U9 Youth v Cheam Sports Colts

We spoke a lot before the game about mentality. Starting each game right and with respect for the opposition. About how each game is a new game and the performance of the last game and the game before that means nothing in the context of the next game. Unfortunately, the first half was very flat and to me it was a combination of tiredness, motivation and facing an opponent who had built themselves up for this fixture all week. Cheam Sports arrived ready and motivated and simply wanted the game more than us for the first 25mins. It was not a surprise to go in at HT 0-3 down and Cheam thoroughly deserved to be ahead. The positive from the end of the 1st half was that it was only 0-3 and we looked like we might have woken up in the last few minutes before the whistle. We were clearly getting overrun in MF and it was too easy for Cheam to play straight balls through our 2 man midfield. We switched formation to 2-3-1 and it immediately changed the flow of the game. The energy was higher and the Cougars were on the hunt, pressing high and as a team. Cheam started to feel the heat and reverted to long balls over the top and there was a sense if we could get one then more would follow. Dylan and Oscar led the charge superbly with lots of energy and intensity and we got our goal in the 29th minute after great team work to move the ball into the opposition penalty area where Dylan hit a shot that deflected off Josh and in. 1-3 and the tails were up. However Cheam stood firm and saw out the storm to end the 3rd quarter 1-3. 4th quarter started how the 3rd finished with all Cougars pressure, and in the 39th minute a great run and finish by Logan made it 2-3, and 5 mins later another lung busting run from Logan down the right wing matched by Oscar stride for stride into the box. Could Logan look up and see Oscar square.. of course he could and the ball was perfect for Oscar to side foot into the net to make it 3-3. The comeback was complete and plenty of time to go and win it! Whilst we continued to huff and puff, we allowed Cheam to recover their foothold back in the game and they again started to get through the midfield with ease. Rocky made 2 exceptional saves in the last 5 mins to keep the scores level and it looked like a classic game of 2 halves that would finish in a draw. Sadly that wasn't to be. The winner for Cheam came from our own making really, a ball back to Rocky who tried to find an out ball wide in the face of pressure from the Cheam forward but unfortunately Cheam had pressed high and cut off the lines. The clearance fell at the feet of the left midfielder and a rather fortuitous scoop of the ball looped over Rocky and into the back of the net with barely a minute left. Harsh and i would rather concede trying to play out from the back than from a lack of effort and we will all learn from these disappointments and set backs. More importantly, the biggest take away for the boys is that you have to start each game right and with the right mentality. Had we had done that i have no doubt we would have been too strong. We go again next week away at W&H Swans. We'll be ready to start from the first whistle i am sure! Go Cougars