MR U18 NL Gold 2024/2025 (Market Road League) - Chapel
A match between the first and the second with 2 points separating these teams!
The 3 scenarios of this match and respective outcomes. Chapel wins they would depend on thelmselves ONLY, to win the league. A draw force them to win their last match and wait for us to slip in one of our last two matches. A win for us , would put us in a scenario of needing 3 points from the 6 to play for.
Our team took over the game in the first 15 minutes. In those minutes, we could have scored at least 3 goals. Eventually with open the score mark on the 15th minute. A minute later, they equalised in a play where we didn't put enough pressure on the player on the ball, who did a long pass, to a player who shown in behind our defender by antecipating the play. A good finish.
The last minutes of the first half was head to head.
At the second half we started well again, but we kept on missing chance after chance. 8 minutes to the end, we finally scored the goal that we fought so much for.
With a 2-1, the opposition reacted, and we started dropping lines. We weren't able to keep the possession as long as we wished, and they were playing direct football which in one way we controled well.
However, in the last minute or so, they had 2 corners in a row. The second one was letal for us, as they kick in the first post, where there was deflection that led the ball go in.
With not enough time to react, the referee blew the whistle seconds after.
It is a bittersweet feeling. We were so close to get a massive advantage and earn some margin for error for the last 2 matches, and that slipped from our hands in the last minute of the match.
Nevertheless, the boys gave their best, stayed united, played as a team, and even though wasn't the best performance overall, we left the pitch with the feeling we did enough to win the match.
I accept the draw, as the opposition had credit to fight for it until the end (they also had a disallowed goal 3 minutes to the end). We must improve on reading the moments of the game, and understand that time to time we might have to kill sometime too. The opposition whilst with a draw in the match, threw players on the floor, with injuries, doing laces, etc. In such a vital match, we need to start doing similar (Break the opposition TEMPO).
In the end, we were all frustrated. As a coach, I am still proud of all the players, as they gave their best, took the game plan seriously and fought and fought to get the wished outcomes from this match. We didn't win, but I don't have any doubts that we will WIN the League if we put the same effort in the last 2 matches!!!
Heads up!!!let's go EFA!!!
