A cracking game of football, but the result hard to take

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

Starting the day on a 3-game winning run, the Iguanas were still not quite at full strength today. But this is the norm at the moment for the team.

Oliver, Isaac, Coby, Sam, EthanR, EthanT, Stanley, Thomas and Lewis got proceedings under way. South Woodham Ferrers (SWF) showed initial intent on the attack, but the Iguanas defensive line were up to the challenge. Isaac especially was showing massive maturity in defence, collecting the ball calmly and using excellent footwork to create room and pass the ball forwards, but also knowing just when to put his foot through the ball and clear it.

Going the other way, Thomas was at full speed immediately, and was to remain so through the whole game. Linking up with EthanT, some great dribbling seeing the team through on goal, but the move was stopped with the ball being put out for a corner. Thomas was equally alert from SWF dead balls, often being first to attack the ball and put pressure on his opponents.

The ball spent a very large proportion of the first half in the middle of the park, the midfield from both teams battling tirelessly to try and make breaks. When breaks did happen, they were typically being put out wide or out for corners, which both teams dealt with neatly.

Stanley, Coby, EthanT and Sam made way for Travis, Jasper, Mason and Rui, to see if a change in personnel could find the breakthrough they needed. But the game continued very tightly poised. An SWF cross forced a decent save from Oliver. At the other end, the Iguanas’ attacking force was probing the SWF penalty area, but neither side could make their attacks count.

Rui and Travis were providing a solid midfield line, EthanR was up and down the right wing with a personal battle with the SWF no12, Lewis and Thomas were passing well between them, and Mason was showing his strength in defending the final third on the rare occasions it was needed.

The game was high tempo and both teams were using a lot of energy, but simply unable to break the deadlock. First touches, attacking the ball and tackling from the Iguanas weren’t quite to the standard that we’ve seen in the last three games, and final composure on the attack didn’t quite have the same edge. But they were matching their opponents well, and it made for a very entertaining game.

The half-time whistle blew with an exhausting level but goalless score line.

Half time.

Oliver, Sam, Isaac, Coby, EthanR, EthanT, Stanley, Lewis and Thomas came on for the start of the second half to see if they could break the deadlock.

This time it was the Iguanas who were strongest out of the blocks, Thomas putting pressure on the SWF defence and testing their keeper with a decent shot from outside of the box, the keeper saving it well.

Thomas’ rapid pace down the right wing was causing SWF a lot of problems, but each time he broke they just managed to catch him at the last minute to break the move down.

EthanT was also pressing heavily into the SWF half, twisting and turning to evade their efforts to stop him moving the ball forwards. One move led to a strong shot from Lewis that was saved by the keeper, the rebound shot going over the bar.

All of these breaks were being conjured up from solid moves from the back down each wing. Isaac was patrolling the right flank, and Coby was doing excellent work up the left.

A free-kick for the Iguanas was dealt with well by the SWF defence, and the Iguanas’ move was eventually stopped by an offside decision. EthanT was straight onto the free-kick and slipped the ball through at just the right time to Lewis. With a looming pair of SWF defenders, Lewis hit the shot first time, the ball going just wide.

Then the breakthrough. Thomas again broke down the right wing, and crossed the ball from just outside the penalty area. Lewis met the cross with a great strike, but the SWF keeper manage to parry it. Unfortunately for SWF, it was parried right into the path of Stanley, who very calmly controlled the ball and curled it into the right side of the SWF goal. A lovely, well-taken goal.

The Iguanas seemed to be on the up, and continued to apply plenty of pressure. But SWF were also able to break. A few minutes after the goal, a long ball was loose towards the Iguanas’ penalty area. Oliver came out to meet the ball, just fractionally slower than a marauding SWF attacker. Fortunately, he was close enough to limit what SWF could do with the ball and it was put wide.

From the goal kick, SWF were first to the ball, and a speculative shot went high, and managed to dip under the crossbar, evading the Iguanas’ keeper.

From the restart, EthanT and Thomas combined again to force a good save from the SWF keeper. Lewis also created a solid break, but the SWF keeper managed to clear the ball before he could be troubled too much.

Stanley, Lewis, Sam and Coby took a well-earned rest, replaced by Travis, Jasper, Mason and Rui.

It was now the turn for SWF to turn up the heat on the Iguanas. Oliver was called upon to make a couple of saves from decent shots. Isaac was again showing his strength in defence and working the ball out well. Jasper was also pushing hard up the left. But the Iguanas were starting to struggle to clear their lines more in this spell. They then conceded a free kick just outside their own penalty are on the right. Oliver set his wall, but the ball was floated in high once more. Oliver made contact with the ball, but not with enough force to keep it out, and under pressure from an SWF attacker the ball went in off the post.

EthanR was substituted for Coby.

The Iguanas tried to push, but time was running out. They were managing to break into the SWF area, but both Thomas and EthanT had shots just off target. Despite all their efforts, these would prove to be the last attempts on goal for the Iguanas. SWF then managed one more break that was ruled offside, just before the final whistle blew.

A tough result to take this week. This was a great game of football between two strong teams, and the margins were very slim. The first half was a little more untidy than we’ve been used to from the team, but this was no doubt in part down to both teams battling so hard. The second half showed no let-up in pace, but much more accuracy from both teams in all elements of play.

Nobody could have complained had the Iguanas drawn or won this game, so we can’t be too despondent about the final score going against the Iguanas. And if the team continue to play like this, results will more often go the other way.

Iguana of the Match : Isaac. Another big performance from Isaac, to go with the last three, commanding the defensive line and staying calm and cool in playing the ball out from the back, and with good instincts to know when to simply clear his line.