Hightown 5-a-side Tournament 17/08/08

Squad:

Ullyses Everett McGill (Andy)
Ted (Ted)
Malarkey (Mick)
Ted's Cousin (Ste)
Ted's Cousin's Mate (Rimmer)
Daree

We started the first game, well, we didn't get started. That was the thing. Our shape was all wrong and we weren't sticking to our positions and we weren't picking our opposite numbers up, and sticking to them. We conceded a goal in the first 7 minute half to go 1-0 down, but an equalizer from myself pulled us back into it. We had about 7 to 8 golden opportunities to win the game, but we didn't take them, only hitting the target in just under half the opportunities we had. The game finished 1-1.

The second game, we played the team who, early on looked like the favorites for the group. Andy started in goal, with Ted, Rimmer, Ste and Daree all starting their first game together. I was on the bench as it was my turn to have a breather. We started worse than the first game. Much worse In my opinion. We called upon Andy to make about 4 brilliant saves to keep us in the game, and this was only a couple of minutes in. We were cagey and conceded a goal. But waited it out til half time with only a 1-0 deficite to overturn. I came on and we all got organised. We upped the tempo a couple of gears and absolutely mullered them in the second half we got a goal and they were still on the ropes. Like the first game, we had golden opportunities to win but we didn't take them. The game finished 1-1. We went off happy with our performance but felt we definately should have had more. We were determined to make the next game count. Honourable mention to Andy aswell, as he kept us in the game and didn't let us down when called upon.

We went into the next game playing top of the group, we were third from what I remember, with two draws. We went in with the shape from the earlier game that we finished with; Andy in goal, Ted and Myself at the back, Rimmer in the Middle with Ste up front on his own. We started the game very well, grabbing a goal with a back heel from Rimmer, and then we banged in another three shortly after. We strolled to victory until we conceded one at the end which would merely be a consolation goal. Man of the match was Ted by a mile, putting in a solid performance. Final score was 3-1.

The next game game we were solid once again with not much to report on. Another win for us and that put us on 8 points. One more win was enough to see us through.

We went into this game set out the same as we went into the other games. Andy in goal, me and Ted at the back etc. This game was surprisingly more frustrating than the other ones. We battered this team from the off but we just couldn't score. And we were punished in the final minute from a soft goal. Their play was at a tight angle and scored with a strike at the near post. He should have never have got a shot off but thats football. The final score was 1-0. We needed to win our next match to progress.

This game was a must win. And we were good enough to win it. We scored early on with a goal from Daree and we looked solid throughout. It wasn't easy, but some great defending from myself and Ted, and some good saves from Andy helped us right til the end. But not to the final whistle. Ted carried the ball out of defence in what must have been the last minute. Ted got caught in posession which left it two against one (me) at the back and they laid it off and the ball was placed to Andy's left. Last kick of the game. Ted was gutted, as were all of us, but it should have never have went down to the last game. If we wouldn't have been defeated throughout the group stages, we would have went through on goal difference. If we would have been more clinical, it wouldn't have fell down to the last game.

Ah, well. We'll be back next year! And we'll win it, if we win more!