U9 Cougars take positives from heavy defeat against Lions - brave fightback after disastrous opening period

8 May 2011

With Coach Livingston missing a rare match due to family duties, it was down to Scoop Howgate to swap his notepad and pen for his bibs and cones for the final match of the season, at home to an impressive Wythenshawe Lions team, boasting a host of Academy players.

I won't labour the disappointment of the result with a lengthy match report, because it was a really tough game for the Cougars. But it's important we take the positives out of the match, because I was extremely proud of how the boys fought back gradually into the match, after such a devastating first period. 

In brief, the Cougars were mauled by a very hungry pack of lions in the opening period. The Lions were first to every ball, and winning every tackle. Their Number 9, as expected, was a real handful, but actually hurt us more with his wing play and crossing, than with his own ability to finish. Three goals came from headers following his crosses, which is something for us to take back to the training ground. The other three goals were long range efforts which seemed to unerringly arrow into the top corner of Oscar's goal. I spoke to one of the Lions' coaches after the game who said he'd never seen anything like it, even from his own team. Everything they hit went into the net!

In my 20 years in business, I've made speeches and presentations in board rooms, factory floors and conference halls, to worldly-wise businessmen and hardened workers. But the team talk at the end of the first period was one of the hardest things I can remember having to do. 9 little faces looking up at me wondering what I was going to do to stop the rot. I can't remember much about what I said, probably a plethora of football cliches, but I did tell them they were capable of playing great football, and that they had to remember how to do it - to fight harder, and show the Lions that we weren't going to be a pushover. We changed things around, formation-wise, brought George and Tom on to toughen up the midfield, dropped Calum back into defence, and started the fightback. It would be great to report on an incredible 7-6 victory, but that was never going to happen. What did happen was that the boys stuck together and started fighting back. George and Tom tackled like demons, Archie was a revelation, showing a real toughness to his game that showed the Lions that we could stand up to them. And we started pushing the opponents back, creating chances of our own. Archie was denied twice by great saves from the Lions keeper. Fordy had one great chance blocked on the line. We "lost" the second period 2-0, but on another day could have had 3 or 4 goals to show for our hard work.

The final period was actually incredibly evenly matched. A neutral observer who arrived late would have had no idea that one team was leading 8-0. The Cougars created further chances. Tom played down the left for the last 10 minutes and produced some wonderful wing play, taking on and beating the full back on 3 separate occasions, and firing in shots from all angles. George and Ben threatened too, but the Lions held firm. Calum had a great free kick saved by the keeper when it was heading for the top corner. Ethan H really stepped up his game, keeping the shackles on the big number 9, whilst Josh revelled in a rare excursion into midfield, producing some great tackles and passes. Oscar was actually rarely troubled in the Cougars goal, but held on to everything that came his way. The fact that the Lions scored with virtually the last kick of the game to "win" the final period 1-0 was cruel on the Cougars who had showed real grit and determination to more than hold their own.

So let's look at it as three separate games. One, a disaster, and best forgetten, the second and third very evenly matched and hard fought. It's hard to take positives out of a 9-0 defeat, but this we must. The boys should not be ashamed of what happened on Saturday. We should all be proud of the courage they showed in not letting their heads drop in such difficult circumstances, and fighting back so well against an extremely strong Wythenshawe team. All this said, I will be more selective about the opponents we have lined up next time David asks me to step in to the breach. Until then, I'll revert to the notepad and pen.

Source: Tom Howgate

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