the 53^rd minute.

Ciarán S and Jacob came back on for the last two minutes, replacing Seamus and Caleb, but it was a couple of challenges from Stephen and a cushioned header back into Ciarán B’s hands from Joe that ensured the victory.

This was a battling show from the boys, with an excellent performance from both back fours, particularly in the second half, but the midfield was guilty of getting pulled out of position and ball watching. Greater composure with the ball at their feet would have given them the opportunity to make the game safe, rather than being on the back foot for most of the second half.

Although all the defenders could stake a claim, Joe’s excellent performance in the second half went a long way to ensuring a clean sheet and won him the Man of the Match award.