Saturday 15th March
vs Marina Sands Jags 1-1
Team: Ciarán; Louis, Sam, Josh, Ben; Dylan, Caleb, Jacob,
Adam; Ollie; Joe. Subs: Cormac, Elliot H, Elliot R, Tom.
The boys had enough chances to win this game but wasted
the opportunity to start the Spring Championship with a victory.
After a slow start as each team struggled to master the
cross wind, the boys had the first real opening in the 7th minute.
Ollie rode a series of tackles to bring it out of defence and gave Joe the
perfect ball to run on to but the defence were back to cover as he chose not to
shoot early and the chance went begging.
Sam had a solid first half, with little getting past him.
He came to his team’s rescue after 13 minutes, heading a goal bound shot clear
after they had failed to properly deal with a Jags’ free kick.
Ollie and Joe combined again in the 15th
minute but the result was no better than earlier. Joe was on hand to take full
advantage of a clanger from the Jags’ keeper two minutes later, though, tapping
into an unguarded net as he failed to hold onto a long range effort from Adam.
Josh made amends for not heading clearing by regaining
the ball and sending Jacob into acres of space but yet again a Crosby player
did not get the shot away. They were slowly getting a stranglehold on the game
as Caleb’s influence in midfield grew, his ball into the channel for Dylan cut
off by a stretching Jags’ defender midway through the half. Adam created an
opening from himself in the box and Joe shot wildly over the top as they chased
a second goal and Joe came closest, his free kick rattling the crossbar after
Ollie had been crudely shoved in the back after 27 minutes.
They again looked vulnerable on the left at times but
Ciarán’s handling was immaculate throughout the game and he confidently pushed
a long range shot around the post that bounced just in front of him to preserve
the lead five minutes before the break.
Dylan had a great chance to end the half, sent clear by
Joe’s touch around the corner after Sam had cleared the lines, only for the
uneven ground to push him wide and give the Jags the chance to again close down
another attack.
The four substitutes all came on for the second half with
Ben, Joe, Ollie and Sam taking a breather and they were made to pay for their
first half profligacy as a run straight through the heart of the team two
minutes after the break left Ciarán with no chance to prevent the equaliser.
Louis had greater freedom to roam from a midfield
position in the second half and his persistence set up a chance for Cormac who
shot straight at the keeper. Coming in from the right, Cormac got to a mishit
effort from Jacob in the 41st minute only for the keeper to push it
around the post as the boys regained their composure.
Tom, finding his feet after being out since early
January, was grateful for Josh alongside him. Outshone in central defence in
the first half, Josh went on to give a confident second half performance to
keep the Jags’ breaks at bay that deservedly earned him the Man of the Match
award.
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