U12 Blues claim 2nd league victory of season!

Posted in U12 Blue News ... March 8th, 2010

On saturday we had a chance to avenge a narrow 3-2 defeat a few weeks ago against AFC Henley, who are also struggling near the bottom of the table. An extremely entertaining game (unless you’re the Purley manager!!) saw us claim our 2nd league victory of the season with a 7-4 win. The report (which I enjoyed writing for once!!) on the game is as follows:

We started very brightly and forced an early corner which found Jack W who shot over the bar. A minute later James M shot just inside the box but it was high and wide. However, after 5 minutes and Henley’s first attack in our half, a miskick on the edge of the area from Jack E fell to their forward who mishit a shot that looped high and over JC to give them the lead. We responded well and after 8 minutes an attack down the left and shot from Jack W was sliced into his own net by one of their defenders. We continued to dominate possession and Louis had a shot well saved before James M went on a run from half way that ended with a shot that keeper again saved. A minute later we took the lead. A great run and cross from Louis ended with a defender kicking the ball into his own net. Jack W can claim the first goal but Louis has no chance of claiming this one – a definite OG!  However,  a minute later they had equalised. This time AD failed to clear and another lob in the air by a Henley forward sailed over JC and into the net – they should make these goals smaller, definitely not fair on the keepers! We then had a good chance to go ahead but Matt’s shot from a good James M run and cross was pushed behind for a corner. In the 16th minute they took the lead again. This time a run down the right and cross cum shot was slightly deflected in, again giving JC no chance. In the 20th minute Henley had a chance to go 4-2 ahead when Charlie C pushed a forward in the back from a throw-in to give away a penalty. JC proved he was more than a match for Henley by going the right way and saving the penalty. This seemed to jolt us back into action and for the remaining 10 minutes of the half we had all the attacking play but their keeper made some good saves and their defence held firm by clearing a few corners. At half-time the boys were told to cut out the sloppy defending and put their chances away, and they would then have every chance of beating this team. The first 10 minutes of the half saw us looking a lot more secure at the back, more composed, and being first to the ball. We attacked well and Ollie P forced a save from the keeper, and we had a few corners cleared by them. In the 11th minute we got our deserved equaliser. A ball through from James M found James H, who made a great run and slid the ball under the keeper for 3-3. A minute later James M had a left foot shot that was too high. Another James M run forced a corner which Jack W crossed back in from a clearance and it fell to James H who slotted in the corner for his second goal and a 4-3 lead. We should have extended the lead in the 18th minute, with a bit of 6-yard box pinball! First Louis shot straight at keeper, renbounded to Matt, who also shot striaght at keeper. Another chance in the 20th minute fell to James H for his hat-trick but keeper saved well. In the 23rd minute we extended our lead with the goal of the game. The ball dropped to the egde of the box and Jack W smashed a left foot shot in the top corner. Wild celebrations were short-lived 2 minutes later when the referee gave another penalty to them for a “trip/shirt pull” by Ollie P – he actually made a great tackle and clearly won the ball. This gave a chance for some action for JC and he responded superbly by parrying a fiercely hit penalty. Unfortunately the penalty taker reacted quicker than our defenders to the rebound and slotted home to make it 5-4 – game on!! A nervous few minutes followed until the 28th minute when a good ball down the line from Matt found James H, who crossed and Charlie C side-footed in at the near post for 6-4. In the final minute a kick-out by their keeper only reached James H who slid the ball forward for Andrew K to run on to and slot past the keeper for his first ever Purley goal. A 7-4 win was fully deserved, and if we cut-out the sloppy defending and continue to pass and finish like today for the remaining 5 games then we have every chance of moving up the table a few places. Matt Allen was given man of the match for his great efforts on the right side of midfield.