A day to forget

Team Sheet : EthanR, EthanT, Isaac, James, Lewis, Oliver, Rokas, Rui, Stanley, Thomas, Travis

Normal service resumed on report writing duties this week. The weather didn’t know what it wanted to do, switching from “OK” to “miserable” throughout the game, home to Wilvale Knights – a team we hadn’t played before.

Oliver, Isaac, James, Rokas, Travis, Lewis and Thomas got us under way today, once Remembrance Day had been very well observed by both teams.

The game started off steady enough with both teams feeling each other out. An early throw-in for the Iguanas led to a nice little break by Thomas, Rokas and Lewis, but the opposition keeper collected the ball easily. Their goal kick was long, and straight to Oliver in the Iguanas’ goal where it was collected equally easily.

As the ball was passed out to the outfield players, the Iguanas gave the ball away to the Knights, and effectively gave them a free break onto our goal. Oliver saved the shot, leading to a corner. We didn’t know it yet, but this would end up a bit of a theme for the game.

The corner was taken and despite the Iguanas losing their marks – the Knights had really good movement in and around our penalty area – the ball fell to the Iguanas and Thomas made one of his usual rapid, strong breaks. He passed the ball through to Lewis but the Knights’ goalkeeper was wise to the move and got to the ball first.

The goal kick was picked up quickly by the Iguanas, who were to have one of their better spells of the game for the next 5 or 10 minutes. Rokas had a nice shot from just outside the penalty box but it just went wide. Thomas was continually pressing at the Knights’ defenders, causing a number of problems for them and showing that the Knights were much weaker when on the back foot. A couple of corners were wasted by not coming onto the pitch, but Lewis played a great corner across goal which Rokas played back into the danger area, Thomas really unlucky not to connect and open the scoring.

The weather turned at this point with really strong drizzle. The Iguanas kept on pushing with some neat play through the middle building nicely from Isaac and James in defence, but the Knights’ defenders and ‘keeper always managing to beat our attack to the ball in the nick of time. Then a longer goal kick found a Knights’ midfielder onto the ball and whipping what looked initially like a cross towards the Iguanas’ goal. A mix up in communication led to both Travis and Oliver missing the ball and the Knights were ahead.

This really picked up the Knights’ spirits and they started to cause the Iguanas real problems. Straight from the restart they broke again, winning a corner. More confusion in setting up to defend (which had been a strong point of the last few games) saw the ball cross dangerously, and an unmarked Knights’ player headed the ball towards the unmarked near post and they extended their lead. The Knights were on the up.

The pressure continued from the restart once more, the Knights’ attackers passing really well and splitting our defence with ease during this spell and forcing a few great diving saves form Oliver to prevent their lead getting bigger.

Rui, EthanR, Stanley and EthanT came on to give Travis, Isaac, James and Rokas a break from the continuing drizzle. But the situation continued as it had before the substitutions, the Knights pressing mercilessly and switching the ball between wings and through the centre, to beat our defence and prompt more action for the Iguanas’ goalkeeper. Unfortunately, after a 5-minute spell of this the Iguanas failed to close down another break and this time Oliver was unable to keep the ball out of the net.

They showed no signs of slowing up either. This was going to be a long afternoon for the Iguanas at this rate! Rui showed some good defensive strength, alert to dangers and winning tackles. But then another break by the Knights saw one of their attackers jinking in our penalty box. A late challenge unfortunately clipped an ankle and their player went down in the box. Penalty to the Knights. Oliver went the right way but couldn’t stop the goal.

The half was coming to an end, but EthanR was called upon with excellent covering play, forcing the Knights wider than they would have liked. Oliver also made a good collect from a Knights through ball, bravely committing to it as the Knights’ attacker rushed in.

In the final minute or so the Iguanas did manage to push back at the Knights. Lewis made a break for goal but it went out for a goal kick. EthanT then seized on the ball and made a nice break, just getting forced a little too wide and off-balance to get his shot off on target.

A bruising half as the whistle blew.

Half time.

Oliver, Isaac, James, Rokas, Thomas, Travis and Lewis restarted the game. Any hope that the Knights might be able to contained more readily after the team talk were soon dashed, with the Knights breaking quickly from the kick off, the Iguanas failing to close down their players and forcing another lovely save from Oliver.

But the Iguanas quickly organised themselves and started to build some decent pressure themselves. First touches on the ball were more than a little scruffy, the weather conditions not helping but the Iguanas being some way off form in this respect today. But pressure is pressure, and after the first half it was good to see us pushing forwards as this was again where the Knights were weaker. During one break, the ball finally made its way between a few Iguanas’ players, and Thomas was quickest to the ball in the Knights’ penalty area and managed to get the ball in the net. Finally!

This didn’t last, however, and the Knights started to build once more. A really good attack from their team saw the ball being played around our players from inside the Knights’ own half. Their first touches were on the money all the way up the pitch, splitting the Iguanas apart and forcing another 1 on 1 save from the Iguanas’ keeper. The Knights were getting stronger again, but Oliver, Isaac and James were communicating well now, with Isaac covering breaks strongly.

A corner from the Iguanas was collected easily by their goalkeeper just ahead of EthanR, Rui, EthanT and Stanley coming on to substitute Isaac, James, Rokas and Thomas. But still the Knights continued to press. More saves required, and EthanT showed good defensive awareness to help out. The Knights then won a corner. The Iguanas’ marking was poor once more, not picking players up on the goal side and leaving the posts unwatched. The looping corner cleared all the Iguanas players and bounced in off the far post.

More of the same straight from the restart. Good passing by the Knights and poor first touches and closing down by the Iguanas kept the pressure piling on. Another corner just a minute or so later and the marking situation repeated itself once again, proving the importance of being goal side. The ball was whipped into the centre and deflected off a Knights’ player and into the goal.

As in the first half, the Knights were relentless. The only time they showed any sort of weakness was when under pressure in the last third of their half, but the Iguanas were struggling getting the ball into that area of the pitch and making the most of it. A couple of Iguanas’ corners were put wide, and we continued to be too loose in our passing, passing the ball to the Knights as often as to our own players. One of these resulted in another break with Oliver 1 on 1 with their attack and pulling off another good save.

In the last 10 minutes of the game the Iguanas did manage to stand firmer. Rui was battling hard and anticipating attacks much better, EthanR was strong and fearless in tackles and EthanT and Stanley were able to help relieve pressure and push forwards with Travis in support. This showed the Iguanas the way forwards, but the game was coming to a close (albeit, it looking less likely that we were going to concede again). Travis then linked up beautifully with Rokas down the left wing. He ran past one Knights’ player and then slotted the ball to Rokas, who again beat a player and put a great cross into the Knights’ area. Plenty of defenders were in place but Stanley was the most alert and seized on the ball, slotting it past the Knights’ goalkeeper for another Iguanas’ goal.

The final few minutes played out in the same vein, with the Iguanas containing the Knights much, much better than before, but ultimately not able to improve the score-line any further before the full-time whistle went.

A horrible morning in every respect today, and a sound beating by a much better side for most of the game. When the Iguanas stepped up a gear, the Knights struggled to deal with it. But these spells were unfortunately few and far between. A combination of poor first touches, poor communication and organisation and poor passing put the Iguanas under more self-induced pressure than was necessary against a team who were all too willing and capable to take advantage, and the score-line was ultimately a fair reflection of this. Still, sometimes it’s better to get a sound thrashing and have obvious areas to improve on than have games slip away unfathomably. And the Iguanas still have a very strong record. The return leg will give us the opportunity to show we’ve taken the lessons on board – if we can play more like the second half (level in essence) and rule out the looseness of play we shouldn’t see another score line like this.

Iguana of the Match : Rui – good anticipation, tackling and defensive awareness. Brought a sense of calm and stability to proceedings in the latter stages.