Bildeston Rangers 16th September 2006

We were supposed to be playing East Bergholt this week. Unfortunately they couldn't make it so the fixture has to be re-scheduled. Instead we played a friendly match against Bildeston Rangers.

I'll post the match reports without photos as I can't get them uploaded on to the system. I'll have to try another time. Also our official photographer arrived without his camera. (We don't pay him, so we can't sack him!!) I'm afraid we're back to photos from my camera, so the quality is not so good. We have been spoiled lately!!

The A's won 1-0 with a goal scored by Will o Malley (This makes Will the top A goalscorer this season!) We dominated the game from the start and most of the play was in their half. If Bildeston did manage to get forward they were dealt with comfortably by Will and Sam.
It was very encouraging to see the improvement we have made with our passing game. It looks like the work we have put in, in training is paying off. We moved the ball around very well between the midfield and the forwards and were unlucky not to have scored more goals. I was impressed by the quality of passing from Jack, Matty and Dan in midfield, but a special mention is needed for Jake who started off several moves with simple, effective passing that cut through the opposition and set Charlie and Ryan on their way. Both forwards linked up well together and were creating chances.
Another special mention is needed for Dan's crunching tackle, almost on our goalline that saved a possible goal against us. Ollie had already made a save and was almost buried under a scrum of players when the ball popped out and landed at the strikers feet. All he had to do was blast it into the net. Then Dan appeared and we felt the shudder on the touchline!!
A well deserved win.

Dan was voted Man of the Match for this game.

The B's got on even better with a resounding 6-1 win. What a difference a week makes. Last week our goalkeeper Sam was in the wars. This week he was bored!!
The first half was a bit tighter than the scoreline suggests. It was end to end stuff and I think we were slightly on top. With the score at 0-0 we found ourselves defending when the ball landed at their strikers feet at the far post. It looked like he was about to score when Luke decided, anything Dan could do, he could do as well. Cue a crunching tackle and the score remained at 0-0. Then they broke through on the counter attack and only had our goalkeeper to beat. Sam sprinted off his line and smothered the ball before the striker could get his shot in. 0-0 and we were living dangerously. Once again our passing play paid off and after a move involving Connor, Brandon and Freddie, Aidan beat the keeper to put us ahead. Soon after this we won a freekick just inside their half. Connor struck a long flighted pass, over the defense and into Freddies path, he controlled it and slotted it past the keeper to put us 2 up at half time.
In the second half they barely entered our half. We never let up the pressure and really made the passing count. Aidan and Freddie both got their second goal each. Brandon got a well deserved goal after all of the effort he was putting in. We even pushed Harley up front and left Luke as our sole defender. I lost count how many times they broke through only to be stopped by Luke, who then put in a simple pass and we were back in attack.
Harley was brought down in the box and took the penalty. The keeper made a good save. Harley played on and minutes later got his goal to put us 6-0 ahead. I don't think Sam had even touched the ball in the second half when they broke through and for once got passed Luke. The striker hit the ball hard from close range, Sam managed to get a hand on it but the power carried it just inside the post. That was the last kick of the game.

Luke was Man of the Match for the B's.

A good day all round for the young seasiders with two morale boosting wins. Next week we are away to Martlesham. We are expecting two good games.