U14 Whites vs Beverley Town

A tough and frustrating match. Beverley were the most direct team we've faced so far, and we struggled to adapt to their approach. Every goal kick was launched towards their giant centre-forward for a flick-on, and out of possession they sat in a mid-block throughout the game, making it difficult for us to break through.

Even when we did screen the pass into their target man and regained possession, we surprisingly found it uncomfortable having so much space in front of us . Despite efforts to address this at each quarter, not enough players really took advantage of the space available. 

All of Beverley's goals came from our own lapses in concentration, being dispossessed when there was an opportunity to recycle the ball early before being pressed; a clearance with an unlucky deflection off Jacob B but before that we had the numerical advantage in that corner of the pitch and with a little more bravery we could have played out. The third goal came from a lack of detail on our free kick which led to an interception and a quick breakaway goal. It happens to all of us Isaac and I could see your own frustration in that moment, you'll come back stronger next time I'm sure!

Ultimately, we still had plenty of chances to get back into the game, especially when we were 2-1 down - thanks to Ezra's "shot" which he should have tried to claim ;). However, despite some good opportunities, we couldn’t find the equaliser, with key chances missed by several players. 

Key Takeaways:

• Beverley’s direct approach, targeting their giant centre-forward, initially caused problems, and we struggled to deal with their mid-block throughout the match.
• Despite screening the passes well at times and recovering possession, the players were hesitant to exploit the space in front of them.
• All three of Beverley’s goals came from our own errors: overplaying in the back, a misplayed clearance, and a poorly executed pass leading to a breakaway.
• We created enough chances to win the game but were unable to convert at key moments.

It was a frustrating game, but hopefully a massive learning experience against such a direct team. I know the lads will come back stronger in the next match.