Mens F 2 - 1 144U B

29 January 2012

Dear F Team,

A great day / game yesterday. Bright and early on a crisp if slightly warmer Sunday morning. An eventual turnout of 14 ( albeit Mr Jones being caught in the shower / breakfast / traffic light / car park lines, even having left home at 5.30am and arriving a tad late !! )

We started with a slightly revised line up, but Jereon insisted on being in Goal so we let him have his way. Back line was looking good with Fergus, Lyle and Tim to start and our midfield with David W out right, Ali-G and Joel at centre and Patrick going left. Up front was Mark on the right,. the WMD and the return of "timid Tom" at left wing.

144U were out in force, all keen, young and fit and standing 2nd in the League table with a 1 - 0 win against us in the first game of the season too. We start well and immediately had some good passing and up field movement and several early chances. Any attacks by 144 were easily dealt with by the defence and we were in control. Probably before the first 10 minutes had gone by, a sweeping move from a Lyle hit out, moved up via David and Ali-G, onto Mark who stormed up the wing, through several defenders, on into the back of the "D", Tom came on through to politely block a couple of other 144 guys and Mark gave a pinpoint pass back to a waiting WMD who took a one stop shot and it was in the goal off the keeper for a deserved 1 - 0 lead. On we rolled. Subs came on with Steve, Toylor and Chris. who moved out to wing as Mark settled into anew right midfield position, but spent most oft he half ( and game ) running up and down and all over the entire pitch hassling, passing and moving the ball well. We had more attacks, several good short corners and Mark had a great chance with a 1 on 1 breakaway down the centre, but was foiled by their advancing keeper. Ali-G, laid on by the WMD also stormed through from midfield and was looking set for this first goal of the season only to be tackled at the last moment out side the "D".

So 144 began to get into the game more and we let our rhythm slip a little, not holding possession as well as in the first 20+ minutes. A breakaway attack caught us slightly short and a fast move down 144's right saw a cross's go to an unmarked forward who swept the ball into the goal. A little unlucky, but we closed out the half as 1 - 1 and heads ups. For a 3rd week running no Happy Chappie talk meant we had no idea what else to do except keep on with more of the same and get back to keeping more possession and simple passing. To that end, the push back from the WMD to Ali-G, who left it for Lyle, who ha decided to move left and leave it for.....no-one, caught Joel by surprise and being the nearest man, who then had to contend with a rapidly advancing 144 forward who got the ball and stormed into our "D" for a heart stopping first 30 seconds, but Jeroen came to the rescue and we were still OK, luckily.

We kept on going and Chris on the right wing had so great passes across their "D", as well and Steve on the left, Joel pretty much tidying up most midfield attacks and Patrick having some good runs up field to feed the forwards. We had more shorts, with the new routine of Lyle receiving working well, with a 3 attempt seeing Tom push out to the WMD as an option, who surprisingly stopped it, held it, passed left back to Lyle, who shot and Tom did his trademark pick-up and back flick into goal for deserved retaking of the lead and 2 - 1.

144 did not give up and the last 10 mins saw a few close moments, but good defending and a team effort of determination to win saw us close out the game winners. 144U were most disappointed and walked off the field very dejectedly.

A top performance and deserved win for us on the day. I believe that the MVP goes to Mark this time around, for the run and pass that gave the first goal, non-stop work and effort and hassling throughout the game and end to end running. ( Tom gets the runners up for scoring a great winning goal too..not getting carded by DT reffing and doing the reffing for follow-up game too ! )

Unbeaten we remain in 2012..and onto next weeks crunch game versus KCC "D". So, 3 more points on the board and moving up the League charts steadily.

******************

GAME : HKFC "F" vs 144U "B"

RESULT : WIN

SCORE 2 - 1

GOALS : Clive Miners 1 / Tom Young 1

MVP : Mark Kan

Cards : None

Reffing : Tom

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