Injury hit U11 Cougars surprise the Strets - no new players here!

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Nathan, Max, Tom, Brendan, Connor, Will, William, Kieran and Jamie lined up to face the opposition  – last time these two teams played, the score was 7-0 to the Old Strets – however the boys have come a long way since October, and we were all hopeful that this time things would be different! The match started with a lot of the action down in the Wilmslow Town end as the Old Strets quickly got into their stride. There was some great defending from the boys with the Behemoth in fine form (despite a banging headache later on through excess use of the head), however the Old Strets went ahead very quickly  with an early goal which Nathan initially saved but couldn’t stop  on the rebound, much to his chagrin.  Was this going to be a repeat performance after all by the Old Strets? It was 7-0 by half time last game – surely this match would be different? No – this was no repeat of last time, the boys were in defiant mood. The half began to become more evenly matched as Will used his strength to keep the ball and Tom was clearly in top form as evidenced by one of his lightening fast cross field runs to clear the ball away from danger.  Nathan was kept busy with a series of saves including a fab punch in a crowded 6 yard box, which sent the ball flying away from the goal.  Just as it seemed the Old Strets had set up a permanent camp in the Wilmslow Town end of the pitch, Kieran made a break up the pitch (following a carefully placed goal kick from Nathan), passing to Jamie who had a 20 yard shot on goal, which was saved too easily by the Old Strets goalie. Kieran followed this up with his own shot on goal, but again the Old Strets goalie was there to make the save. This period of pressure from the Cougars built, as they spent a great deal more time at the Old Strets end. The pressure told and from an in swinging Jamie corner, William, with great aplomb volleyed firmly with the side of his foot into the back of the net – it was 1-1! Nathan could be heard above the jubilation of the boys reminding them to keep concentrating  as there was still the rest of the half to go (it seemed like there was a bit of a competition for the loudest goalie during this match, but Nathan had beaten the Old Strets goalie into submission by the end of the half....).

This goal gave the boys a real boost and helped keep them focused during the next part of the game. Max was making some good clearances, Connor, Kieran and Jamie combined well in a breaking move which ended with Connor chipping the ball neatly over goalkeeper, only for the Old Strets defenders to clear it away. The ball made its way back to Nathan then back again to Kieran and Jamie combining well up front, supported by Will and William in midfield. Connor made a break up front, only to lose the ball, but determined to win it back was up at the other end of the pitch, chasing the ball down, making the parents tired just watching him. Max had to go off with a injury due to a ball full on in the face, threatening to remove several of his gnashers such was the force, so Luis came on to replace him. The Old Strets came back with renewed pressure at this point, with Nathan being called upon to make some saves. A huge lofted goal kick from Nathan went route one to the Old Strets end, just for it to be returned as quickly to the Cougar end leaving Luis battling to win the ball in the scrum to get it away, having sprinted half the pitch to cover the break, passing it up to Connor who went flying up the wing once again. The Cougars won another corner and Kieran managed to get a head to it, but the ball wouldn’t go in – the parents on the side line groaning in sympathy as the ball went wide...

The Old Strets, sensing the danger of the Cougars getting settled made another concerted effort to up the score line, so Will, William and Brendan were kept busy, assisted by Luis in keeping the ball clear, with crucial interventions from Tom keeping the Old Strets from scoring. The Cougars countered and a series of corners at the Old Strets end of the pitch followed, but the boys just couldn’t convert them into goals, despite some excellent play. A parent (subsequently banned from speaking – you know who you are Oliver!) made a comment about the Old Strets starting to look worried -  immediately a second Old Strets shot made the back of the net. Jake came on to give Connor a well earned break and was there to help the team defend as the action moved from end to end, with neither side managing to score again. An Old Strets corner was somehow skilfully cleared off the line by William at the point where it looked a lost cause, demonstrating the skills that won him the first unsung hero award for most improved player last term. The Cougars went on the attack, Jake passing to Kieran who when he unfortunately lost possession, then tracked back to the opposite end of the field, yet another player working his socks off up and down the field and putting in a real captain’s performance. Nathan was kept busy with yet more brilliant saves, alternating with Cougar attacks as Kieran, Jamie, Will and William surged forwards, counter-attacking fiercely as they endeavoured to pull back the score, however the first half ended with the score at 2-1.

The second half saw TJ coming on to relieve Luis and Jake staying on for Connor, as the action centered around the midfield. There was a fantastic break by Kieran up field but he was brought down by an Old Strets defender while in full flight – the sharp intake of breath from all the parents echoed around the pitch – there was no question that it was a free kick, but much closer it would have been a penalty for sure! Jamie’s free kick soared over the defenders but the Cougars couldn’t turn it into the net for a goal. Nathan could be heard dispensing more sage advice to the team at this point, but the Old Strets goalie was considerably quieter now....

 The Old Strets soon won a corner which was firmly headed away by TJ, making his presence felt at the Cougars end of the pitch, as well as in midfield. Nathan made some more good saves and Bren came to the rescue once again, this time when the ball got away from Nathan, clearing the ball from the goal mouth. Jayden came on for Will and Max on for Brendan as the Old Strets kept up the pressure and continued to push forward. Nathan made yet more great saves in the later part of the game, Jamie, Kieran and TJ combined well to counter the Old Strets attacks, while Tom, Jake, Max, William and Jayden contained the Old Strets attacks as best they could. Max, playing at centre half made some crucial clearances during the half while Nathan was stalwart in the defence of his goal, and Joe came on to help out giving Jake a rest after his strenuous efforts in midfield. The game was pretty even throughout this period, until the Old Strets hit a shot that was heading without doubt into the back of the net, leaving Nathan stranded in the box. Somehow Max managed to get back to try to deflect the goal off the line, but it was too late, the ball was on target and nothing was changing its pre-ordained path, not even a last gasp effort from Max! Despite what Max thought, it wasn’t an own goal, there was nothing he could have done at that stage to stop it going in. 3-1 to the Old Strets... Max then left the field as his recurring heel  trouble flared up.

Will and Bren, back in the game took to the pitch with vigour, letting the Old Strets know they were back supporting the midfield and enabling Kieran and Jamie to push forward. A Kieran special saw Kieran dipping his shoulder, weaving from left to right and skipping round a number of Old Strets to make his way down the field towards goal, but he couldn’t manage to get in the final shot before the ball was forced over the line for a goal kick. Sadly the Old Strets made it 4-1 before the end of the game, as the defence just failed to prevent the quick counter penetrating into the Cougar box. Nathan was committed to coming out and even he wasn’t able to stop the inevitable as the Old Strets pounced and scored following a breakdown in communications. Jamie almost made it 4-2 as his half volley shot was caught by the keeper, and again later feeling under pressure after his break up field, saw his overly optimistic shot again saved too easily by the Old Strets goalie, but the game ended 4-1.  

This was a much better performance from the boys, it was a score line that in the words of their  manager Andy, flattered the Old Strets, as the Cougars took the game to them and made them really fight for a win. In fact – the first thing both the Old Strets managers asked (independently of each other) was if we had “brought in a load of new players?” such was the difference they saw in team compared to last time. This is a real compliment and the boys should take it as such, we recognise their improvement and keep telling them they are getting better and better despite the lack of a recent win. Even those teams who played us only a few months ago can recognise a significant improvement in the team, for the Old Strets it was so much so that they thought there had been some wholesale changes. The score line improvement  is a good indicator but it won’t take long if we keep improving at this rate, that we will start to narrow the gap between the team scores even more.

Thank you to Adam Lowe who refereed the match superbly, to Mark for running the line and spotting so many offside offences, to Raymond and Andy for ball duty and for all the help setting up and clearing down. Finally thanks to Andy, the Old Strets lads and his management team for a great match played in the spirit that the beautiful game should be played!

GBK Man of the Match:  Kieran for his outstanding performance, tracking up and down the pitch, chasing the ball down, making the most of every opportunity and almost scoring so many times it just didn’t seem fair!

Crunchie Moment:  William for his superb lost cause goal line clearance, a great overall performance which justified his position as runner up to Kieran for Man of the Match

Rolo Moment: Tom for his cross field dash to deflect the ball out at the crucial moment.