| U15 Dragons Secure Second Place |
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| Written by Denise Middleton |
| Saturday, 16 April 2011 15:11 |
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With a run of home matches, last Wednesday we played host to Oldham Rangers Blue. Our first midweek game kicking off at 6.30pm. Oldham are top of the league and have had a blinding run they have won all 16 games played. This was our third time meeting Oldham, they had beat us on both occassions 4-2 and 5-2. With the return of 2 of our injured players, we had a squad of 13. It seems absolutely ages since we had a sub, never mind two subs. We had to reshuffle a few players, Mike dropping back to right back and Kieran moving back to his position of left back. We started strong and we were playing in Oldhams half for the first 20 minutes. When Luke received the ball on the left just outside the box and he curled it right round the keeper 1-nil. WHAT!!! The line flagging like mad, in's & out mate. Well, that's the closest off side I've ever seen and it was written all over Oldhams manager face, they got away with that. The game continued and Oldham pressed but our back line was staying strong, Jake was sweeping up any loose balls. Oldham pressed and their striker was through only for Jake to go low and get the ball, fantastic save, well done. We kept pressing and Oldham did look shaky but we couldn't find that final ball. Sorry lads, but I think i definitely bokked it. I said wouldn't it be great if we could score now just before half time, when Oldham picked up the ball in midfield, they had some great movement and finished 1-nil down at half time. A change at half time Dean on, Mike moving to his right wing position. We were to stay strong but Oldham secured a second goal. From then on everything changed, I don't know whether Oldham took their foot off the pedal and thought they might cruise this. But we definitely stepped into a higher gear Sam and Aaron commanding the midfield pushing the ball forward to each wing and we were rewarded with a fantastic goal from Bradley 2-1. Some great movement only for the ball to drop to James feet and BOOM, 2-2 game on. Oldham seem to be in shock, we were definitely on top and then Aaron shot a screamer 3-2 Unsworth. The crowd went wild, literally the atmosphere was buzzing. Only to be dashed with what happened next, their striker and our keeper clashed. Unfortunately, our keeper came of worse, horrific accident, we couldn't move him off the pitch, ambulance called and the game stopped on the 68th minute. Get well soon, mate you made some fabulous saves man of the match for me. Scorers: Bradley 1 James 1 Aaron 1 Man of the Match: Jake We took the win from Oldham and moved into second place but to secure us keeping second we needed a result against United JFC Kingsway today. No subs today, squad of 11 only. Thanks to Calum again for putting on the keepers shirt. Both teams ready to kick off at 10.30am, hold on, no referee. He was running late had a nightmare getting here so we kicked off 10 mins late. This was our third game with United we'd met them twice before and won both games 12-2 & 5-2. Well the first 5 minutes we had 5 attempts on target it went each side, over can't believe it wouldn't go in as we've managed to score 116 goals this season. United pressed and their attempt luckily went wide. United are a physical team, but we seemed to be loosing it in midfield and our back line was too deep. Calum has a big kick and their keeper just kept sweeping up the loose ball. United's key player is their no.9 and they were trying to play the ball through to him. United received a free kick, the ball was played into the line, not cleared and their other striker managed to convert 1-nil. But not long after that we got a free kick half way into their half, Scott stepped up and he hit it high, the line was no where near their keeper shouted keepers only to get his fingertip to it and go behind him into the back of the net, great goal Scott 1-1. We carried on pressing and James was on the right and shot low 2-1. We got a throw in close to the box, Scott threw long only for United to head it in, own goal 3-1. We continued to push forward, their keeper spilled the ball, Brad went for it, he kicked the ball, it hit the goalie in the face, next thing their keeper flipped and went for Brad, the referee had to hold him back. Football is a physical game but you can't react like that. Then Brad was rewarded with a goal 4-1. United scored a second and it ended 4-2 at half time. A reshuffle in personnel, Luke upfront with Brad and James to left back. We started strong and within 5 minutes Luke was on the score sheet with a great curling ball from the left, 5-2. United weren't giving up and their no.9 scored his second to make it 5-3. This gave them confidence and we did look shaky but we were holding them off. Their no.9 went down the wing, Kieran kicked the ball out but caught their player afterwards and he got up and headbutted Kieran, ref didn't see it. 10 minutes before the end Sam was running for the ball and their player came flying in, two footed tackle took out Sam. OMG thought he might have fractured a bone in his foot but after we got him off and stripped back his socks it was just a bad knock, thank god. Ref did see that one and sent him off. So both teams down to 10. It ended 5-3 win and we stay in second place, well done lads. Scorers: Scott 1 James 1 Bradley 1 Luke 1 o.g. 1 Man of the Match: Calum |
| Last Updated on Saturday, 16 April 2011 15:24 |
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