After Last weeks double header and back to back wins, the boys were facing a tough challenge, League Leaders Hangleton Rangers.
Hangleton have been on a very good run of form recently with multiple wins.

We played Hangleton earlier in the season and the game finished in a 2-1 close loss to us so the boys were really up for the game today.

Luckily with the amount of rain that we have had this week, we managed to get a booking at ICC school however it was a late kick off with a 3:20 start! It did give some of our deep sleepers a chance to have a lay-in!

The line up was very similar to recent matches with Oliver, Ethan, Toby, Cam and Dean starting across the back line. Stan, Jack and Sam took their places in the midfield while Kieron, Stephen and Harley finished up the front line. We had another very strong bench today with Lewis B, Charlie, Freddie O and Lewis G who was in for his Debut for the club! Welcome Lewis!

The boys were up for the match and knew that they needed a fast start. Hangleton kicked off and right away pushed forwards but Cam, Toby and Jack held strong and stopped the long ball into the area. We stepped up and with Kieron and Dean linking up well with Sam on the left hand side, we pressed forward and got a corner early on. Stephen whipped in a brilliant delivery with the Hangleton defender getting his head on it to stop it going in at the back post. This kept us on the front foot and we kept pushing from here.

The ball ended up back down towards our own box with Toby ushering the ball back to Oliver. Oliver collected the ball and hit a fantastic long ball towards the left hand side with Kieron chasing it down and outmuscling his man before playing a great pass into Stephen. Stephen hit a first time shot with his left foot towards the far post past the dive of the keeper but it bounced off the inside of the post and Kieron reacted the quickest and smashed the ball into the back of the net for 1-0 with less than 3 minutes on the clock. A great start for the lads!

Hangleton saw this as a wake up call and started to put the pressure on us. They were playing some really good football while also utilizing their long throws and pacey wingers. Dean and Ethan were doing well keeping them quiet. Hangleton leveled the game in the 9th minute through a long throw on the left hand side that took a flick on and a mix up between Cam and Oliver at the back meant the ball bounced off Oliver and into the strikers path who finished while falling over to make it 1-1.

Both teams went at it from here with the boys going for it to get the upper hand. We came close a few times with Harley forcing a few saves out of the Hangleton keeper while Hangleton forced a few good saves out of Oliver too. Kieron worked his magic, winning the ball in the midfield before riding several tackles and driving towards the box before setting Stephen up again who hit a low shot towards the keeper but again the keeper pulled off a fantastic save with his foot to keep it level.

Jack caught a painful one in the gut and was unable to continue so Nigel had to make a sub with Sam dropping into the holding role, Harley in at the 10 and Lewis B came on at RW right before 20 minutes.

The game continued to ebb and flow and with 22 on the clock, another long ball caused a bit of miscommunication at the back with the Hangleton number 7 getting his toe to the ball and dinking it into the path of their number 9 who nicked in just ahead of Ethan and Oliver and lifted the ball over them into the back of the net for 1-2.

This gave the boys a kick up the backside and they came out swinging right from the kick off. Some brilliant work down the right set Lewis B free and he beat his man before sending a brilliant, dangerous cross right across the front of the 6 yard box with Stephen and Dean both sliding in at the back post coming agonizingly close to getting a toe to the ball. It became an end to end affair with both teams going at it!
Nigel made some changes at the 28 minute mark with Stephen, Kieron and Ethan coming off for Freddie, Charlie and Lewis G.

Hangleton continued to probe and create chances but the defence and Oliver stood firm. We continued to create as well with Dean, Harley, Lewis G all linking up well down the left hand side, winning the ball back before sending Sam off on one of his brilliant runs. Sam beat several players before sending a fantastic pass into the path of Lewis B who took it in his stride, driving into the box before hitting a shot towards the back post but just missing.

Fred's pressed well and was starting to work with Lewis G to get the ball forward. Lewis G did really well to hold off the defender and win a throw in. Dean took the throw to Harley and Harley went on a brilliant run, beating a man before leaving another in his dust before sending a ball out to Sam who hit a cross in but with a deflection the keeper was able to catch it. Jack came back on to give Stan a breather.

As the clock ticked down towards the end of the half, Jack, Lewis G and Dean won the ball on the left hand side before playing it quickly into Sam. Sam turned his man before playing a pass out to Charlie, who took a touch before looking up and pinging a fantastic 40 yard pass over the top of the left back and into the path of Lewis B. Lewis beat his man for pace before letting it bounce into the box and despite the tight angle, he hit an absolute thunderbugger of a half volley into top right corner! 2-2

HT - TD - 2 - HANGLETON - 2

As first halves go, that was a brilliant one and despite a few mistakes, we impressed and wanted to show our fans that we could compete with the top team in the league.

No changes at the half so we started with the same team that ended the first half. We had kick off and started by playing it back into the path of Charlie who took it past the press before playing it into Sam. Sam again held off his man before sending a great through ball into Lewis G on the LW. Lewis bought the ball down and held off his man before sending it back into Sam who whipped a cross in but the Hangleton defence stood strong. Hangleton went up the other end and with a brilliant 60 yard cross field ball, their winger did well and won a corner. From the corner the ball dropped to the Hangleton player at the back post who sent a shot towards Oliver, who palmed it away and on the rebound the Hangleton player hit another shot towards goal but Oliver got his right hand to it from 1 yard out and kept the scores level.

Hangleton started to build the pressure and kept a hold of the ball, showing why they are a very good side and why they are top of the table. The game was always played at a fast, physical pace but it stepped up a level in the second half with both teams pushing for the next goal but also wanting to stay strong at the back. Hangleton were using their long throws to test out defence but the boys were brilliant in the air, every single one of the back 4! There was a period where we couldn't keep the ball and resorted to long balls which wasn't working out. We realised after 5 minutes that this wasn't going to be helpful for us and started to change it up a bit and try and keep the ball while getting Lewis B, Harley, Sam, Jack and Lewis G on the ball to help Freddie out up top.

Nigel looked at this and made a few changes after 55 bringing Freddie and Lewis B off the pitch for Stephen and Kieron. Charlie, Harley and Kieron down the right were working hard, defending well against the number 7 who was dangerous anytime he got the ball. Oliver continued to have safe hands this second half and held on to a few shots from distance from the Hangleton Midfielders.

The game turned a bit scrappy for 15 minutes or so with both teams not wanting to make a mistake and a few challenges going in slowing the pace of the game down a bit. Stan came back on for Sam and bought a sense of aggression to the game and helped liven it up a bit. With just over 10 to go as we got some joy after Cam hit a brilliant free kick towards goal from about 45 yards out. It bounced right before the keeper who palmed it into the path of Kieron who hit a shot towards goal however the keeper recovered really well and pulled off a brilliant save to stop the ball going in. Really unluck for Kieron but the keeper had to get some treatment after the save. Charlie came off a few moments later and Ethan came back in to fold while Sam came back in for Harley.

A few minutes later we got a free kick on the edge of the area just to the left hand side. Stan Stepped up and hit a beaut of a shot towards the near post and the keeper got down quickly to palm it out for a corner. Stan took the corner and sent it deep towards the back post and Sam caused chaos but Hangleton were able to clear it and were on the counter but Ethan stepped in strong and won the ball back and set us back on the attack. Lewis G got the ball on the opposite flank and played some quick passes between him, Sam and Dean again before setting it through to Stephen to have a shot that went just wide past the post.

Both teams were playing for the win and the final minutes became frantic with tackles flying in, Shots and crosses from all angles and both teams not giving an inch to the other.

FT - TD - 2 - Hangleton - 2

A brilliant end to end game that was physical and fast from the off. Some lovely football played by both teams and in the end a fair result as every player gave everything they could. We couldn't be prouder of the performance that the boys put on today, every single player fighting for each other and showing a positive attitude and pushing for that result.

A shout out and welcome to Lewis G today who was brilliant on his debut. Welcome to you and your family to the club!

MOTM - Kieron F - A brilliant performance from Kieron today, Linking up well down the left while creating havoc with his dribbles. Well taken first goal and so unlucky not to add to it but worked hard down both wings.