U10 Cougars in great season opener - leave Rangers singing the Blues

17 September 2011

The opening day of the 2011/12 season eventually arrived with the U10 Cougars playing host to Fletcher Moss Rangers Blues. The same fixture last season was a nail biting 2-2 draw, so there was a mixture of nerves and anticipation before the game.

That said, the Cougars were taking many pre-season positives into this first game; Benjani had finally dropped his Pasadobli move, Fordy had been passing the ball in training and George Archer turned up early for the match......................... all good omens for the new season.

Match 1

Handshakes complete, and with Mail as captain for the day, the Cougars started the match and were quickly into their stride. Starting were they left off last week the trio of Stone, Lovatt and Bundred were soon pulling the strings with some superb distribution. Bundred picked out Mail with a great pass from midfield; Mail's first touch was sublime and was followed by a lovely through ball to Livingston who had appeared wide on the right. Livingston slipped a beautifully weighted pass into the path of Ford who guided the ball past the Ranger's keeper................1-0.

Lovatt then picked out Mail with another inch perfect pass. Mail again controlled well and put Ford clear. In a repeat of his first goal Ford took one touch to control and another to fire past the Rangers keeper for his and the Cougar's second........2-0.

Ford capped a great first half performance with another couple of maisy runs down the left hand side and some lovely one-two's with Mail.

Match 2

Match 2 started much as the first with the Cougars having most of the early play. The play seemed to have switched to the right hand side. Archer picked up the ball deep in the Rangers half and with some great footwork and a great one-two with Gozem he was clear of the Rangers defence, his fierce shot was tipped round the post in a great save from the Rangers keeper.

Archer was again involved in the action. This time his great footwork created an opening for Greensmith. Greensmith controlled with his left and fired home with his right.............3-0. Greensmith was combining well with Gozem, who was leading the line well, to create another couple of half chances. Gozem was then  unlucky not to get on the end of his lovely turn and cheeky nutmeg.

The third goal seemed to sting the Rangers team into action and they started to get the upper hand for the first time in the game. The Cougars seemed to be weathering storm. Greensmith, Lovatt and Bundred were combining well with some great tackling to keep Rangers at bay. A slick Rangers move resulted in a fierce shot from the edge of the box. The shot looked destined for the back of the net until Bundred appeared from nowhere to head the ball clear.

Just a the Cougars thought they had weathered the storm Hamnett picked up a loose ball midway inside the Cougars half and kept his composure to fire past the outstretched Stone.............3-1.

Match 3

Having been tested in the last five minutes of the previous match the Cougars made a lightning start t the final third. In the first attack of the match Lovatt found Archer on the right. Archer controlled, slipped past the defender and pinged in a lovely low cross. Livingston timed his run into the box the fired a first time shot high into the roof of the net.............4-1.

Just as the Cougars were thinking that they now had the game under control the Rangers players grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and started to created several chances of their own. Stone was being tested with shots from the edge of the box and crosses from both flanks. Having tipped over and punched clear on a few occasions Stone was having to work hard in keeping the Cougar's defence in tact.

In another attack Rangers finally broke clear and it was Murphy who fired home..........4-2.

Rangers were now well on top and hit the bar and shot wide before Murphy found himself through on a goal. Another cool finish had Rangers back in the game..........4-3.

Rangers continued to press and the game seemed to be slipping away from the Cougars. Having been under pressure for long periods of the third match it was Lovatt who then started the Cougar's fight back. Picking up the ball midway inside the Cougar's half a trademark though ball found Livingston in space. Livingston picked out Mail who fired home to the relief of the home crowd................5-3.

This goal against the run of play seemed to catch Rangers by surprise and it was quickly followed by another great move between Ford and Mail on the right. Mail was on hand to fire home from close range.........6-3.

The final whistle came as relief to end a pulsating and exciting final match.

Summary

An exciting match with both teams playing some excellent and entertaining football. The scoreline didn't reflect the battling performance from the Rangers team. Next week's return fixture will be an eagerly awaited affair and the Rangers side will be looking to take revenge and claim three points of their own.

Source: David Livingston

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