Tough Loss at Home

Another weeks break due to half term and the boys were back at Oriel this morning.

With a few players out Nigel made the changes and picked a 4-4-2 to start this week with Freddie Hopkins coming into goal for us, Cam, Ethan, Toby and Dean filling out the back 4. A midfield of Stan P, Harry, Lewis and Stephen and then a front 2 of Kieron and Freddie O. With some brilliant options to come on from the bench there was enough throughout the squad to try and get the result.

The game started well and with the boys doing their best to get the ball down and passing it around compared to the long ball play that GC came into the match with as they had aquired our old player Riley and put him up top.

Both teams did well but it started to get a bit scrappy and GC were starting to get argumentative about every decision, for and against them! This seemed to get into the boys heads a bit as well as they couldnt keep the game flowing to the level that we wanted to.

After 13 minutes, a failed clearance dropped to the GC no5 who took a shot that wrong footed Freddie and bounced into the net. An undeserved lead.

This is where the time wasting started and continued throughout the game. every opportunity, shoe lace, throw in, goal kick, corner, you name it, they wasted the time. It was also the start of the talking back with several of their players getting last warnings for the language and things said to the ref.

We started to create a few more chances and Nigel took the chance to take off Stephen and Freddie to bring on Sam and Mase. Shortly before Half time he swapped Stan P for Zack too.

We looked more dangerous down the right side and got close to a equaliser when Zack played through Sam who beat his man and lifted a shot over the keeper and just over the bar.

HT- TD- 0 - GC - 1

At HT Nige got into the players and they knew what kind of half we needed to have to get back into the game. A slight change in formation with Cam moving into midfield to make it 3-5-2.

We started strong and within the first 30 seconds of the half we got a free kick and the GC no 5 got gobby again to the ref and was sin binned for 8 minutes.

We couldn't take advantage of the extra man and Toby and Ethan did well to keep Riley quiet with his runs and strength on the ball.

A few more close chances from Kieron, Sam and Cam but it ultimately didnt look like it was going to be our day.

We could of easily played an additional 15 minutes due to the amount of stoppages and even the opposition coach making his way over the wrong side of the pitch and causing issues with parents. Unfortunately we couldn't keep going as we had overran the pitch hire by 25 minutes already! That is how much tine was wasted!

FT- TD -0 - GC - 1

A tough, tough one to take today, the boys did what they can in such a scrappy game with so many stoppages and issues from the coaches.
Futsal next week followed by another tough game in March against Oakwood.

MOTM- Zack Hearnden - Came on and Gave his all on the right side, Took players on and tried to keep the attacks going. Tracked back to help out too. Showed Fight, grit and determination.