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| Submitted 2009-06-11 17:56:06 by WebMaster |
The Under 16s were at their best on Sunday in their Round 7 encounter against Brandon Park by winning 4-1 with a double to Ben and goals to Dton and Dmitri. We started the day with the heavens opening up and letting it all come down. Enormous volumes of water and hail. Not exactly the start we were expecting. The visitors rooms where occupied by other teams playing at the time we arrived.
Our boys were huddled in a corner sheltered from the downpour and wondering what the hell they were doing out there. I must say the same thought crossed my mind.
The majority of the team had exams the previous week and did not attend training. To make thing worse, Theodore was sick and couldnt play. Peter had a congested chest and was only fit enough to give us half a game. And several phone calls were received asking about how to get to the ground. With the weather, the poor preparation during the week, I feared the worst was yet to come. First on the ladder playing Seventh and a possible upset. To make thing worse it happened again. “George I forgot my game top”.
Talk about stress. Thanks to George Petros with his tape and some intense attention on the referee prior to kick-off we managed to get through. The whistle blew and the game started. The lack of preparation during the week showed as they where uncharacteristically slow and hacked the ball forward. The ball control, short passes and intensity was nowhere to be seen. The distance between the forwards and our midfield was so great that I could have played another game between them. No communication and no rotation in our midfield. The defenders looked like icicles jammed in the mud. My head nearly exploded.
After all that stress it finally came. Denis passes the ball to Ben. Ben strikes and Goal. I thought it would never come. At half time the score was 0 - 1. After the half time break and talk, the boys returned to the ground.
Peter had taken his position at the front and when the lad had had enough, signalled to the coach that he needed to come off. Dton was the replacement player for Peter and took his position in the forward line. He was doing it hard. The oppositions defence where twice his build and easily shielded him off the ball, but he persisted.
A persistence, which is a characteristic shown by all our boys. Then it happened, a cross from the left bounced in between left defender and goal keeper, not half a meter apart. It would surely be cleared by the right defender not 1 meter away but from nowhere, Dton sneaks in and squeezes a header that SCORES. 2-0. The parents went wild as this was “one out of left field”. The Game continued and I must say Dmitri must have run 20km on this day. (Ange I don’t know what you fed him but can you bring down 15 servings of it next week). Dmitri’s contribution was infectious as George and LJ, lifted to make claim to the midfield. Next, we unfortunately conceded a weak goal from the opposition, and yes my head bid explode. Never the less the boys looked like they needed a wakeup call. Nick did a great job on the opposition after that and I was impressed to see him not retaliate after what should have been a red card (against the opposition) for a hit outside the play. He got himself up and proceeded to play the game. Well done Nick. You showed good character and you won the respect of many a parent that was at the ground. The next goal came when Ben again danced around the defender, cut in towards the goal and SCORED. 3-1. Not to end there. The work horse of the day got one in as well. A cross comes in from the side and the dynamo (Dmitri) gets his head to it. Goal and 4-1 final score.
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