A tough start to the new season

Team Sheet : Coby, EthanR, EthanT, James, Jasper, Lewis, Mason, Rui, Sam, Stanley, Thomas, Travis

First game of the season, and after a successful summer of friendlies where the Iguanas made good progress in familiarising themselves with 9-a-side, this first game would see them starting proceedings down a couple of players in Isaac, and the goalie Oliver.

Mason bravely stepped into the breach in goal, and a few other players took up unfamiliar positions against a team we’ve had mixed results with in the past.

So, Mason, James, Sam, Rui, Ethans R and T, Travis, Lewis and Thomas took to the pitch first.

Tillingham got off to a good start, making some early breaks that were well defended. A Tillingham corner didn’t amount to anything, and Mason was alert off his line to make a couple of good intercepts.

Then, slightly against the run of play, an Iguanas throw in saw EthanT move up the pitch. He threaded the ball through to Thomas who found himself in clear space. Rather than shoot, Thomas rounded the keeper and for a moment it looked like he’d gone too far with his touch, but showing the speed we’ve come to know from Thomas, he got to the ball and slotted it home.

Tillingham were a little shocked by this, but immediately picked themselves up. A rapid break from kick off, a shot on goal was so very nearly stopped by Mason but the Tillingham attack managed to put the ball into the net.

Going a goal down was clearly not in Tillingham’s script. Again, straight from kick off they were very rapid off the mark once more, pressing with serious intent. Moving forwards in numbers, a slight Iguanas mix up left the attackers clear. Quick and skilful feet saw them put the ball in the net once more.

The Iguanas were the ones to be a little shell-shocked now.

Tillingham continued to spend a good deal of time in the Iguanas’ half. But they weren’t having all of the good moves. Mason released a strong goal kick which saw EthanT, Thomas and Lewis gain ground, Lewis putting the ball in the net, but unfortunately being ruled off-side – this new aspect to the game causing us our first grief.

The Iguanas pushed from the free kick, winning a corner, but this was well dealt neatly by Tillingham who attempted a fast break with a long ball up the pitch. Mason was ready for this, making a great intercept. But the pressure would now remain on the Iguanas for the rest of the half.

Tillingham pushed and pushed. Sam made some nice defensive blocks, Rui was constantly calm in defence, and Mason was being called upon to make a number of saves, including an excellent double save. But no matter how often the Iguanas broke an attack down, the ball seemed to end up at a Tillingham player’s feet each time, making the pressure relentless.

Jasper and Coby came on to give Rui and EthanR a break.

The Iguanas managed another break and won a free kick outside the penalty areas. The free kick was well struck by Travis, but saved by the Tillingham keeper.

After this small spell of respite, Tillingham attacked once more. Taking the ball into the box, an attacker went down under what looked from the side-lines like a very innocuous challenge, but the referee gave a penalty. Mason went the right way, but the ball was struck home.

Tillingham pushed hard again from the restart, looking for another goal. The initial attack was defended well, the ball ushered out for a corner. Unfortunately, the corner was a typically busy affair, the Iguanas failing to clear their lines before a Tillingham foot connected with the ball and slid it home once more.

Stanley came into the fray for Travis.

The Iguanas were strong from the restart. Thomas latched onto a good through ball and took a strong shot…it deflected off a Tillingham defender and hit the post. Lewis also had a shot deflected wide. The Iguanas were trying hard to cut the deficit, but first touches on the ball weren’t working out (something that had been working well through all the friendlies) and Tillingham weren’t stopping either, Coby putting in a fantastic shift being quick to the ball and clearing lines confidently.

When it blew, the half-time whistle gave some welcome relief.

Half time.

Mason, Coby, Sam, Rui, both Ethans, Travis, Lewis and Thomas got the second half under way, the Iguanas keen to shore up and take the game to Tillingham.

Tillingham started strong once more, however, forcing some early saves from Mason, then pressing straight from the Iguanas’ goal kicks. A corner was kicked straight out of play, giving the Iguanas chance to break, however the Iguanas’ passing was too slow (also something not seen in the friendlies), giving Tillingham time to regroup and defend.

Lewis had a promising break blocked. EthanR showed his customary battling and strength to create an opening on the left. He passed the ball neatly to Travis, Travis found Rui who then found EthanT, the final shot going just wide. But this was starting to look more like the team was capable of.

Tillingham broke once more, but Coby was on hand for some more fabulous defending, never giving up, putting in tackle after tackle, the ball eventually going wide for a corner. This time, EthanT and Rui escaped from the Iguanas’ penalty area, working together brilliantly up the field. A well-timed pass by Rui found Lewis in a bit of space, and he rifled a long shot at goal, beating the Tillingham keeper.

Tillingham once more seemed to be woken up by conceding, and attacked straight from kick off. But this was a better spell for the Iguanas. Rui cleared a shot off the bar, then Coby cleared again for a corner. This was also well defended, Rui playing a quick clearance ball, a nice pass met with a poor touch and the ball went out.

Then EthanR intercepted the ball from the throw in and ran confidently down the pitch, only to be brought down by a cynical challenge for a free kick. Travis crossed the ball well, for EthanT to move in on goal from, only for the Tillingham keeper to make a nice save. Another quick move from the back, started by Coby and moving through Travis, Lewis and Thomas was finally intercepted by the Tillingham goalkeeper.
James came on for Sam.

The Iguanas continued to have more possession than they’d had earlier in the game. And defensively they were looking alert, with EthanR especially on form to make a good clearance.

Then Tillingham won a corner. The initial cross was defended well, going out for a second corner. But this one eventually found its way into the net after a couple of poorly handled clearances in the Iguanas’ defence.

To their credit, the Iguanas didn’t let their spirits drop. Mason made a good save not long into the restart, and EthanR was both managing some excellent clearances and also showing strength running into the opposition half.

Jasper and Stanley came on for EthanT and Travis.

The game was much more even at this stage. Some of the passing and clearances by the Iguanas were still a little off-key, but most were doing what was needed. James made a solid clearance to quash a Tillingham break, and Coby continued to make stiff, determined tackles to limit attacks on a good few occasions. Meanwhile Lewis and Thomas were combining to force the Tillingham keeper into some saves. On one such break, it looked like the penalty count should have been evened up after Thomas was downed in the area. Unfortunately, the referee saw nothing in this and didn’t award the spot kick.

Just as it looked like the score-line was going to stay as it was, Tillingham made one last foray into the Iguanas’ half. The break escaped our defence, and whilst Mason put in a brave initial save, the rebound fell to another Tillingham attacker and the ball was put into the Iguanas’ net one final time.

A very tough first game of the season. The Iguanas were weakened, being a couple of players down, and the lack of their usual keeper meant the necessary formation tweaks went through the team. A couple of penalty decisions that could have gone either way should probably have meant the differential shouldn’t have been more than a couple of goals, and looking positively the second half was very close. But Tillingham were the sharper team overall, with better first touches and more effective passing than the Iguanas could manage for much of the game. So, the overall outcome was fair.

Onwards and upwards to the next game!

Iguana of the Match : Coby – a battling performance and worked incredibly hard in our first game of the season.