Welcome to the Big league !!!

Today’s squad Frankie, Tom, Morgan Edonis, Jed, Reynolds, Saul, Louis, Connor, Ollie Mc, Morris, Gabe, Joey, Theo and Louis.

Well we learnt very quickly that you cannot start slow. First couple of mins a speculative ball into the box and Frankie miss read the flight and fumbled it into the back of net. Shortly after we are still asleep , no marking a simple ball in and a clear run into goal. 0.2 with 5 minutes gone !!!!

We started to get back into the game and got back on a even keel, Nick switched it to 5 at the back and we seemed to stop the flow of goals. Chances going forward were limited though. With 20 minutes gone they attacked down our left and cut in. no one closed on the ball and the player let fly with an excellent shot. 0.3

The good news was that you didn’t let your heads drop but kept playing soon after we got a free kick in there half. Tom floated the ball in there defender poked it into the net 1.3 Back into the game.

With five minutes to go Gabe broke down the left fed the ball to Ollie Mc who challenged the keeper who spilt the ball and poked it into the net 2.3. Thats how it stayed till half time but we were back in the match.

Second half once again started too slow, a quickly taken corner and the tallest man was free , unmarked (ex -player Charney) free head top corner 2.4. To honest we still came under a lot of pressure but always looked threatening on the counter attack. Gabe, Ollie Mc were dangerous down the wings , Saul began to dominate more in midfield and the defense started to control more.

There were chances at either end The Whetstone keeper saved really well from Ollie Morris and almost straight away Frankie saved two one on one. More chances came Connor played a free kick in and with 4 players in the six yard area free it looked like we must score but somehow it didn’t go in. Two minutes Connor was played in by Joey and his left foot shot went the wrong side of the post.

With ten minute to go Nick sacrificed the 5 at the back to try and get that goal that would get us in the game. Gabe was unlucky again on occasion and you kept pushing forward which began to leave holes. From one of our attacks they broke quickly Frankie saved with feet on the one on one but the player following up calmly finished 2.5

That would be it till full time 😦

Not the way we wanted to started but i think it will stand you in good stead as you now know how hard this league will be. A couple of points

1 Must start stronger, switched on and alert at the start of each half

2 Stronger in the tackle too often we let the ball get away

3 Keep tracking back if you lose the ball

4 No sloppy goals

5 Must take our chances

6 If you beat a player look to get the ball away ASAP once you are in space. You will not beat three players in this league.

All in all i was still pleased how you played for the first competive match, Yes we have some tough Cup games coming up but not worried about the result more on the performance, there is no room passengers.

MoTM, Saul and Jed worked as hard as usual, but for me the MoTM on his debut was Ollie Mc he worked hard up and down the right and always looked a threat, topping it all with a goal on his debut. Well done

Training Tuesday 6.15 Barnet Lane no Astro or Blades see you then