1st Team Results
1st Team 3 - 0 Uni of Hertfordshire
Venue: Home
Referee:
A really big performance was needed and a really big performance is what we delivered!
Just when it seemed as if we would be playing with 9 men.....again, the referee decided to give us some leeway but turning up half an hour late. This enabled the late comers to arrive, change and be ready for the game. Having said that, we need to start arriving to games on time in order for us to prepare and warm up properly. Anyway enough of the negativity and onto the positivity.
We started the game very much on the front foot. We pressed as a team and, with our need to build up play, we had them chasing our shadows shadows. We took the lead mid-way through the first half after some more slick interchanges. We worked the ball out from the back. The ball was drilled into James Dennis who laid the ball to Nick Lewis who in turn laid the ball off to Mod. Mod looked up and saw Ramsay making a run in behind the oppositions right back. Ramsay then cut in, a little step over bought a yard a space enabling him to lift the ball in over the keeper. 1-0 the eggs. The oppo were in disarray. Even more so when we attacked again, this time on the right hand side. A cross came in which was partially cleared to Jordan who cracked a shot off the crossbar. Very unlucky. His performance merited a goal. On the stroke of half time we went 2-0 up. Ramsay beat his man with a step over......Ramsay got to the byline, cut it back and there was Azevedo to tap it home. 2-0. Half time.
Team talk was positive. Everyone was in the mood and feeling good.
2nd half ensued and basically followed the pattern of the 1st half. Herts started to be more physical, resulted in some late challenges and short breaks in play but it did not change the pattern of the game. We had 2 off the line and a one on one before we eventually got the 3rd goal. Azevado hassled the oppos backline into a mistake which allowed him to run in on goal and slot past the keeper. 3-0.
Game over? Not exactly!!
The last big talking point of the game came with about 5 mins to go. A through ball from Herts came to nothing but as Craig was shepherding it out, one of their players came running in with a slid two footed, studs showing tackle! What did the ref give? A corner to them!!! Their player was lucky that Craig is one of the calmer players on our team and he did not react. Had it been someone else *cough proctor cough cough* their player would have had a black eye to go with the bruised ego after this crushing defeat. As the final whistle went, we confronted the ref, who proceeded to explain to us that 2 footed tackles are legal and that if he was wrong, then he would send a formal letter of apology to the club. We are expectant of that letter!
Big shout outs go to the team after that performance and hopefully we can really push on from here. First game back is a cup quarter final on the 9th of Jan, weather permitting, against New Magdalanen at home.
Team:
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