Saturday 2nd November
vs Marina Sands Lions 1-4
Team: Ciarán; Elliot H, Tom, Sam, Elliot R; Ollie, Josh,
Caleb, Adam; Joe, Jacob. Subs: Ben, Cormac.
The boys bowed out of the County FA Cup, sponsored by
Tesco, at the first hurdle, beaten by old rivals.
With the winds at the backs for the first period, the
Lions pushed the boys into their own half and were helped by some timid
displays that made their job a lot easier. Their three goal lead at half time
gave the boys a mountain to climb – at least the second half performance, with
Ian’s words ringing in their ears, was creditable.
They were a goal down in two minutes, the ball cut across
the box for the advancing right winger to fire home – not the first time they
were able to find acres of space on the left side of the defence in the first
half.
Any efforts to escape from their own half were invariably
met by a foul from the Lions, and the left winger was lucky to escape a word
from the referee for his repeated infringements. The free kicks into the wind,
with the Lions regrouped, were scant reward.
They extended their lead after 10 minutes. Elliot H made
two interceptions but the Lions came back, caught Ollie in possession and swung
a speculative shot into the top right corner. The boys pushed on down the left
but looked vulnerable in the space behind and Ciarán had to hang on to a shot
from the spare man again.
Joe gave Jacob something to chase deep into the Lions
half, from which he cleverly won a corner. Taken short, it was quickly cleared
and Ciarán was forced to make another save: they may be quick but speed is no
recompense for a lack of composure and the Lions should have turned around with
the game securely in the bag.
Instead, they scored only once more, breaking down the left
and firing through the advancing Ciarán in the 26th minute. Jacob got
away down the left after 30 minutes, only for Joe to be beaten to the cross by
the advancing keeper. From a clearance that bounced through the boys’ defensive
line the Lions rattled the crossbar from the left and the extra man again on
their right smacked the rebound goalwards, only to be stopped by a great
one-handed save by Ciarán low down at the post.
Changes late in the half, with Adam swapping with Elliot
R and Ben coming on for his debut at centre back in place of Elliot H, gave
some greater stability going into the break and Josh was trying to link up with
his new team mates whenever possible in midfield.
They may have had the wind in their favour at the
turnaround but the second half started in torrential rain. It didn’t stop them
from attacking with greater purpose, forcing the Lions back on the left. In the
41st minute, they resorted to halting Ollie – a livewire throughout
the game – by unfair means and Joe’s free kick went just the wrong side of the
crossbar.
They were in the game now but the three goal cushion
meant the Lions could still attack with purpose and Ciarán had to be alert,
blocking well as they broke on 43 minutes. Cormac and Elliot H replaced Josh
and Elliot R with 25 minutes left.
The centre back pairing of Sam and Ben were playing with
much more composure and Sam was on hand to save the day from an
uncharacteristically flat goal kick from Ciarán. Cormac dropped in at left back
and worked well to shield the ball back to his twin in goal more than once.
They finally got a goal back after 55 minutes, as poacher
Joe scored his 13th goal of the season, on hand to get to the
rebound after Caleb’s penalty had been saved by the keeper. Joe was instrumental
in the build up, as his free kick crashed against the bar and Ollie beat the
defenders to the ball, only to be upended for a blatant spot kick.
The boys pushed on as the Lions began to show some nerves
but they wrapped up their victory with a goal five minutes before the end, the
left winger stepping away from the edge of the box and a tired defence to pick
up the throw-in and leave Ciarán groping at air as the ball fizzed into the
corner of the net.
The difference between the two halves was stark and it wasn’t
just the horizontal rain that stopped the Lions. The boys played with a much
greater belief and assurance: as the passes finally began to reach their target,
they gave the Lions – who moved to another league for “the challenge” –
something to think about. With Ben and Josh added to the squad, strength and
option are slowly returning and Josh took the Man of the Match award for his midfield
display alongside unfamiliar team mates, with Ollie and Ciarán getting a
mention for their performances.
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