ROCKETS 0 - 2 CHRISTLETON NEWSCENE
A tough morning for the lads against very much Newscene's best 7 - who were looking for revenge after the earlier Cup fixture. Newscene paid our lads a great deal of respect in keeping their top players on until the last 8 minutes, whereas we rotated as usual each quarter.
After starting well with George finding some space up top and on the left we began to get bogged down in our half and we couldn't clear our lines effectively either through long balls which fell short into the Newscene midfield or by passing out as time-after-time we found opposition players. That said, we were tackling for our lives and Hugo made good saves and was very quick off his line.
We succumbed to a set-piece where we didn't attack either the first ball or the second ball which was headed home at the back post. At 0-1 down we got the boys in for a chat but with changes to make it was hard to get a clear message over about how best to play the ball through the thirds - something we had done brilliantly the night before in training!
In the second quarter it was more of the same with Hugo again making key interceptions with his efforts matched by our defending desire. We switched off for just a couple of seconds in midfield which allowed Newscene's best player to calmly take the ball down, advance and shoot to the top corner. A good hit but we needed to get to the ball much quicker to close down.
The last 20 minutes was far more even as the boys started to play and the pressing of Newscene slowed. We created a few good moments in the 3rd quarter before dominating the final 10 minutes and being really unlucky not to grab a goal after hitting the post twice in a 30 second spell which would have set up a grandstand finish.
Newscene are probably the best team we've played and are top of the group so to only concede 2 goals across two matches shows that defensively and in Hugo we have improved - we just need to be calmer in moving the ball from the defensive third into the midfield and beyond. Our midfielders have got to show more for the defenders and on occasions we are trying to make long runs in behind in anticipation of a 'Steven Gerrard' type ball that isn't quite where we are at just yet! This results in the ball landing in the lap of the opposition midfield and we are the wrong side of the game...and a panic to get back in goal side.
In the post match debrief the boys knew where we struggled and at training this Friday we will work solidly on this aspect of moving the ball through the thirds.
Well done boys - 10 out of 10 for effort.
MOTM went to Hugo who had a faultless game and who is commanding his area and taking responsibility for making the decisions in his area. Well done.
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