Well we won the second Half 2.1 …….

Today’s squad Frankie, Ollie, Saul, Morgan, Jed, Louis, Connor, Harry, Gabe, Morris, Reynold, Theo and Arlind .

Well the day started with a below to the defence Tom injured an ankle and Edonis was sick so Nick had to make some last minute changes. Which meant us starting with a unfamiliar back four and midfield. We started on the back foot but restricted the clear cut chances. We found it hard to dominate the game and put pressure on there back four. The first warning came from a corner when a unmarked player headed wide of the goal when he should of scored. Soon after we gave away a free kick that was struck well to be honest i am sure Frankie will admit he should of done better and the ball went through his hands, 0.1

With fifteen minutes gone we had our first real attack, Morris won a free kick and Jed’s shot was well saved by the keeper. Almost immediately we were two down, they broke down our right and one player cut in went round 4 players and scored, not a tackle or block in sight …… 0.2

Soon we were to have a repeat of this goal, we had two chances to clear the ball took neither and it fell to the forward who ran in clean on goal …..0.3

Frankie came out twice to save at the feet of forwards as they broke through the lines. It looked like we would finish the half this score but the referee had other ideas, In the 43rd minute he missed a hand ball by the forward that put him in the clear to score 0.4 HT

Second half , we asked you to play for some pride and to forget the score, to give it your all and try your best, which i felt we got. You were all much more on your game, closing, harassing and wanting the ball. In the first twenty it paid dividends. Morris won the ball and upfront and rolled the ball into the on rushing Gabe who finish really well. 1.4

Five minutes later you were well and truly back in the game. Good work down the right by Theo found Morris who smashed it into the corner of the net 2.4

They were on the back foot but full chances were difficult to come by. Louis, Connor and Harry were dominating the midfield and keeping the pressure on the AEK defence. Our defence started to grow into the game and looked more settled at the back.

With ten minutes to go came our best chance, Good work down the right found Ollie driving in it looked like he was going to score but the ball rolled just past the post……….Aaarrrrgh

Last ten minutes Nick played three at the back but you could not fashion any real chances, with you pushing up you got hit on the break. Frankie made a great double saved, Saul cleared it off the line but in the end they bundled it in the net 2.5 FT

The first half rather not talk about , but second you gave everything we asked . Just one point remember to be goal side of the opposition when marking anywhere on the pitch. It blocks there runs, you can jostle them to knock the ball away and challenge to make them make mistakes.Well done to you all for second half !!!

MoTM: First mention goes to Theo who worked hard and created chances on the right hand side of midfield, He showed commitment and Passion. Theo this is what i want to see every week in training and Matchs ! Today’s MoTM goes to Louis, worked hard in midfield winning the ball and often giving the simple pass, also played at right back when asked and did a good job there. Overall Louis worked and drove the team forward in the second half. Well done Louis.

Training is at 6.30Pm on Tuesday

Tough game but felt we deserved the draw …..

Today’s squad Frankie, Morgan, Tom, Jack, Harry, Edonis, Saul, Louis, Joey, Reynolds, Gabe, Connor, Morris and Arlind.

Lunchtime Kick-Off, You all came nice and early but we didn’t kick off till nearer 12:45 after the pitch was ready and the referee arrived. You started so well taking them by surprise and after good work by Joey down the left, he fed Gabe who cut inside and shot into the bottom corner. Really nice goal and the good thing was you did what we asked and had a shot to test the keeper. 0.1

Next five minutes we created chances one of them being Reynolds closed down the keeper and the clearance rebounded off him and just wide of the post.

Now the next 25 minutes was one way traffic, again we looked dangerous on the break but invited too much pressure. So many things not right, Not closing, too deep, giving the ball away, clearances straight to the opposition. Frankie made four of five really good saves to keep us in the game. However the goal came, we didn’t close and they scored 1.1

Last five minutes we started to push higher up the pitch and began cause them problems i think it was now that we had our second shoot on target after good work by Connor to Morris which the keeper saved well. HT 1.1

Second half and we started on the front foot and had them under pressure and very unlucky not to take the lead after Harry swung a dangerous ball in from the right and somehow we failed to put the ball in the net. Reynolds then created a great chance after dogged work down the left which we couldn’t convert. Soon after the game turned on a break away. They broke and we failed to go with the runners, a easy ball down our right and they looked to pass it into a empty net however they overplayed it and was played back into the penalty area where we gave a penalty away. A really good penalty Frankie no chance. 2.1

Next ten minutes whilst in attack we were causing problems, but not taking our chances we were punished at the back. Again we let them play to easy the left winger was played in and ran in unchallenged and scored as Frankie came out. 3.1

I still felt you were not out this game but soon it seemed the task would be too much. Defence were too high for a free kick the ball was played over the top the winger ran on crossed over and they scored 4.1

The last fifteen minutes you all showed real character, spirit and fight.  Really good work by Arlind down the left found Morris who played onto Gabe and he scored 4.2 Back in the game

We now had all the pressure and the ball found Gabe who completed his hat-trick 4.3

You were fully on top playing the better football. However another twist a long clearence and no one tracked the runners, Frankie came out but missed the ball and they rolled into a empty net 5.3 Five minutes to go

Straight back on the attack and you broke down the middle, Good work between Morris and Connor freed Gabe in the middle who didnt panic and fired home his fourth goal.5.4

Two minutes to go and back on the attack, Now i was expecting a good five minutes of added time in which you could of got the equalizer,but the referee played a grand total of ZERO. So that was it 5.4 FT

MoTM : A fairly easy one today for me today i have a joint award but for different reasons, Harry played really well in the right wing back role, created some good opportunities, tracked backed and defended really well and Gabe led the line really well all game and scored 4 Goals. Well done both of you.

Training on Tuesday 6.30PM

A tough game, against a good side, however we had chances:

Today’s squad Frankie, Jack, Tom, Morgan, Harry, Connor, Edonis, Saul, Jed, Arlind, Morris, Oliver, Theo, Joey, Louis, and Reynolds.

First ten minutes we were under pressure but were holding and looked dangerous on the break. First chance fell to the opposition but Frankie saved well. We had to make some important blocks in defence but we were up to the task. After Fifteen minutes game really started to open with the big pitch, A long ball out found Arlind who played it forward to Morris, who shot from the edge brought a fantastic save from their keeper to gives us a corner. Connor took the corner to the far post and it looked like we would score with two men free but some how they cleared and broke quickly hitting us with a 4 v 3 defenders, but the defence did well and blocked the shot for a corner. They took the corner and scored at the far post 0.1

We still created chances Morris was unlucky with a header and they did leave gaps at the back. however next chance fell to them a lazy tackle in the box ended with a penalty…..Frankie stood tall dived to the right and pushed around for a corner, Well done Frankie, this time from the corner you all challenged and cleared well. Twenty five gone and Nick brought on Fresh legs. Good work between Jed and Saul created space down the left, Jed cut the ball back to towards the penalty spot  and Reynolds slammed the ball home a really nicely worked and taken goal. 1.1

Whist still under pressure most of the last fifteen minutes we almost scored again, A free kick from Tom bounced over the defence and fell to Ollie who i thought was going to score however it trickled wide of the goal.  Reynolds was unlucky not to get in on a couple of occasions. With five to go we got caught short on the right. Jack went to intercept but missed leaving a 4 on 2 situation which they finished 1.2 HT

Second half started and again we were on the back foot, but holding and again dangerous on the break, However after ten minutes it swung back to them, another penalty, it seemed harsh and would appear to have been going down but we don’t have any “Replays” so he had to give it. Frankie went the right way again but this time it was struck to hard and went in the corner 1.3

Still had a couple chances Morris got played in,had options to pass but elected to shoot and the keeper saved well. Soon after the goal that killed the game with twenty to go, From our attacking free kick we gave the ball away too cheaply and they broke almost 5 on 2 defenders, they came down the right and overloaded us in the box to score an easy tap in. 1.4

Heads dropped a bit and we lost our shape. Last twenty was not our best and better choices by the opposition would of been more costly. We gave the ball away far too much, did not track or close players and it was this that cost us for the fifth as they had time to strike from the edge of the box. 1.5 and that was FT

It was a tough game but if we had taken some more of our chances it could of been closer. Boys i know its hard when we are losing but try to keep focused and work hard till the end of the game. we could of easily snatched a goal or two to come away with a really respectable result which the first 55 minutes warranted.

MoTM ; Tough today Edonis played well in the holding role and good to see him back, Tom swept well at the back, Morris led the line well and Frankie saved a penalty and made a couple of great saves. My MotM today i am going to give to Reynolds for a goal and a really good spell in the first half. Not only did he score but was really unlucky not to create 3/4 more chances. Closed down defenders and made a nuisance of himself. Always trys his best and always will play were ever Nick asks Well done

Training Tuesday 6.30PM hopefully dryer ………

Tough game, with a much better second half performance.

Today’s squad Frankie, Ollie, Tom, Jack, Jed, Harry, Saul, Connor, Joey, Gabe, Morris, Reynolds and Theo

The first five minutes went very well lots of little triangles and neat 1 -2 very much what we did in training. The first couple of half chances fell to us but we didn’t get and shots off. However after that we got pushed back too deep in defence and let them push on. This created too much room between the defence – midfield & forwards. They started to dominate and probably should of scored.

Frankie made some really good saves from distance and cleared the ball really well from corners. We didn’t seem able to get the ball clear or keep hold of it long enough to get our shape. You had to survive wave after wave of pressure and finally the valve broke. They did some neat passing in the middle and fed the ball forward who scored as Frankie came out.

This actually seemed to fire you up a bit and the last five minutes you clawed you way back into the game and created a few chances but could not get a meaningful shot on target. To be honest you could of easily been two or three down but you were not due to some hard work and good goalkeeping and poor finishing by the opposition.HT 0.1

Second half and you came out and took the game to them creating pressure on their defence. Joey and Gabe started to make good work down our left and creating a few chances. Joey worked hard down the left and was fouled on the edge of the box. Connor swung the free kick past the front defender, Morris got a good flick which Ollie bundled over the line. Back in the Game 1.1

For me we were now very much more in control. Saul and Connor started to win the midfield battle with Ollie helping furthur forward. Tom, Jack and Jed pushed higher up the pitch giving them less time. Also the Wing backs Reynolds, Theo, Harry, Joey were working really hard up and down the pitch. Gabe and Morris looked a threat upfront, Gabe should of got a couple of more shots off after good work to really test the keeper.

With the game end to end now came the controversy from one of our attacks they broke quickly, i then we should of had a foul but the Referee did not see it the broke and shot, now i personally could not tell if the ball went wide or in from where i was and the Referee did not seem to know either. So if he is unsure he cannot give the goal . They were upset and i can see why but in the end it was not given.

However we were to fall behind again with fifteen minutes to go, after a corner which we cleared well, the second ball was given away too cheaply and they crossed it back in to the box and they had two/three players free 1.2

Last ten minutes  and we were pushing for the equalizer it cam from a corner, Connor played it in, Morris battle with a defender for it and a deflected shot seemed to going to the keeper, however the Keeper only parried it back into the six yard area and Ollie smashed it in 2.2.

The last five minutes we survived a couple of corners but also looked dangerous in attack ourselves FT 2.2

MoTM, After a poor first half i though you all responded excellently, Saul and Connor worked really hard in Midfield, Ollie, Joey and Harry all attacked really well, but i am going to give it to Frankie, whose first half performance kept us in the game, he made some excellent clearances from corners and made some fine save from shots on the edge of his box. Well Done

Training Tuesday 6.30PM