Dragons Halt Horsforth’s Chargers!

Line up: Cameron (GK), Harry T, William, Evan, Connor, Harry S, Lennon and Harry MS.

What a difference a week makes! Totally different performance and more importantly attitude this week from the boys. Home advantage definitely helped this week, the new pitch was in perfect condition and I insisted we did two 25 minute halves (I feel this suits us better). We didn’t fill their heads with instructions just kept it simple: Pressure the ball, play with pace (quick throw-ins etc.) and have fun!

The boys were on it from the start, pressuring the ball well and dominating possession. Passes were finding feet and there was some superb early link up play between Lennon and Harry MS that was a dream to watch (more of that you two!). The early pressure paid off when Evan again popped up with a calm finish to give us the lead. Evan is showing a much improved goal scoring touch this season (6 in 5 appearances).

Doing two 25 minute halves works so much better for the team it allows me to roll them on and off for 5 minutes at a time and doesn’t upset the team’s rhythm as much as when it’s stop\start quarters. They dominated the rest of the half my only slight criticism is we didn’t take our chances and could easily have been 2 or 3 up by the break.

At half time the message was simple, have a drink, more of the same and take your chances! More of the same is exactly what we got, dominating the play but not taking our chances (shooting practise on Wednesday??).

Horsforth were playing well but we were quicker to the ball and stronger in the tackle. A little frustration did creep into Horsforth’s play and a few wilder tackles started coming in. What did please me is in the past our boys would have let this get to them and reacted. But not on this occasion, they kept playing and eventually a free kick came their way out wide left. Lennon whipped in a superb delivery that hit the poor Horsforth keeper on the head and into the back of the net. At last a deserved second goal. Lennon claiming the goal insisting it was on target before hitting the keeper lol!

For the last 5 minutes the game opened up and became more end to end. Horsforth came close on a couple of occasions but we also continued to be wasteful in front of goal. Final result 2-0 which was well deserved and could\should have been more.

Cameron didn’t have much to do but when called upon was alert and reliable. Harry T and William superb at the back not giving the opposition any time or space to work in. Those three bagging a rare clean sheet, great effort boys! Harry S and Evan providing grit and determination in midfield. Pressuring well, tackling and breaking up the Horsforth play. Connor, Harry MS and Lennon showing great pace and link up play in attack. Always a thorn in the side and on another day would have had a bag full of goals between them.

Overall really pleased more like what I know we can do. What we need to do now is reproduce week in, week out and keep improving. Well done boys!!