U14 Whites - Gainsborough

It was a difficult match against a strong Gainsboro side, who showed their quality throughout the game. Their solid spine controlled the tempo, and we struggled to match their physicality and organisation. We made things harder for ourselves by not working hard enough off the ball to create time and space for easier passes. This lack of movement contributed to one of our poorest performances in possession so far this season.

We gave the ball away too easily in key areas, and Gainsboro capitalised on our mistakes. Their first three goals came from turnovers where we lacked composure. When you’re up against a team that strong, those errors are punished. Although we improved in patches, it was difficult to break through their defensive lines, and we didn’t manage to pose enough of a threat going forward.

Our goal came from a rebound after a decent shot, showing some of the desire we need to bring consistently. It was a positive moment in an otherwise challenging game, but we’ll need to build on that kind of effort moving forward.

Final Thoughts:

• - Gainsboro’s strength, particularly through the spine of their team, dictated the game.
• - We struggled in possession, giving the ball away too easily and allowing Gainsboro to dominate.
• - Our lack of movement off the ball made it difficult to create simple passing options, leading to rushed decisions.
• - We didn’t threaten enough going forward due to our inability to break through the opposition’s lines.

We have work to do, especially in terms of securing possession and improving our off-the-ball movement. With more focus and determination, we can learn from this and come back stronger.

This last match brings an end to the mini-league that determines which cup competition we enter this season. From next week on we go into the league so we start again - and I am very much looking forward to this season.