Saturday 13th October 2007

Bridgwater Sports Colts 4-0 Swallowfield

Team: Howes, Criddle, Savage, Walford, Hill, Monaghan, Townsend, Curren, Frost, Taylor, Redman

Subs: Birch, A. Clapp, Woolridge, Tilling (Not used)

Scorers: Taylor (3) Curren

Swallowfield, provided the opposition for the second weekend in a row, following their 6-0 defeat from the previous weekend.  To their credit, they had made a number of changes and were better organised and more committed on the pitch.

The game kicked off a little early, ahead of the England international (not as early as the Reserves game, but we wont comment further on that - bastards!), but the Colts only had their own game on their minds.  With next weeks top of the table clash awaiting them, it was important to be disciplined, set a high tempo and intensity to the game, and to concentrate on doing the basics right, so that they become second nature in the weeks to come.

The first 10mins were fairly uneventful, but it was pleasing to see that the players were all concentrating on their jobs, looking solid and well organised.  It is important to recognise and appreciate that to start out in any game with this solid base is a vital a part of winning.  The concern being that inexperience may bring an impatience to force the game in search of quick goals. With the quality of players we have in the squad, we will crate plenty of chances over 90 minutes and indeed we didn’t have to wait much longer for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th 5th………… opportunities to come along.

Kev Curren, working hard down the right, was delivering quality balls into the box, one of which created a scramble before the ball fell to Spenny, who ballooned it over the bar from just 3 yards with the goal at his mercy.  Another cross then went straight across the goal mouth, passing under Redders foot, at the front post, and over Jacks foot, at the back post, and shortly afterwards a snap shot from Redders hit the post.  Andy Farkas, the Colts player/manager/sports reporter/and now medical officer, was then otherwise engaged for a further few minutes treating a cut to the mouth of Kev Curren, and was unable to witness even more good (simple) chances that went begging.  Eventually during this intense 10minute period of play, encamped in the opposition’s 6 yard area(!), another goal mouth scramble this time saw Jack Taylor poke the ball home for a 1-0 lead.

It should be noted that all these chances were not created by frantic, attacking play but from deliberate, purposeful football, with defenders winning the ball then passing it quickly to the mid field, who were creating the time and space needed to receive the ball and find the strikers, who themselves were taking up good attacking positions; Such as Jack, who lobbed wide of goal when put through one-on-one with the keeper, like Redders again hitting the woodwork and then scuffing the [open goal] rebound from 5 yards, like Olly’s free header from 2 yards out and Jacks free diving header at the back post……oh, and Jack shooting straight at the keeper from 5 yards and Sav missing a sitter in front of goal following a corner kick!!

But, we all know what can happen if you do not take your chances(!!), and with 45mins on the clock, Swallowfield sent a long hopeful, crossfield ball deep into our half.  Not for the first time (or in fact the 50th time) this season, the clubs newest ginger prodigy, Nathan Criddle, was caught day dreaming (of being a striker, no doubt) in front of his marker, who brought the ball down well to run through on goal with just Gazza to beat.  Gazza’s large frame, I’m sure, was enough to worry the centre forward whose shot found the side netting.

Half time was fairly low key this week, other than threats of physical harm made to Nathan, if he got caught the wrong side of his marker once more!  It was simply stressed that we must stay switched on in order to continue to dictate the game and create the chances to score more goals, and, as importantly, to keep the clean sheet.

The next goal would be vital and unsurprisingly it went to the Colts and to Jack Taylor, who beat the defender in a chase to the ball, and cut inside from the right of the box before shooting hard and low with his left foot just inside the front post, 2-0.

Five minutes later, Olly, who had been causing havoc in the box all afternoon (mainly to his own team, by getting in the way of most of their best efforts) found himself again with the goal at his mercy and again he failed miserably.  To save himself from any further embarrassment, Olly was then switched to centre back, (and told to stay there), replacing Sav, with Adam Clapp coming on into midfield.

Midway through the second half, if the game wasn’t already sealed then it was when Kev Curren got himself a well deserved goal.  Having switched to the left, when Liam Birch had replaced last week hat-trick hero Gareth Monaghan, ‘Bun’ got himself into a good position and was picked out in space by a Jack Taylor cross from the right.  One good touch and a strong shot then saw the lead stretch to 3-0.

Shortly afterwards, Jack Taylor was allowed to complete the scoring, and his hatrick, when generously handed the ball by Redders, following the award of a penalty, after an unfortunate but obvious hand ball.  Jack made no mistake with a confidant strike past the keeper, making it 4-0, before he was replaced by Dan Woolridge (Pete Tilling unfortunately missing out on the bench today, but hid his disappointment well as he skipped off to watch the England game).

Unlike the previous week at 4-0, the performance did not become so ragged, helped by a near complete and commanding defensive performance.  The only real incident in the closing stages was performed by Gazza, who came rushing 30 yards out from goal to sweep up a long ball from Swallowfied, but somehow missed his kick completely and a full pirouette later, the ball was still at his feet.  Having now lost his bearings and remembering his glory days, as a rampaging bull of a centre forward, Gazza set of up field, only to be immediately tackled by the first player he ran in to.  Fortunately, as Gazza was still tumbling on the floor in an attempt to get an unlikely free-kick, the players long range effort just missed the open goal.

The final whistle blew for another win, another clean sheet and another satisfying performance.  The win may have been expected, by most, but nothing should be taken away from this result.  Another clean sheet against a side that had scored 12 goals in 4 games before drawing 2 blanks against us in the past 2 weeks highlights the efforts of this Colts side.  The team are developing more good habits, which are replacing some of the bad habits, as the weeks go by.  How far has this team progressed?  We will be able to assess this better after next weeks game – bring it on!!!

Final Score:     4 – 0

Scorers:          Kevin Curren     Jack Taylor(3)           

Team – inc. Dream Team Ratings

G. Howes         7         

N. Criddle         7

C. Savage        7

A. Walford       7         

M. Hill                8         

G. Monaghan    7         

O. Townsend    7         

K. Curren         8

S. Frost           7

J. Taylor          8          *Star Man – 3 goals and good attitude following so many misses!

S. Redman       7         

Subs:                           L. Birch           7          A. Clapp          7

D. Woolridge     6          P. Tilling          Unused

Donkey:                      G. Howes -      once a frustrated striker, always a frustrated striker!

Wanker: Nathan Criddle - determined to get shagged by the management team for persistant poor marking!