On the 29th January we were back in league action and looking to continue our good form in the league. With three players missing through covid/ Injuries we were a little bit lighter then normal.
We travelled to Bordon to play against Headley Tigers for an 11am kick off. We arrived and had to play in the unfamiliar colour (blue) as Headley play in yellow. The boys warmed up well and listened to the team talk at the beginning and we were ready to go for 11:00am. Twenty minutes later we kicked off after waiting for the referee to finish another game on another pitch. Headley Tigers started brilliantly and had most of the ball in our half for the first 15 minutes. We started slow, but we grew into the game and started to create chances of our own but unfortunately couldn’t take them. Our slick passing that we are used to just wasn’t there. This was down to Headley, who pressed us quickly and we were caught not moving the ball quickly enough. Even though we had grown into the game we were struck a blow when a high ball into the box bounced over every one and into the goal. The boys were gutted and we saw out the first half trailing 1-0.
We spoke at half time about what the other team were doing well and what we needed to do or be better at. We needed to move the ball quicker and needed to press quicker were our answers. The second half started and Headley started how they finished the first half quick out the blocks and pressing us quickly to win the ball back. The boys were working hard to make things happen but it just wasn’t happening. Freddie up top was moving well but we just couldn’t get the ball to his feet enough. The Headley centre back pairing were teaming up well to win the high balls and clear everything up. We continued to press for an equaliser but our end product just wasn’t there on the day and we were struggling to score the goal we needed. Then another blow came midway through the second half. A curling effort superbly stopped by Harvey in goal saw the rebound fall to one of their players and we were slow to react and it was 2-0 to Headley, who thoroughly deserved their lead. The boys stuck to it and continued to work hard to get us back in the game. Again I can’t fault the attitude and work rate of our team but something was missing today, the calmness, final pass and first touch we have had recently wasn’t there this week. The boys never stopped and with 8 minutes to go we scored!! Ethan running on to ball over the top who then bullied his way past two defenders and passed it to Freddie who calmly took on a defender and around the goalkeeper to slot home to make it 2-1 and game one.
Through out the second half we had a few chances two freddie free kicks one going slightly over and one hitting the cross bar, Ethan came close hitting the side netting and a save from the goalkeeper tipping it over the bar stopped us from getting the equaliser our efforts deserved. Unfortunately we couldn’t find that second goal, it wasn’t for the want of trying but our quality that we have been used to wasn’t there on the day. Credit to Headley and their manager they executed a game plan brilliantly and didn’t allow us any time of the ball and fully deserved the 3 points.
The boys were gutted to lose and rightly so, but we learn more from losing and our mistakes and I know this defeat will make this amazing group even stronger than they already are. They have already shown this season how good they are and will continue to prove to every one what they are about in the future. The player of the match for this game goes to Cavan Milham who never stopped working hard and covered every blade of grass across the pitch to help us win the ball back and showed amazing feet to get out of some tricky situations in a tough game. Thank you to Darren and his Headley team who are a credit to their club and parents who play the game in the right way.
Simon Ormston
