Stone is the hero for the U9 Cougars with a string of stunning saves - U9 Cougars fight back from 2-0 down to snatch a draw against Fletcher Moss Rangers

 

The long-awaited first encounter between two of the league’s strongest sides lived up to its billing, producing a hard-fought draw, in a match that went right to the wire.

 

On a sunny, but surprisingly chilly spring day at Mersey Bank Playing Fields, the Cougars were down to the bare bones of a squad, with Archer, Lovatt and Greensmith all laid up on the treatment table (sic), so their excellent performance was especially pleasing for coach Livingston against a strong Rangers team.  

 

The Cougars kicked off, and were soon on the attack. A beautifully weighted through ball from Bundred, found Gozem who slipped in Mail for an early run on goal, but the Rangers defence shepherded him out wide, and his cross-shot was comfortably saved by the keeper. Before long, it was the home side who were applying the pressure, but the Cougars pulled together as a team to defend their lines. Stone made a brave early save at the feet of a Rangers forward. A corner followed soon after, and the Cougars were relieved to survive a scare as the Rangers captain flashed his shot over the bar from close range.

 

At the other end, Livingston and Gozem linked beautifully with a sharp interchange of passes, before they were closed out before they could get close enough to shoot. Within seconds, Livingston showed himself to be the epitomy of a “box-to-box” midfielder, as he tracked back to make a last ditch tackle to deny the Rangers attacker when he was about to pull the trigger.

The game was fought hard in the middle of the pitch with no quarter given by either side. Gozem and Ford combined well down the right, but again, they were denied a shot on goal by the Rangers’ defence.

 

The period ended with Fletcher Moss exerting the pressure, forcing Howgate and Bundred into some strong tackles in the Cougars defence. The nippy little Rangers right winger did break through for a shot on goal, but fortunately for Wilmslow he rushed his shot, which sailed over the bar. At the end of the period, the teams were locked at 0-0.

 

Webb came on for Howgate at the start of the period, and she was soon tackling for her life, as the Rangers tried to unlock the Cougars’ defence. Their left winger broke free of the shackles for a split second and fired in a scorching shot on the Cougars’ goal, but Stone’s feline leap across his goal saw him push the ball round the post, to admiring cheers and gasps from the touchline.

 

The Cougars pushed back, and Ford set off on a mazy run around at least 14 Rangers’ defenders, before earning a corner. But Fletcher Moss defended it well, and launched a counter attack which saw their centre forward with a free run at goal, only to be denied again by “the Cat” in the Cougars’ goal. The game really started to open up, and Mail was unlucky not to get a free kick when he was tripped on the edge of the box as he lined up a trademark rocket into the top corner.

 

This was the Cougars’ best spell of the game, and Ford, Gozem and Livingston all went close to breaking the deadlock. Mail smashed a shot against the outside of the post, then Bundred agonisingly failed to reach a beautiful Livingston corner which flashed across the Rangers’ goalmouth. It seemed only a matter of time before the Cougars would make their pressure count. But in a cruel twist of fate, it was Rangers who went in front. A break down the right and a high swirling cross deceived the Cougars’ defence, and under pressure from the centre forward, Stone couldn’t hang on to the ball, leaving their captain free to roll the ball home, to give the Rangers the lead.

 

The goal bolstered the confidence of the home team, and they started to push the Cougars back as they searched for a second goal. But Wilmslow held firm and finished the period on top again, with Livingston and Gozem forcing half-chances, before a Maradona-esque Mail jinked through the Rangers defence for the Cougars’ first really clear sight of goal of the game, but his rasping drive was pushed round the post and the Cougars went in to the break still a goal behind.

It was Fletcher Moss who started the 3^rd period looking like the likeliest winners, as they imposed themselves on the Cougars, and Stone was soon forced in to action, as the Rangers midfielder broke free for a run at goal. His rocket shot was destined for the top corner, before Stone leapt to his left to push it on to the post and out for a corner. But it wasn’t long before the Rangers were back on the offence. In a carbon copy of the previous attack, Stone found himself facing another howitzer from the boot of the Rangers’ captain. It was a shot Van der Saar wouldn’t have even got close to, let alone the 4 foot something stopper from Wilmslow. The ball flew into the net, and the Cougars were 2-0 down with less than 10 minutes to play. The pressure continued on the Cougars’ goal, and Stone re-asserted himself as the Cougars’ saviour with 2 more outstanding saves to keep the Cougars in the game. Slowly, the Cougars started to push the Rangers back, and Ford started to find some space, this time on the left wing. Another of his mazy runs produced a chance for Mail to pull a goal back, but the keeper produce a double save to deny him. Fletcher Moss were still a threat, and almost caught the Cougars on the break to get a third goal, which would surely have ended the contest, but again Stone rescued his defence as he tipped a stinging shot over the bar.

 

Howgate was called back on to bolster the Cougars’ rearguard, and was soon in the thick of the action, with a series of trademark crunching tackles. Ford again jinked down the left, slotted Livingston through in the six-yard box, but from his return pass, Ford’s snap shot was well-saved by the keeper. From the resulting corner, Mail was denied from close range by the Rangers’ keeper, who was clearly inspired by his opposite number’s performance in the Cougars’ goal.

 

As the game entered the last 5 minutes, the Cougars pushed forward in search of a goal that would reward their efforts. Another tackle by Howgate on the half way line, set up a beautiful move which saw Livingston and Mail exchange passes on the edge of the Rangers’ box before Mail smashed home to make it 2-1. With only a minute left of normal time, the Cougars pushed forward in search of an unexpected equalizer. Ford and Mail combined well but were denied by the keeper.

 

Into injury time, Howgate again broke up a Rangers’ attack, and this time slipped a short pass to Livingston. In a moment of sublime skill, he twisted and turned his way through the Rangers’ defence, and as the crowd gasped in equal proportions of fear and hope, he kept his composure to slot home a richly deserved equalizer. The Wilmslow supporters went bananas on the touchline, and spent the last 5 minutes of injury time praying for the referee to blow up and end the game, but there was one more twist in the tale. As the Cougars pushed forward to cap their incredible comeback with a winner, Fletcher Moss suddenly broke free and their winger crossed the half way line with a clear run on goal – surely the Cougars wouldn’t be denied a deserved point… but Howgate appeared from nowhere, with a sliding tackle, taking boy and ball, to clear the Cougars’ lines. Within seconds the referee blew up (not literally, obviously) and the game was over.

 

The 2-2 scoreline was a fair reflection of the game and both sets of fans rose to their feet (well…) and applauded the brave warriors off the pitch. It was another fantastic match and a well-earned draw for the depleted Cougars. Coach Livingston was beaming like a Cheshire cat at the end of the game, but it was “Oscar the Cat” who stole the plaudits with the coveted man of the match award, for his stellar display in goal. Let’s just hope no Premiership scouts were there to see it!