Back on track

Saturday 24^th March

vs. Marina Sands Tigers 5-0

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

“Win all of the rest of the games and you’ll win the league!”

Having been reminded how poorly they had played last week, Ian told the boys that the chance to win the league was still in their hands as he sent them out against the Tigers.

In a first half where they tended to overhit the through ball, or watch it run away down the slope, it was Adam who caused the greatest threat. A series of mazy dribbles left the fill back with twisted blood but time and again there was nobody on hand to finish it off. Adam himself shot over and Lewis put one wide in the 7^th minute after the winger had cut it back to him as the Tigers were pushed back.

Joe stepped up to lift it over the Tigers back line and was on hand to clear to touch moments later as the Tigers finally broke out. The Tigers came close to taking a lead on that attack but, as their manager bemoaned the total control the boys had in midfield (“they’re running rings around you”), they finally took the lead in the 12^th minute. Josh and Lewis had seen shots go straight into the keeper’s hands but it was Tom, taking Lewis’ throw under control, who lifted it high above the keeper for his first goal of the season.

Jacob replaced Josh at the restart as Caleb’s through ball was just too strong for the hard-working Ciarán S to control. Tom and Joe were covering behind each other on the rare occasions the Tigers crossed the half way line as, in midfield, Caleb and Lewis tried to exploit the gaps in the Tigers’ defence.

The short corners were working better this week as in the 18^th minute Adam’s shot from out on the left was tipped wide by the keeper. The Tigers never properly cleared the next corner and Adam was on hand on the edge of the box to take the loose ball and pass to Lewis whose shot from 20 yards flew past the keeper and deep into the net.

The boys were again reminded that the Tigers could cause trouble as Ciarán B made a great block as they broke on the right but the boys finished the half back in their penalty area as they just managed to clear Caleb’s splendid corner, fired in under the crossbar.

Josh and Cormac came on for Danny and Tom for the second half, with the boys going to three across the back and greater numbers in midfield. Although Ciarán B made a comfortable save from the kick off, the changes worked almost immediately as Adam increased the lead in the 30^th minute: Ciarán S kept the ball alive across the face of the box to set him up and his high shot left the keeper groping at the air.

Two minutes later and the boys were four up. The push in the back on Ciarán S looked as if it was in the area – no matter, as Adam’s curling free kick found the top corner of the net.

The Tigers were getting stretched at the back as the midfield tightened their grip. A mistimed header nearly allowed Jacob a run on goal and their defence scrambled it away for a run of corners, ending with Matty heading into the keeper’s hands. Lewis’ shot may have been wide of the mark in the 37^th minute but it nearly decapitated the unsuspecting spectator behind the goal.

The Tigers showed some fight but Ciarán B was on hand to stay up and save well in the 39^th minute and made himself a big obstacle a minute later, doing enough to put the forward off as the shot went wide.

Two-goal hero Adam took a knock and was replaced by Danny, with Lewis taking a rest and Tom returning to the pitch with a quarter of the game left. Josh had a goal disallowed for offside in the 45^th minute and his low cross moments later was put narrowly wide by Ciarán S.

Josh was relishing in the space and time on the right wing and a series of crosses and corners provided a host of chances. Ciarán S saw one shot blocked and Cormac’s shot as the ball came out hit the defender. Cormac also had a shot taken off his foot as the Tigers held out.

Josh was well supported by Elliot as the game wore on as the boys played out of defence down the right. The fifth almost came down the other wing, though, as Jacob’s nimble footwork set Ciarán S free – his first shot was blocked and he watched in despair as his second hit the foot of the post.

The scoreline finally reflected their dominance of the game two minutes from the end as Josh saw another great corner scrambled away to Tom who set it back into Josh’s path for him to curl it out of the keeper’s reach – the fifth goal to come from outside the box.

The Man of the Match vote went to Adam for a great display on the left but some of his team mates were worthy of mention. Ciaran S worked tirelessly upfront with no luck. Tom may have got the opener but his defensive display was invaluable, as was that of the rest of the back four, including the ever-alert Elliot who was there covering late on to stop the three man break on his own.

If the boys are proving themselves to be expert in the delivery of corners and free kicks, they are yet to show the composure in the box to take full advantage, as countless superb balls went begging – all five goals came from outside the box – but if they keep creating the chances, the victories will surely follow.