Match Report - 11th May 2008

In preparation for next season the teams agreed to play this friendly as an 80 minute match and, on a baking hot day, the players coped very well. It was quite a competitive match and Bessingby looked a lot stronger than they had in the two earlier league matches. They lacked the finishing touch and the Bs were pleased to come out of the game with a clean sheet. The Bs created many good chances and Luis was very unfortunate that he didn’t get on the scoresheet. He certainly couldn’t have done any more.

The Bs used the opportunity to give Oliver and Andrew a match. Andrew showed some good tackles and interceptions and coped well at right back. Oliver played the first half and had a couple of good opportunities to use his pace and strength down the left wing. The Bs midfield looked much more focussed on keeping the ball and worked to get behind the ball full backs and deliver crosses much more than they have recently. Kyle and Jay looked composed in the centre and, on the right, Jordan had an excellent first half seeing a lot of the ball and taking a couple of shots on goal. Luis showed excellent skill and control and he worked well with Thomas who opened the scoring after 6 minutes. Oliver linked up well with Thomas down the left. Oliver’s cross was met by Jordan and Thomas came racing in to score from close range.

Other chances this half fell to Luis but from quick breaks it was good to see both Joe and Russ advancing forward with great purpose and control. The Bs won a lot of headers this half though, too often, misjudged the flight of the ball sending their headers flying behind them. Fortunately they covered each other well and cleared the danger. Bessingby had five corners in the first half and looked dangerous from each as the Bs marking wasn’t tight enough. But a combination of poor finishing and determination from the Bs backline cleared the danger.

The Bs made two half time substitutions, Conor replaced Oliver and played on the right wing. Jordan switched flanks. Francis took over from Jay and settled in straight away winning the ball and using it well. The Bs stretched Bessingby who found themselves pushed back much more this half. But they defended well and their keeper was very quick off his line and confident in the air and dealing with pass backs.

The Bs were very fortunate with their second goal from Thomas in the 42nd minute. It was brilliantly finished latching onto a bouncing ball he raced through and clipped it over the keeper. However, he was clearly offside but the Bessingby linesman was on his phone at the time and missed it completely and the goal stood. The game had been played in a very good spirit and, credit to all in the Bessingby camp as they took it well.

The Bs back four looked very solid and Ciaran took the opportunity to push up and create attacks more and more. Stephen showed good distribution picking out his wide players with good throws. Thomas had opportunities to grab a hatrick and was very close but it was Luis who caught the eye creating some great chances including one superb piece of control, a great turn and a shot that that missed the far post by a whisker. His determination to score drives him and, hopefully, will rub off on all the other players. Russ also went close from a well taken corner by Kyle that the defence fumbled.

Later in the game Kyle switched to the left wing and Jordan moved to centre midfield. Five minutes from time and Kyle made it 3-0 with a brilliantly taken goal. It came from a free kick awarded when Luis was fouled as he advanced on goal. Luis and Kyle lined up the kick, Luis dummied it and Kyle curled it high over the wall and the keeper’s outstretched hands. It was Kyle’s first of the season.

The Bs performance, the way they kept and used the ball and supported each other was a vast improvement on last week’s disappointing defeat. There were many good performances but Luis’s control and many efforts to score won him the man of the match award.