Team Sheet : Coby, EthanR, EthanT, Isaac, James, Lewis, Mason, Rui, Stanley, Thomas, Travis
Depleted squad due to Covid once more, this time with the Iguanas’ goalkeeper out of action. Mason bravely stepped into the breech. Equally bravely, Sarah stood in on reporting duties.
Mason, Lewis, Travis, James, Thomas, Rui and EthanR kicked the game off.
Tentative start to the game. Thomas managed an early shot at goal for the Iguanas, but hit the side netting. Mason was also brought into action with a Falcons strike, saving the shot well.
EthanT, Stanley, Isaac and Coby came into the game after 20mins to give Rui, Thomas, EthanR and James a break.
Shortly after the substitutions, the Iguanas broke into the Falcons area, and the Falcons conceded a penalty. Lewis stood up to take the spot kick and converted calmly.
The Falcons stepped up the pressure straight after this, prompting Mason into a superb save. The ball was cleared well, but the Falcons continued to push. The Iguanas lost the ball in midfield, which the Falcons capitalised on, chipping the ball over the Iguanas’ keeper.
The half ended with more Iguanas’ pressure. Lewis hit the post with a good strike, and a follow up shortly after was cleared off the line by the Falcons.
Half time.
Lewis, Thomas, EthanR, EthanT, James, Rui and Mason kicked off the second half.
Mason was in the action straight away with a couple of good saves to keep the scores level.
The action was end to end, Lewis and EthanT linking up well to put Thomas through on goal, but the shot just went wide. The Falcons repaid the attack with one of their own, their own shot being pushed wide by Mason.
Rui was strong in midfield, putting in some lovely tackles and distributing the ball well. Unfortunately the Iguanas’ shooting accuracy was a little off, balls going over the bar, just wide or final strikes being missed.
James, Rui, EthanR and EthanT made way for Stanley, Travis, Coby and Isaac to get involved. And the subs paid off with the Iguanas upping the tempo.
A good throw in from Stanley saw a shot from Lewis deflect wide.
The Falcons tried to ease the pressure, but a second corner came from sustained Iguanas pressure a few minutes later. Travis delivered the ball into the area accurately, and Thomas was first to connect with the bouncing ball, slotting the ball home.
A few minutes later and the Iguanas were pressing once again. Lewis crossed the ball to Stanley at the Falcons’ back post, but the keeper just saved the attempt. However the ball could only be bounced out, which left Lewis to pick up the free ball and he fired the ball into the bottom corner.
Despite being the stronger team in these final minutes of the game, Mason was called upon once more to keep the Falcons to a solitary goal, and Coby was rock solid in defence, helping keep the Falcons at bay.
A final Iguanas push left Stanley attacking the Falcons’ goal, but the shot went wide just ahead of the final whistle.
A solid win, and a confident performance, especially in the second half.
Iguana of the Match : Mason – great impromptu performance. Some fabulous saves and a win on his Iguanas goalkeeping debut.