U18s White Vs West Bridgford Black 2

Two big thank yous are required for today’s match to even take place. Thanks to today’s opposition, West Bridgford Colts, as we had to swap venues from the home of football (Bispham Drive Junior School) to Regatta Way in West Bridgford. The game was moved due to a fixture pile up at Bispham. Also thank you to all the parents for getting all the players there. It did feel like a home match as we were well supported, which was commented on by the West Bridgford manager.

A starting line up of Nathan in goal, Eddie at the back, Mikey & Coby in midfield & Gazza up front.

From the first whistle, the Tornados were playing some great high tempo football, with Coby’s energy & enthusiasm and Mikey making the most of his match time out field (he has been doing a great job in goal for us from the start of the season). At every opportunity we were pressing forward as a unit, supporting Gazza. The chances were coming thick and fast, with both Mikey & Gazza having shots on the West Bridgford goal. We were keeping things tight at the back too, not really giving the opposition a sniff at goal. The way thing were going, it was only a matter of time before we got our first goal.

Three changes were made after 10 minutes; Alex replaced Eddie at the back, Emin & Michael came on to take the midfield positions and Mikey moved up front. The fresh legs continued the same pressing football and soon our first goal was scored. Michael took a quick throw in from the left touch line which Mikey controlled & hit a shot goal bound, which was deflected off a West Bridgford player, wrong footed the keeper & crept over the line.

Alex was putting in a few tackles which was unsettling the opposition and anything that did get past him, Nathan dealt with comfortably.

At half time the team talk was to continue playing the same way. We were confident on the ball & the passing was crisp & we knew with Mikey going in goal for the second half & Nathan in defence, we looked pretty solid at the back. Eddie & Coby went into midfield; Gazza came back on as striker.

This was our most productive spell of the match. West Bridgford started to come at us a bit more but this was leaving areas of the pitch we could exploit. West Brigdford pumped the ball long up field but Nathan cleared long from a right back position, with Gazza latching on to the long pass, he bore down on goal scoring his first of the match. Our third goal followed in just a couple of minutes. After another long clearance from Nathan, this time into midfield finding Eddie, he played the pass of the match, as his defence splitting through ball made its way into Gazza's path.  Gazza had more to do this time as he had to evade a couple of challenges from retreating defenders,  but again tucked it away nicely to score his sceond. Gazza was soon to turn provider as he again ran down the right and cut inside, got himself into the box to spot an unmarked Eddie. Gazza passed the ball & Eddie took the ball sideways to evade the keeper & finished well.

The final 10 minutes saw us make our final changes with Alex & Michael replacing Eddie & Coby who had both put in a shift in midfield, Emin came on as striker.

Emin scored another goal, 3 in 4 matched now, with a fine solo run from midfield & finishing powerfully. This seems to be starting to turn into Emins trademark as all his goals have come in the same fashion.  With the clock ticking down & with us being so dominent, Alex tuck a quick throw in from the right, the ball bounced into the middle, and with Nathan pushing up from defence, he hit the loose ball first time just on the edge of the goal area, sending it crashing into the roof the net, wallop!

It could have been easy at this point for the team to have taken their foot of the gas, but the determinatin was epitimised by Nathan chasing down a West Bridgford player who had broke from midfield & as he was just about to shoot, Nathan put in a crunching sliding tackle to preserve the clean sheet.

I could go on and on about todays performance as it was great to see all the hard work in training is paying off, confidence was high & every player performed to their maximum.

The man of the match could have gone to any player and the team as a whole, but for his great pass & goal, Eddie took away the thophy this week.