A promising start...

Saturday 6^th September
vs. Town Green Warriors 5-0

Team: Ciarán; Elliot, Caleb (capt.), Louis, Josh; Sam; Mark, Ollie, Jacob, Adam; Joe. Subs: Cormac, Tom.

The boys got off to the perfect start to the season with a solid performance. After a rusty start, as they struggled to impose themselves on physically big but limited opponents, they grew into the game and began to move the ball quickly from defence to attack, pulling Town Green apart.

Jacob and Joe were causing the Town Green defence all sorts of problems and, with Adam giving the right back the runaround, the only failing was in not converting any of the chances. Joe hit the foot of the post after 11 minutes and he was too strong for his marker minutes later, setting up Jacob for a shot that was deflected wide.

Mark was getting more involved and a great ball in from the left, after Joe had laid it back to him, saw Adam rise to head wide. It was his vision that finally broke the deadlock in the 27^th minute. Adam cut in from the left, slipped the ball in front of Joe and the keeper came out to clear the lines: the ball fell to Mark who coolly lifted it into the empty net from 30 yards.

Tom replaced Sam at half time and the boys immediately doubled their lead as Ollie was upended in the box within 20 seconds of the restart and Jacob coolly fired home the penalty. Briefly, Town Green woke up and Ciarán saved a shot that was probably going wide but they were punished again after 39 minutes. Mark sent Joe into acres of space on the right and, cutting into the box, he squared to Jacob who had plenty of time to choose his spot for his second goal.

Adam’s great first half display was rewarded with a goal in the 42^nd minute as the boys made it 4-0. Combining with Josh and Ollie from a throw-in, his cross-cum-shot from an acute angle flew into the far corner – he’ll claim he meant it.

Cormac came on for Ollie in midfield and played his part in the fifth goal after 46 minutes. He collected a weak goal kick and his pass gave Mark the time and space to shoot from the edge of the box. The Town Green keeper, who showed good handling all game, could only parry the shot into Joe’s path and last season’s top scorer got this year’s account off with a simple tap-in into the empty net.

As Ian rang the changes to make sure all the squad got a good runout, the boys let their opponents off the hook as shots rained in from all angles – Sam at least saw one fizz just over the bar – but the score line could have been embarrassing.

Nevertheless, this was still a disciplined performance that was based on good passing and movement off the ball. The defence was rock solid: Elliot was never beaten once, Josh covered well on the other wing and Louis and Caleb looked to build from the back whenever possible.

Tom protected the back four well in the second half, with Sam more inclined to push forward from a similar position. Occasionally slow to get back, the midfield created chances from start to finish: on another day, Joe could have had a hat-trick before half time but, for his brace, Jacob took the Man of the Match award (and got his photo in the Echo!).