Charlton Rovers Blues 1 Y.M.C.A Lions 3 (Cup Match))
Having out played and lost to the Y.M.C.A. Lions two weeks previously in the league, Charlton Rovers Blues entertained
Y.M.C.A. Lions in the Cheltenham Youth Cup at a neutral venue.
Y.M.C.A kicked off and were the first to attack. Their first shot on goal was not a sign of things to come though as it sailed towards the corner flag.
Y.M.C.A forced the first corner of the game and from it, a sliced clearance by Will narrowly passed the outside of his own post. The Blues defence
did not look like their normal selves and had to deal with three attacks on their goal. Joe A and Henry were very busy and a goal looked likely. It came from
a Y.M.C.A throw on the Blues left. The ball bobbled into the area where a sliding shot by the Y.M.C.A striker sneaked into the corner of the Blues net and gave Y.M.C.A a deserved lead.
Rovers responded and a flowing move that started on the half way line and involved a pass from Joe C to Ben on the right hand side. Ben ran to the corner
of the area and crossed towards the on rushing Tim. The ball just evaded Tim but was met by an on rushing Will who’s first time shot just passed
over the Y.M.C.A cross bar.
(Will's shot passes over the cross bar in the cup match with Y.M.C.A Lions)
Y.M.C.A. were not to be out done and launched an attack that saw a powerful shot beat the diving Finn in the Blues' goal. Y.M.C.A had established a 2 - 0 lead.
From the kick off Y.M.C.A proceeded to launch three more attacks but fortunately for the Blues their efforts were wide of the Blues' goal.
The game started to become scrappy but eventually Rovers broke free and a pass from Tim to Ben and then onto Joe C forced a save from the Y.M.C.A goalkeeper.
The Blues earned a free kick half way between the half way line and the Y.M.C.A goal area. Will shot direct from the free kick and the ball blatantly hit the Y.M.C.A
defender on the hand. The crowd awaited the awarding of a penalty but surprisingly it was not forthcoming. Instead the referee awarded a corner to the Blues which was successfully cleared by the Y.M.C.A defence.
The last action of the half saw a punt from Finn (in goal) return with a shot from Y.M.C.A. Finn was equal to the shot and was able to parry it. The Y.M.C.A
striker was quick to react, but Finn was quicker still, and slid to clear the danger away. The referee blew his half time whistle and both teams walked off for different team talks.
The Blues' team talk seemed to work and the second half saw a different Blues. The first attack of the half saw Ollie turn on the edge of the area and shoot just wide.
Henry, who was tackling everything that came his way, cleared the ball up field but just beyond a stretching Ollie. Moments later, Ollie picked the ball up on the
half way line. After beating one Y.M.C.A player he passed to Joe C. Joe ran forward with the ball and laid it off to Will in the Y.M.C.A area. Will turned and
unleashed a shot into the back of the Y.M.C.A. net. The Blues were back in the game.
Things were starting to change and the game moved from end to end of the pitch. A pass from Will to Ollie and back to Tim, saw Tim force a save from the Y.M.C.A. goalkeeper.
In the Blues' goal Finn was forced to make an excellent save diving down to his right.
A clearance by Charlotte landed at the feet of Tim. His pass inside saw Ollie turn and shoot, but again the Y.M.C.A goalkeeper was able to save it.
The Blues tried to find the second goal that would level the match. It almost came when Joe C passed to Tim on the left. Tim raced down the left wing and
crossed towards Ollie in the middle of the area. The Y.M.C.A goalkeeper dived forwards and palmed the ball away from what would have left Ollie with a chance of a certain goal.
It looked like the equaliser would never come and unfortunately it never would. Instead, play switched to the Blues' area, where the ball pinballed around from
player to player and somehow ended up in the back of the Blues' net to make the score 3 - 1 in Y.M.C.A's favour.
The Blues did not give up though and won yet another free kick - they seem to be awarded more in a game against Y.M.C.A than they do against all the other teams in a season.
Will shot, and following a tackle by Tim in the Y.M.C.A area, Ollie saw his point blank range shot saved and put out for a corner. The corner resulted
in a scramble in the Y.M.C.A area, but unlike earlier a goal did not arrive.
In the Blues' defence, Henry was having an excellent game and broke up numerous Y.M.C.A attacks. Along with Joe A and Charlotte they fought a valiant
battle with the tough Y.M.C.A strikers.
(Joe A clears from two Y.M.C.A Lions strikers)
Another free kick was awarded just before the end of the game when Tim was brought crashing to the floor when in full flow down the left wing.
The Y.M.C.A player had no intention of playing the ball and only had the intent of stopping Tim. From the free kick, Will managed to get the ball to Joe C who
saw his shot pass narrowly wide of the Y.M.C.A goal.
The final action of the game saw Y.M.C.A attack and once again scramble in the Blues' area. Fortunately this time Tim was on hand to clear off the line.
Soon afterwards the referee blew his whistle and the Blues had lost to the better team on the day 3 - 1.
Report by Jon
