On a very cold, grey Saturday morning the Blues entertained St.Marks Juniors at Whaddon Rec. The Blues kicked off and were soon on the attack with Tim down the right hand side.
His cross, come shot was parried away by the St.Marks goalkeeper who went on to have a splendid game between the sticks.
There followed a 4 minute stalemate where neither team were able to make a decisive breakthrough on the heavy pitch. It was the Blues that almost broke the deadlock though
with Will breaking up play on the half way line and runnng down the right wing. His pass inside was bundled against the legs of a defender by Harry, the rebound falling
to Joe C on the edge of the area. Unfortuantely Joe C didn't quite make the contact that he would have hoped for and his shot went tamely wide and out for a goal kick.
St.Marks were the next to react though, and following a kick from Finn in the Blues' goal, St.Marks fed the ball to the right and beyond Owen's attempted karate kick. With the
goal at his mercy, the St.Marks striker shot tamely at Finn, who was then able to make a comfortable save diving to his right.
(Owen checks his boots and tussles with the St.Marks' striker.)
The Blues responded, and from a throw in on the halfway line on the left, Tim battled superbly to get the ball back twice and then race to the by line. Tim fired across
a left footed cross that fizzed just beyond Joe C. Joe C chased the ball to the oppositte touchline and then sent in another cross. The ball bobbled to Will unmarked on the
penalty spot and a goal looked inevitable. Will blasted the ball and it went just wide of the left upright and out for a goal kick. It was a good move that deserved more.
The next bit of action arrived with the introduction of Ben and Ollie. Ben won the ball on the halfway line and fed Ollie on the edge of the St.Marks area. Ollie, turned
and shot first time. The speed of the turn suprised the goalkeeper, and caused the ball to rebound off his knees. Following in, Ben chipped the ball goalwards, but the goalkeeper
had recovered and was able to tip the ball onto the crossbar and out for a corner. From the corner, the ball broke loose and St.Marks ran the ball up to the Blues' area.
The striker shot from the edge of the area, but the ball went straight to Owen who cleared it, but only as far as another St.Marks striker on the edge of the area. Her shot beat Finn
in the Blues' goal, but fortunately rebounded off the post and was cleared by Joe C to safety.
Soon after, Joe C broke up play just inside the Blues' half, and fed the ball to Ollie mid way into the St.Marks half. Ollie knocked the ball past the last defender and
broke into the area with only the goalkeeper to beat. Hitting the ball with the outside of his foot past the advancing goalkeeper, Ollie prematurely turned away to celebrate. To
his dimay though, the ball came back off the post and into the greatful hands of the St.Marks goalkeeper. Ollie had once again been thwarted by the post!
The last action of the game came via an interception by Owen. The clearance was picked up by Ben who ran down the left wing and into the St.Marks' area. His left foot
cross led to a scramble in the area, but unfortunately for the Blues the St.Marks goalkeeper was able to smother the ball once again. This was the last action of the half.
The second half of the game started brightly for the Blues with Will breaking free and forcing a corner. From the corner, Will was able to pick the ball up in
loose play, but his first time shot went wide of the target.
From a St.Marks free kick, Henry intercepted the ball on the half way line and fed Ben who was storming up the right wing. Ben advance on goal, but saw his shot saved
by the St.Marks goalkeeper. Harry attempted to touch in the rebound, but the goalkeeper was alert to the danger. From the kick out though, Will controlled the bouncing
ball and, realising the goalkeeper was off his line, fired in a looping shot that dipped just over the cross bar. It would have been another special one to add to his
collection for the season.
Soon after, following a St.Marks goalkick, Ollie passed the ball inside to Will, but not realising he had time, he shot early and wide of the target.
The Blues were dominating, but despite all of their possession a goal was not forthcoming. Then, from nowhere, a through ball from the right sent the St.Marks striker through
on goal. Charlotte turned and made up the ground and slid in a perfectly timed tackle that sent the ball out for a throw in and the St.Marks striker sprawling along the pitch. It
was a goal saving tackle. From teh throw in, Will won and lost the ball, for Joe C to clear to Joe B on the halfway line. Joe B passed the ball to Will, who dug out a
pass from the thick mud to Ollie who was free on the left. Ollie ran onto the ball and met head on with the St.Marks goalkeeper. The ball bobbled around and
eventually landed at the feet of Ollie who put the ball into an empty net to the relief of the team and their supporters.
From the kick off, Ollie won the ball back and passed to Joe B. Joe B returned the pass to Ollie, who then fed Will in the area. Will attempted to shoot, but lost his
footing in the mud and the ball trickled to the St.Marks goalkeeper.
The Blues were looking very confident. Soon after, Henry battled to win the ball on the right wing and passed to Joe B. Joe B cut inside and gave the ball back to Henry.
Henry wept play to the left across the edge of the penalty area where Ollie controlled it and flicked it past two defenders (who both fell over). Stopping inside the area,
Ollie picked his spot and curled a shot into the top left hand corner. Once again, as he was about to celebrate, the St.Marks goalkepper flung himself to his left
and palmed the ball onto the cross bar.
(Ollie lines up a shot that is superbly saved by the St.Marks goalkeeper)
With time running out, St. Marks moved everybody into the Blues half of the pitch. From a throw in, Henry cleared the ball where it fell to the feet of Ollie with
no defenders in sight. Ollie ran the ball across the half way line and as he bore down on goal, the referee blew up for full time, to the shock and amusement of th
crowd. Once again Ollie had been denied, but at least the team had earned a well deserved victory and he had got his name on the score sheet.
