AVON YOUTH LEAGUE U’13 DIV 3

 

SUN 23 JAN 05

 

STOKE LANE ‘A’           4

FRY CLUB COLTS        4

 

Having been soundly beaten 8 – 1 by Stoke Lane at home earlier this season, and given the fact that they were now in the top 3, on paper we really didn’t have much chance of gaining anything from this game. How wrong we were! This was the game of the season to date for us.

 

However, despite a good opening 20 minutes, we soon found ourselves 2 – 0 down with some very good finishing by Stoke Lane forwards. Despite this, Captain Oli Randall, filling in at sweeper for the absent James Hurrell-Smith, was marshalling Michael Payne, Ben Bowden and Louis Nicholl very effectively which in turn gave our Midfield and Forwards plenty of possession. James Boultons tough tackling and Mo Bouazizs’ distribution were beginning to create chances and from a near post corner, Oli Randall rose to head the flick on into the top corner to bring us back into the game. A lapse of concentration though just before half time gave Stoke Lane a third goal to put us 3 – 1 down at half time.

 

The talk at half time was simple but effective. All 13 players then played their part in an amazing turnaround. Both Oli Boon and Brad Monelle up front were pulling their defence apart by running off the ball and holding the ball up for wingers Reece Tucker and Nathan Dawson to be brought into play. Very soon this paid off as Brad Monelle was given half a chance and buried the ball to bring us within a goal of Stoke Lane. By now Kyle Curtis had joined MO Bouaziz in Midfield and between our 4 midfielders, they were dominating the game. Mo’s passing was proving exceptional and from a Reece Tucker run into the box, he was pulled down and Brad Monelle scored from the spot to bring us level.  With 20 minutes of the second half still to play, we found another chance opened up for Nathan Dawson to amazingly put us 4 – 3 ahead. There was now only one team in this game and the rest of the second half was totally controlled by Fry’s with further chances from corners and good wing play just failing to be converted. Our keeper Craig Francis was a virtual spectator until the 5th minutes of stoppage time when the inevitable happened. From his goal kick, the ball somehow rebounded back to a Stoke Lane forward who chanced his shot over Craigs head and just under the bar for a very undeserved equaliser. From the kick off the final whistle blew to complete our most exciting game this season.

 

I would have taken a point from this game before it started but this performance today just goes to show what we are capable of and we left the ground feeling a little robbed of maximum points.

 

Nevertheless it was an extremely pleasing performance which Oli Randall captained and played in superbly to earn the Man of the Match performance. Now we need consistency to do it all again next game.

 

 

SQUAD: Craig Francis, Kyle Curtis, Michael Payne, Oli Randall, James Boulton, Oli Boon, Mo Bouaziz, Brad Monelle, Jordan Knight, Louis Nicholl, Ben Bowden,  Reece Tucker, Nathan Dawson