TMS Tap In A Win

Saturday 24^th September

vs. TMS 0-5

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

The boys were left to rue not taking their chances in the first half as the league favourites ran out comfortable winners.

They started well, with Josh and Adam on the flanks pushing forward but also covering back to break up any TMS attacks. Ciarán S and Elliot linked well in the 6^th minute to set up Caleb but his shot fizzed over the bar. Ciarán S then set up Elliot who forced a low save from the keeper. Ciarán B had also got in a good nerve-settling save above his head.

A minute later they were a goal down as TMS scored with their first real attack. The midfield hesitated, but the whistle was from a match on an adjacent pitch and TMS took full advantage. Ciarán B was at full stretch to save, only for the forward following up to tap home – and it wouldn’t be for the first time.

They pushed forward looking for the equaliser but, after Josh had created space on the right, neither Ciarán S nor Elliot got a shot on goal and it was left to Joe to return the clearance from long range just wide of the post. They were forcing their opponents back and allowing them to play only on the break but they were to prove that they still had a ruthless streak. Ciarán B again pulled off a good save in the 14^th minute but they were straight back at them with the left winger catching the defence napping as his low shot nestled into the far corner of the net.

The boys continued to play neat football, passing it crisply around and creating opportunities. The TMS keeper could only push out a Josh corner unconvincingly and low ball across the face of goal from Joe was deflected wide.

Elliot’s shot in the 18^th minute brought a full length save out of the keeper and, from Joe’s corner, Matty’s touch went straight to the keeper. After Stephen had been alert to stop another break, Caleb was fouled just outside the box. Taking the free kick himself, the keeper needed two goes to save Caleb’s shot and prevent them from getting the goal their first half display merited. With Adam and Josh again teaming up on the left to create some space, TMS were clinging on to the two goal advantage, although they closed the half with a succession of corners that were stoutly defended by the boys.

Jacob and Danny replaced Elliot and Lewis for the second half, as TMS responded to what must surely have been a tongue lashing from their manager and began to take control of the game. An early corner whizzed straight through as a sign of things to come and they crowded Ciarán S out after Caleb had found him unmarked.

After 33 minutes the boys went three down, making it too easy on the right and the cross was slotted past Ciarán B. Two minutes later the Crosby keeper was left horribly exposed as two attackers bore down on him: the goal was allowed to stand even though the second forward took a greedy touch to see it over the line, despite protests for offside to the referee.

On 37 minutes Ciarán B took his time – and two touches – to collect a high shot and set the boys back on the attack. However, they were struggling in this half to bring the ball under control and force a save from the TMS keeper. Danny and Ciarán B worked some space on the right to create a chance for Jacob after 40 minutes. From the resulting corner, Matty mistimed his header into his own feet.

After 42, Ciarán B was smartly out to take the ball off the forward’s feet and quickly start another attack – a bit too quick for his fellow defenders who struggled to take advantage of the roll out.

Matty was holding his own at left back and Tom looked far more comfortable at right back, having swapped with Joe, but they almost went further behind after 45 minutes as a rasping shot across the face of the goal cannoned off the far post with Ciarán B a mere spectator. TMS scored a fifth after 49 minutes as a comedy of errors left the forward with an easy tap-in.

 

Adam had spent more time doubling up with Matty on the left in the second half than pushing forward but he broke through to set up a chance for Ciarán S late on. Jacob saw a snap chance fly over the bar before that and took advantage of a good low ball from Joe to set up Caleb at the death but he was denied a consolation as his shot sliced wide.

The boys didn’t deserve to lose by such a margin but were guilty in the first half of not taking their chances and of not defending in the second. The midfield must remember that they are equally responsible for stopping their opponent’s attacks as they are for launching ours and the number of tap-ins highlighted how easy TMS found it to get beyond the defenders throughout the game.

Matty was as reliable as ever at left back and a steady performance, allied to positive play when both defending and attacking at corners won him the accolade of this week’s Man of the Match.

Second Half Display Sees Off Tigers

Tuesday 13^th September

vs. Marina Sands Tigers 8-0

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

The remnants of Hurricane Katia may have swept across the pitch but it was the Tigers who were blown away as the boys started the season with a resounding win.

The boys led 3-0 at the break but should have been further ahead as they let the uncultured style of their opponents at times put them off their stride . With the ball on the floor, they had the Tigers at their mercy, with Jacob and Adam connecting to find space on the left. Joe was quick to keep up the pressure as they tried to clear their lines and Adam came close to creating an opening as he stole the ball from the keeper’s clutches.

The breakthrough came from the penalty spot on the 8^th minute. Josh broke through a high defensive line, from which Seamus was denied by a man on the line. After a series of corners that the Tigers desperately cleared away, with Elliot, Jacob and Seamus keeping them pinned back, the pressure finally told as the defender handled. Caleb stepped up and coolly slotted the spot kick into the corner of the net.

Matty pulled off a couple of solid defensive headers as the Tigers took advantage of some sloppy control in midfield. The boys showed they could pull them apart at will, as Seamus’ ball to Adam across the box saw the winger shoot into the side netting. The lead should have been extended in the 14^th minute after Adam’s cross from acres of space on the left was turned in by Jacob running in from the edge of the box, only for the referee to rule it offside.

Ciarán B, between the sticks, was on hand with good handling in difficult conditions and his clearances set the boys on their way again. They finally doubled their lead in the 18^th minute as the Tigers again struggled to clear the ball until Jacob took control to hook it beyond the keeper and into the corner of the net.

As the half wore on, the boys took the game by the scruff of the neck – the defenders stepping up to set the attacks going again, with plenty of space on the flanks for Adam and Joe to exploit. From yet another corner, they came close to increasing the lead as Matty’s header was palmed out by the keeper and Josh’s overhead kick was headed clear over the bar. Matty stayed up for the next corner and it was his presence that troubled the defence and allowed Adam to volley home from the edge of the box after 25 minutes.

Ciarán S, Danny and Lewis came on at half time, giving Jacob, Josh and Elliot a break. Although the teams were stood waiting for the ref to restart, it was a brief respite before the Tigers were again on the back foot. Straight from the kick off, Joe saw a shot go wide as the boys began to keep the ball on the floor and rip their opponents to pieces.

Adam slipped the ball through the defenders as Danny ran on, only for the keeper to just get his hands to the ball as the forwards overran it. Danny was giving the left back a torrid time, running at him time and again and picking up any balls coming across the box.

As Ciarán S cut in from the left in the 34^th minute, his shot flew across the goal and Danny and Seamus linked to force a save from the keeper. Another deadly Caleb corner was flicked home by Joe to give them a fourth.

It was one-way traffic by now as Danny again pushed the defence back, linking with Caleb to create chance after chance. Another searing corner saw Seamus’ header fly away to safety as the boys went in search of more goals.

The Tigers were restricted to attacking on the break but cool defensive play from Stephen, Tom and Ciarán B ensured that they started with a clean sheet, with a one handed save from Ciarán B in the 43^rd minute denying the Tigers any consolation.

The save only spurred the boys to run in four goals in the last 12 minutes. Danny again took the ball deep into the heart of the Tigers defence and his cross was cleared only as far as Caleb, whose superb left foot shot curled past the stranded keeper.

The sixth goal, in the 46^th minute, was again from a Caleb corner after Danny’s shot, as he again broke through the defence, was pushed wide. This time, Ciarán S was on had as the ball bobbled around the stricken defence.

The eighth goal, on 49 minutes, was almost a carbon copy of the sixth, except Elliot – up front as he, Jacob and Josh were back on for Adam, Joe and Seamus – was the man to get the final touch.

In between, Danny finally got the goal his excellent second half display deserved as he took full advantage of Jacob’s pass to coolly lift it over the onrushing keeper.

The Tigers were hanging on for the final whistle by now, as Stephen pushed into midfield to slide another ball to Danny on the right wing. His searching cross was missed by the forwards and he had a chance to double his tally for the match as a double save from Ciarán S and the winger prevented the ninth after Elliot was left in acres of space by Caleb’s through ball.

Double figures would not have been an unfair score line after a cultured second half display as the boys learnt the lesson form the first half, kept the ball down and passed their opponents off the park. They finished, as they started, on the attack as Stephen forced another save out of the keeper as the referee blew to put the Tigers out of their misery.

The totally dominant second half display did not make it easy to choose a Man of the Match but Danny deserved the award for a splendid second half display which set the tone for a comprehensive victory.