North sent south in second half goal glut

Saturday 12^th November

vs. Liverpool North 4-1 

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

This was another Groundhog Day performance against Liverpool North – the boys went a goal down but fought back to win comfortably as they got their season back on track in the antepenultimate match with an excellent second half performance.

Ciarán S was involved in everything good going forward in this game and, after the almost traditional loose start, he exchanged passes with Josh after 4 minutes to free Danny down the right. His ball into the centre was cleared only as far as Tom whose long range shot curled just wide of the post.

Starting at right back, Tom had a good first half in defence and soon after his shot was on hand to recover from a slip to knock the ball to safety off the winger’s foot.

A slide-rule pass from Caleb in the 9^th minute almost set up Ciarán S as the boys, after struggling to get out of their own half, looked menacing whenever they attacked.

More positive play from Danny deserved something better from both Josh and Elliot after 11 minutes and the right winger should have put the boys one up after Ciarán S had slipped the ball to him in the 13^th minute, only to be incorrectly called offside.

Ciarán S broke free after 16 minutes, forcing a great save from the keeper, and a drive from Caleb a minute later ended at Danny’s feet. His shot hit the bar and Elliot’s header into the empty net was, this time, correctly ruled offside.

From the free kick, they paid a heavy price for not converting the chances as poor defending allowed the Liverpool forward to break free from the attention of three markers to leave Ciarán B with little chance.  A minute later, though, they were back on level terms as Danny’s touch set up Ciarán S who took his time to slot home the equaliser.

Ciarán B had been looking to open up the play with kicks to the wing and he was giving Adam a regular run at the right back but the defence was coping with the corners. Ciarán S turned provider in the 26^th minute as the boys looked to take a lead into half time, but Danny’s shot was saved and Josh’s superb corner was too good for everybody in the box.

Jacob replaced Tom for the second half, with Matty moving from left to right back and Adam dropping back. Jacob was a threat straight away but there was no end product to his early attack with Ciarán S.

Although there was a scare after 34 minutes as a poorly defended corner allowed North a shot that Ciarán B was able to watch go wide, the boys were slowly getting a stranglehold on the match and, after Ciarán S couldn’t control a long clearance from Joe, the took the lead after 38 minutes. Josh ran straight at the heart of the defence and his ball to the back post was headed up in the air and Jacob was on hand to head it home unmarked under the post.

They could breathe easier a minute later as they made it 3-1. After Caleb and Jacob had linked to create a chance for Josh, Danny was on hand to hook the keeper’s save back over the line.

The extended lead allowed more changes, with Lewis and Josh swapping positions and Matty being relieved by Cormac. As North tried to get back into the game, the sub was into the action straight away in the box, although it took an excellent save with his legs from his brother in goal to finally thwart the attack.

Lewis was enjoying his freedom in midfield, winning free kicks and setting up Jacob who forced a save from the keeper. It was Jacob’s quick thinking on 49 minutes that set up the fourth, as his throw-in put in Ciarán S for a great finish that was too hot for the keeper.

Tom and Matty returned to the fray, at the expense of Elliot and Danny as Joe took a turn up front but, as last week, it was Lewis who came closest to scoring as his long range shot cannoned off bar and post and looked suspiciously as if it had crossed the line. Surely we need goal line technology, as well as linesmen!

As ever, a battling display was needed to see off North. Not dodging headers in midfield and a better final pass may have made life easier but Ciarán S was a worthy winner of the Man of the Match award for his menace up front.