Iguanas
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Sun 09 Jan 2022
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Iguanas
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Great Bradford Guardians
A great winning start to 2022

A great winning start to 2022

Andy Murphy17 Jan 2022 - 16:17
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Still a few Christmas cobwebs, but a dominant display today.

Team Sheet : Coby, EthanT, Isaac, James, Lewis, Oliver, Rui, Stanley, Travis

Not exactly warm today but sunny at least, at home at Tabor.

Oliver, Rui, Isaac, Lewis, Travis, Coby and EthanT kicked off for a slightly depleted Iguanas’ side, and despite some initial wayward passing to their opponents, the Iguanas started the New Year more urgently than in previous recent games, some nice passing seeing them attack from the outset.

Rui was in the mix with all of this, linking up well with Travis and EthanT, one break resulting in a shot just wide. Not to miss out on the action, Lewis also hooked up with his team mates to break through the Guardians’ defensive line, his shot going into the side netting.

The Iguanas continued to push into the Guardians’ half, pretty much constantly with solid battling and passing – Coby showing great determination in only his second game – but the final shots with the ball in the Guardians’ box were lacking in accuracy and strength to see the break through the team needed.

Stanley and James came on in place of EthanT and Coby to mix things up a little.

Again, the Iguanas pushed, but the team were starting to shy away from shooting more and more, letting the Guardians off the hook. Inevitably this gave the Guardians some fleeting moments to attack. Few of these looked likely to trouble Oliver, and allowed him to release some good goal kicks. Stanley picked up on one of these with some nice control, followed by a good cross. However, Travis and EthanT got into a tangle and the opportunity slipped away.

As the half went on it was starting to look like we’d never score, despite the strength of our attacks. Then James picked up the ball part way into the Iguanas’ half and passed it beautifully to EthanT. EthanT had been showing his strength the whole half but had just lacked that final shot. However, this time he made the most of a solo effort, taking on the Guardians’ defenders and firing a shot past their keeper which went in off the post! Finally!!

The Guardians managed a quick attack immediately before half time, but were forced wide, the resulting corner being missed by every player on the pitch and going harmlessly out.

Half time.

Oliver, Coby, Isaac, Rui, EthanT, Travis and Lewis started the second half, looking for more goals than we’d managed in the first.

The Iguanas were again strong from the opening whistle and pushed the Guardians back into their own half. Three breaks with Lewis, Travis and EthanT at the centre of them were nicely saved by their keeper, but the pressure wasn’t going to be let up.

James came on to give Coby a rest after some hard work in the midfield.

A very nice goal kick from Oliver split the Guardians’ line allowing more attacking play from the Iguanas. From one of the resulting corners a Guardians’ defender unfortunately saved a shot with his hands in the area to give the Iguanas their first ever penalty! After conceding a few in the first half of the season it made a very nice change. Lewis stepped up for the spot kick, nice and calmly, and gave the Guardians’ keeper no chance.

The Guardians gave no impression they felt the game was lost and this slight error spurred them on to push from the kick off. They won a corner from the break, but the Iguanas’ defence gathered ball and passed it quickly out, eventually threading the ball to Lewis who scored a lovely goal from a tight angle.

After winning the ball at the restart, an Iguanas’ break was snuffed out by a save from their keeper, who returned the earlier play with a long goal kick, causing a defensive mix up by the Iguanas’ defence who miskicked the ball twice, leaving a one-on-one situation. Oliver stood his ground well, but the Guardians’ attacker was calm on the ball and managed to squeeze the ball in off the post down to the keepers’ left.

The Guardians now had a spell where they were the ones looking threatening, upbeat after their goal. However, Isaac was proving massing in defence, missing very few balls and using his strength and footwork to keep the ball away from the Iguanas’ goal. EthanT was also up for the fight in the centre of the park, winning the ball when possible and generally causing the Guardians headaches.

Eventually the Iguanas got the game under control again through these efforts. Rui and Travis linked up well, the final shot going over the bar. Stanley came on for Travis to add a different dimension and the Iguanas continued to press.

Oliver was only called upon once more in the game and performed one of his customary brave takes at the attackers’ feet.

After a bit more sustained pressure, Travis and Stanley changed places once more. Travis picked up where he’d left off and storming down the field unleashed a shot which hit the angle of the Guardians’ goal, rebounding safely away. And then as we approached the full-time whistle, the Iguanas won a corner on the left. The ball was swung in very nicely, over most of the waiting players just as EthanT ran in and scored a brilliant header…only for the goal to be disallowed as the Guardians had wanted to make some substitutions.

The full-time whistle blew shortly after. A dominant game by the Iguanas and a great way to get 2022 started. Solid defending and some lovely passing work through the field gave a well-deserved win. As per our final few games of 2021, we need to find a way to be more ruthless with the many chances we create. But hopefully the marked improvement will continue and we’ll build up a positive run.

Iguana of the Match : Isaac – superb defending, listened to everything needed of him and was solid throughout the whole game. Well deserved.

Match details

Match date

Sun 09 Jan 2022

Kickoff

11:45
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