3 Feb 2008: Grasshoppers 5:2 Maresfield February 3, 2008
Posted by editor in : Uncategorized , trackbackAfter such a disappointment last week, it was important to get back on the horse this week and put in a really good performance. It was also important to win the match if we have any ambitions to win the league. With many of the players from both sides knowing each other from school, it was also a fight for the bragging rights for the next few weeks.
We were missing Harrison and Tom, both for disciplinary reasons. Let’s hope that their behaviour improves sufficiently to allow them back soon. Robert dropped back to play left back, with Connor going into left midfield, Michael on the right and Oskar up front on his own, with Cian supporting and Harry and Miles anchoring the midfield. It worked well enough in the first half, but neither Connor nor Miles really put in the amount of effort needed to play in midfield and both were on the receiving end of Keith’s “hairdryer” at half time.
Perhaps we were still a bit worried about last week in the first half, because we really didn’t use the advantage of the wind and for much of the first half we found ourselves defending some very good Maresfield attacks. We scored the only goal of the half, when an excellent corner from Harry wasn’t cleared and Cian was quickest to react in the box, finishing smartly. His celebration was a tribute to his Grandad, who died recently.
Keith’s team talk at half time obviously had the desired effect- NOT. Within a minute of the restart, Maresfield equalized, when Connor failed to pick up the one player we didn’t want to let score and James Hope prodded the ball in unchallenged. Against a gale force wind and conceding so quickly, the frozen watchers feared the worst!
The idea of a former Grasshopper scoring against us obviously didn’t go down to well with the team though and every single player visibly raised their game immediately. We proceeded to give Maresfield a lesson in how to play football into a strong wind. We were first to every tackle, we controlled and passed the ball on the ground, we made space for ourselves and each other and we ran Maresfield ragged for the next 20 minutes. During that time, we created a number of excellent chances and scored four times. All four goals were down to good play and total commitment. Miles’ excellent finish was probably the pick of the goals, but the one which best illustrated the team’s desire was the fifth, when Harry stormed down the right, looked up and played the ball across for Robert to score. But Cian, Connor, Taylor and Miles were also there and any one of them could have finished it. As well as the four goals, Harry hit the post with a free kick and Miles, Oskar and Connor all narrowly missed the target.
Maresfield made the scoreline slightly more respectable with almost the last kick of the game, but by then they were a well beaten side and even the dodgy ref couldn’t help them.
Goals this week from Cian (2), Miles, Oskar and Robert. Honourable mentions for the whole back four, who defended very well against everything thrown at them and Cian and Michael in midfield, for getting through an enormous amount of work. Connor, Miles and Oskar also worked really hard in the second half. But Man of the Match by a mile this week was Harry McLeod, who was involved in everything good that we did and was so unlucky not to score himself. The CRAP award this week has to go to Tom Clift, who apparently managed to make himself unavailable twice, having been reprieved once by his Dad. Tom- a little advice- when you’re in a hole, stop digging! Please make sure Harry’s boots are sparkling next week.
This result puts us in an excellent position to go on and win the league. If we want it enough, then it’s ours to win. Well done on an excellent second half performance everyone.
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