After a week of Umming and Ahhing about the weather and if the pitch at Shipley would be playable, Mother nature decided not today!
Switching it up to Oriel High school and the 3G pitch there, the boys were excited to get started and get the ball down and playing quick, smooth football.
Starting with a strong line up, Nigel wanted to take the game to Cuckfield as they had been one of our toughest opponents to date this season, defending well and in numbers. This seemed to be a similar theme for the beginning of the match with both teams getting the ball down and playing some lovely passing football, using the pitch to their advantage.
A few early sighters from the Shipley boys gave us a footing in the game and it was from there that the boys really took control of the game. Jack won the ball in the midfield and played a lovely looped pass into Stephen, who took on two defenders before laying it across to Sam. Sam beat his man and played a lovely ball into the path of Big D who blitzed past his defender, held off another challenge and finished brilliantly into the bottom left corner giving the keeper no chance! This was the signalling of things to come for Big D and the boys!
Less that 3 minutes later Dorian was on the Scoresheet again after some brilliant defending by Toby, Winning the ball down in the right hand corner before turning his man, playing a lovely pass into Sam who again laid the ball into Dorian to run onto. Beat several players for pace, D sent a fantastic ball towards goal which took a knick off the defender and into the back of the net. Another great goal, extremely well worked from the back and up the pitch in less that 3 passes!
Kieron decided it was his turn for a goal and continued to hassle and hound the Cuckfield defender after a poor back pass causing the defender to try and clear it out ut only found the back of Sam! The ball then bounces towards the left of the box and Kieron races onto it and finishes with a lovely strike across the keeper into the far corner.
The boys really had their tail feathers up at this point and started to push for more goals, continuing to be on the front foot and pressing the cuckfield players into making mistakes. A close shave from Kieron after turning on the jets down the right beating several players to the ball and hitting the ball just wide. From the goalkick, Kier pressured the defenders and won the ball back on the edge of the area before rifling the ball into the back of the net.
Toby was collosal at the back today winning everything in the air and playing some brilliant passes out from the back, This combined with Dean being unreal again this week and Cam's calmness meant the Cuckfield front line were not getting a sniff of the ball.
Some brilliant defending from Tobes set the ball out to the right and after a tackle gave us the ball from a throw, Kieron was set away and drove at the defence with Stephen and Dorian in support but only had eyes for goal and unleashed an absolute rocket into the roof of the net.
Changes were made at this point and on came Freddie, Mase, Lewis, Zack and Ethan, the game seemed to slow a bit after this with Cuckfield putting up a fight and keeping the ball with some tidy passing to see out the half. Zack caused issues down the right and if you see the clip where he absolutely destroyed the cuckfield defence with a few cheeky nutmegs.
HT TD - 5 -- Cuckfield - 0
The half time team talk focused mainly on getting the ball down and playing our way and making sure the wingers kept wide to stop the bunching in the middle that seemed to start happening as Cuckfield tried to plug the leaks in their defence.
The start of the second half was very similar to the end of the first, With both teams giving their all and trying to play some decent passing football. Both keepers at this point had to pull of some great saves, Luke from a Long freekick and the Cuckfield keeper pulled off some blinders to keep the score as is.
After 10 minutes, Nige rang the changes and bought Dorian, Stephen and Cam back on to inject a spark into the boys going forward
Shortly after this, some good work down the right from Zack winning the ball back and playing it into Cam, who played a lovely pass into Lewis. Lewis had the time to turn and pick out the run of Dorian from CM who then beats a man on the edge of the area before hitting a beaut of a shot into the top left corner. A well deserved goal after a bit of a quiet spell.
THIS opened up the flood gates again and less than a minute later we had our next. Some hard work from Stephen down the left to win the ball and play a quick pass into Dorian. With time D picks out a quick 1-2 with Mase and then whips a cross into the area. The Defender tries to clear the ball only for it to take a bounce at the feet of Zack who lashes a ripper of a half volley over the top of the keeper for his FIRST ever Goal for The TD! One that was coming and absolutely worth the wait! Over the moon for him as were the boys who were quick to congratulate him.
Less than a minute later from Kick off, the ball in launched over the top from Luke and Freddie does well to challenge the defender and flick a lovely pass into the Path of Dorian again, who no surprise, Turns of the afterburners and leaves 4 defenders in his dust before finishing low and hard past the onrushing keeper.
Some hard work in the midfield and defence won us the ball back and with some quick passing we were up the field again not long after. Dorian having an absolute blinder, Lays the ball into Mase, who does a drag back past his marker and lays it into Dori on the Edge of the box. With a quick look up, He curls an absolute PEACH of a shot into the far right corner, I mean from where the coaches were standing it was unreal the bend and dip to get it into the corner. What a goal!
A few sighters on goal had given Mase the confidence he needed and not long after hit the post with a great effort after being set through by Ethan. This didn't deter him and after some great work from Kieron on the right, He laid the ball into the path of Mase who calmly, cooly and expertly finished the ball into the far right corner. A great goal and well deserved for the hard work today.
A few chances came and went with both teams pushing for a goal, and one came not long after with some quick thinking on the right by Zack, he took a quick throw into the middle. Kieron, holding his man off, flicked the ball over his head and Dorian met it with a sweet Volley, flying past the keeper into the back of the net for his Double Hat Trick! Unbelievable!
He wasn't done there, as within a minute, Some brilliant work in the middle by Jack and Kieron set Mase through who was extremly unlucky not to score with his shot as it was cleared against the bar by the defender only to drop at the feet of Dorian who once again finished with venom into the back of the net! 7 heaven for BIG D today!
The boys wanted to prove that 13 isnt unlucky for some and they finished with a flourish keeping the high press up, and after winning the ball in the middle, Jack laid a pass into Cam who beat a man and picked out a lovely little through ball into Kieron who had the time to turn before sending a rocket past the keeper to finish the Game!
FT- TD 13 - Cuckfield - 0
An outstanding performance from every single one of the boys today, picking up where we left of in the last game and showing why we are were we deserve to be- The top of the league!
MOTM- DORIAN - a brilliant performance with 7 goals and 2 assists what else can be said! He was even complaining of a stitch after 5 minutes due to the all inclusive holiday ;)
Special shout out to Zack for his first goal for us today!