Arrrrggggh! A tight game, with the Iguanas on the wrong side of the result

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

A couple of players down once more this season, Isaac and Stanley unable to make the game.

Conditions for the actual game weren’t too bad, but had clearly been poor ahead of the match as the pitch was awful – the goal areas and side-lines were very muddy and slippy, and we literally had an uphill task in the first half!

Oli, Sam, Mason, Rui, Jasper, EthanR, Travis, Thomas and Lewis got the game under way.

A very even start between the teams saw the game move end to end. Thomas, Travis and Lewis broke well up the pitch, the end shot going just wide. The Vikings then countered and some good defensive work by the Iguanas’ back line resulted in a wayward shot going well over.

EthanR was tracking back nicely to help out in defence, and when needed, Oliver was pulling off some lovely saves.

The game continued to flow across the pitch, Travis forcing a save from the Vikings’ keeper, but the resultant corners causing little concern for the Vikings.

After a good 15 minutes of play, the Vikings then managed a quick break down the left side of the pitch. A few errant tackles from the Iguanas enabled a strong shot to be whipped in. Oliver saved this with an outstretched left hand, but unfortunately it fell into the path of an attacking Viking who hadn’t been spotted by out defence, who converted easily.

From the restart, the Iguanas pushed hard. Thomas ran quickly up the right and crossed the ball, Lewis connecting but the Vikings’ keeper saving the shot for a corner. Again, the corner kick caused little concern for the Vikings, and with the slope of the pitch in their favour, another quick break ensued. Beating our defensive line. Oliver came out to meet this, standing up the attack and saving brilliantly from point-blank range.

Good awareness from the goal kick saw a break develop for the Iguanas. Travis ultimately fed the ball through for Lewis, who slotted the ball home past the keeper to even the scores.

The tempo of the game was really building now. The Vikings broke from the kick-off, this time pushing down the right-hand side. The Iguanas gave their opposing numbers too much room on the ball, and a lofted cross from the right was met with a very good header that beat our defence and keeper.

Pushing up the pitch, the Vikings then thought they’d broken down another strong push by the Iguanas, but they only managed to clear the ball to the half-way line. Mason collected the ball very nicely, and with excellent calmness took the ball round one Vikings’ attacker, and threaded the ball up to Thomas. Thomas squeezed past the Vikings’ defence, using his speed to create an opportunity and the ball was again slotted past the Vikings’ keeper.

Rui, Jasper and Thomas then made way for Coby, James and EthanT.

The Vikings won a corner, which was neatly cleared, but only to a Vikings’ attacker. The Iguanas were slow to the ball and not decisive enough in their first touches. The shot brought out another good save, plus a recovery to smother the ball and stop the danger.

EthanT pushed up the right side of the field, but the Vikings played the ball out for a corner. These were harmlessly delivered once more, and a few Iguanas’ throw-ins also came to little, Coby tracking back well when the Vikings moved forwards.

EthanR and Travis moved well up the left flank, passing the ball through to EthanT who pushed into the box. I’m not exactly sure what happened in the next split second, but EthanT looked to have been brought down and the referee awarded the Iguanas a penalty! Lewis lined up to take the spot kick. Unfortunately, the kick was dragged wide, the pitch conditions no doubt not helping, but an opportunity to go ahead missed.

A final Vikings’ break saw the Iguanas not following up on initial tackles very well, but the last shot of the half went high and over.

A good game of football for the neutral, but an old school nerve jangler for Iguanas’ supporters!

Half time.

Oliver, Mason, Coby, Rui, James, EthanT, EthanR, Thomas and Lewis started the second half, this time with the slope and the goal mouth conditions in their favour!

The Vikings didn’t seem to mind the uphill position and broke quickly from the whistle. Rui defended well, but had to see the ball out for a corner. Poor marking at the Iguanas’ back post saw a scruffy goal scored by the Vikings, the ball being scuffed in.

An Iguanas’ free kick saw Mason deliver a nice ball, EthanR just putting his shot wide. A corner for the Iguanas almost resulted in their own scruffy goal, but the Vikings saw the ball safely out in the end.

EthanR and Thomas combined well on the right wing the final shot just hitting the side netting.

This was a tough period of the game with both teams battling hard. The Vikings continued to make strong breaks up the pitch, Mason being a stalwart at the back and breaking down moves readily.

Jasper came on for James, and immediately showed good footwork and strength, running at the Vikings. A few Vikings’ set-pieces were defended well by the Iguanas, and a quick break by EthanT again just found the side netting – there must have been a magnet in the Vikings’ side net for the ball as it was too often finding that section rather than a foot the other way!

Then the Vikings broke in numbers. Most of our defence were beaten. Mason managed a brave block of the first shot, but there were three other Vikings players on hand, and whilst Oliver got a hand to the next shot, it wasn’t enough to stop another goal.

Coby was given a break, Travis coming into the fray. He helped EthanT and Lewis in creating breaks, but our final shots were again below par. Jasper formed a break of his own down the opposite wing, a cross/shot finding Thomas, but the last effort going over the Vikings’ goal.

Still the Vikings piled on pressure, and despite the slope were managing to break through our defensive line. A fabulous one on one block prevented the score line extended against the Iguanas, and the second shot was beautifully saved to Oliver’s left and out.

The Iguanas now picked up their spirits and for the last 10mins of the game really pushed the Vikings hard. A throw in from the right by Thomas was collected by EthanT, who times his pass to Lewis very nicely and the ball was slipped past the Vikings’ keeper!

The Iguanas sensed at least a draw out of this game, and pushed with all their might. Lewis formed a great break down the left-hand side. It looked like the downhill ball had outrun him, but he managed some great control, stopping the ball and bringing it back round a Vikings’ defender. It deserved a goal, but the final shot again found the side net magnet, just going wide.

The final Vikings break of the game was collected well by Oliver, and with good awareness he drop-kicked the ball down the pitch, finding EthanT. It looked for all the world like the Iguanas might even things up, but the final shot went just wide once more, just ahead of the final whistle blowing.

We hadn’t played the Vikings this season until today, but previous results last season always saw games with them as very even affairs. And this one was really no different. The score line was frustrating for Iguanas’ players and fans alike. The teams’ shooting was a little off key (the side net magnet no doubt influencing things!), and there was a little too little urgency to the ball and willingness to follow up on good initial tackles. Marking at a few key moments was also lacking.

But on a difficult pitch, against a decent side, this was a battling performance that probably deserved more than it got.

Iguana of the Match : Oliver – kept the Iguanas in contention with some great on-form saves and awareness.