The week that was!

Match reports unavoidably delayed due to visiting scout from Canada.Well,almost,a man more used to ice hockey anyway,who confirmed that the temperatures back home were a degree below zero.Is that all?.Try a february morning at KGV.

 

Saturdays match against Heavitree Youth provided City with the opportunity to showcase their form and he picked a good away match to experience.A fine sunny morning at Friends Provident,in the shadow of the egg shaped ball brigade,on recently mown grass and a wide pitch.A great introduction to “saa-kah”.Not much clue in the weather for those looking to later in the afternoon to pick out the Grand National winner.

 

City kicked off with the wind behind them,the unfamiliar figure of Josh in goal.After the initial exchanges,Heavitree pressed and forced two corners in quick succession.City settled  and before long were pressing the home sides' goal with a Sam P shot sailing just over the bar.The width of the pitch was increasingly being used as City found a passing game,often with distance moves,Joe running down the right and several efforts just missing the target.Midway through the half City were rewarded when Tom hit a sweet shot into the top right hand corner.

 

City played out the half in much the same vein,quickly turning defence into attack.Directly following a great chance for Heavitree,Joe found Will P and a sweeping cross found the head of Alfie W forcing a great save from the home keeper.It was he who kept the deficit down to a single goal at halftime,with Josh performing similar heroics at the City end as Heavitree finished the first 30 minutes with a flourish,and two good close moves.

 

As City enjoyed the breaktime oranges,the Canadian scout explored local foliage aka the restrooms.Sam R,fresh from a visit to as many European countries in as many days as a Rolling Stones tour,but with a clearer memory of them,took over between the sticks.City adopted a roll on sub policy and started the second half with purpose.Alfie W lobbed the keeper for the first of two efforts of his to crash the crossbar and swiftly followed with a crossfield shot that the keeper parried against the post.

 

A close effort from Ryan was swiftly followed by City doubling their advantage as Alfie W found Will A drifting into space and he made no mistake with a clinical finish.City ended the match firmly on the up with further efforts on goal by Man of the match,Will A, and a Tom header.

 

Final score: Heavitree 0  City  2

 

 

Fast forward to Wednesday evening and City played hosts to Cullompton Rangers.It seems a long time ago that the away fixture marked Citys’ baptism of fire in Division 1 of the league.A memorable game saw City all over them to establish a three goal lead, only to eventually win the game by a single goal,4-3.They were a good side then and nothing has changed.What a sunny,warm,bordering on hot evening at KGV saw was a competitive,advanced game of football for an Under 12’s fixture.That City lost the game to a single goal in no way reflects their maturity with the roll on sub system from the 12 available squad working well.

 

Again,on closely mown grass,the surface was fast.Rangers had a tall,clean handling goalkeeper and a fighting spirit,so City were in a match from kick off.The coin flip saw City open by  playing away from the carpark,a favoured stance.This time,the defensive qualities of Charlie,Cameron and Josh were brought to the focus with Rangers forcing Will P to drop to a midfield defensive position to maintain shape and rebuilding.Ewan was in the thick of the action from the opening whistle.The first 20 minutes saw an even tempo with equality in each sides play.Rangers forced the first three corners but City rallied.A Cameron goalkick found first Sam P,his left foot shot just wide,then when the midfield found him,Alfie W went close,the first from a passing move,the second from a spin shot.City ended the first half strongly and the teams went in level.

 

Despite a Sam P effort that went close over the bar,it was Cullompton who broke away to score the only goal of the game.As the second half wore on,City gambled more and more but just could not level despite midfield and defensive players continually pushing Rangers back.Even Sam P considered a Peter Schmeichel style foray into the Rangers goalmouth but that was where it ended.Man of the Match was Josh,defensive strength tonight,relief keeper on Saturday.

 

11 a side beckons for the squad next season with much promise.