This is a game we lost but somehow it feels like we won! We started out with a new player in the squad, and rested the two players who together have played in nearly every game this season. This may have led to the odd start we had when our new formation today confused our own midfield who stood absolutely still as Ise Lodge took two of the simplest goals in the first few minutes, leaving Ethan totally stranded against 3 attackers-twice. As Ise Lodge then got more confident, our own heads began to flag slightly. Lucaas then took on pitch command and altered things slightly as a beautifully weighted ball found Thomas, who took the ball all the way down, and with only the goalie to beat pulled the ball wide. This sparked a revival and suddenly we stepped up a gear. Lewis worked his ball-winning magic and ball after ball started to work up the field. Jack got into battling mode, their attacks were stopping in midfield and we started to make ground. Then, out of virtually nowhere, Thomas took the ball from midfield, took it around 2 defenders and placed it perfectly from distance for what must be one of the goals of the season!

    Jack moved midfield and suddenly we had shot after shot from Lucaas, Thomas and even Jack himself. Lucaas was then taken down and replaced with Josh Chappelow for his debut. Ise Lodge tried to come back but Josh Hunter moved up slightly and started to take the ball straight from the feet of their midfielders and Josh Chappelow pushing forward with every attack, chasing every single ball. 

     We were still chasing an equalizer but everyone moved slightly too forward, allowing their goalie to deliver a high ball that we missed and their surprised striker made no mistake.and put us 3-1 down, despite Matt coming back and nearly clearing it off the line. There were a lot of tired bodies when the half-time whistle blew.

    The break saw Sam come on for Ethan, Lucaas back on for Joshua Chappelow and James on for Joshua Hunter. The fresh legs let us tear into them and another nicely worked ball from Matt to Lewis and then Jack ended up with Thomas who delivered another deft touch that saw us right back in the game at 3-2.  Their star forward, Leah, then did what she did in our last match with the Hawks and went full-on into every tackle and single-handedly pushed her team right into our gaps, and this turn of speed caught us out badly as they made the score 4-2. Our heads dropped again and we were somewhat static for a few minutes. It took Sam, Matt and James to keep us in the game-fending off corner after corner. The Gold spirit came back to the fore and found Lucaas and Thomas both after the same ball in front of the Ise Lodge goal, which neither converted. Thomas was hungry for his hat-trick but it was Lucaas who took the ball straight in and delivered a belter to see us back in it at 4-3. However, time was against us and the strict time-keeping saw the score-line stay the same-despite some lovely passing moves from Jack, Lewis and James.

    This was a blistering game, probably one of the performances of the season-another couple of minutes would have seen a equalizer at the very least. As the other manager commented "No-one deserved to lose this game". It was all end to end, free-flowing and fun football. Very few fouls and all good natured passionate play. Well done-lads-keep it up!

    Man of the Match-very hard again today but Thomas' "wonder goal" earns him the trophy this week-and probably a spot on "Match of the Day"!

Thanks to all parents, carers and players-your support is what makes this team better every week.