Match report

Match report

It was Woodside V Woodside when undefeated U12 Blue hosted U12 Gold at the Fortress on Saturday morning. And a beautiful morning it was too – Broken cloud and mild weather brought a welcome change from the relative heat of the previous week and the relative sludge-fest of the one before that. This was always going to be a big challenge for U12 Gold in their first year on the big pitch, but they had made a pact with themselves to fight and scrap for every ball and show the bigger kids what they were made of! And that is precisely what they did!

When the ref blew his whistle to get the day started, it was clear that Blue hadn’t gotten the memo about Gold’s grit and determination. Perhaps anticipating an easy contest, Blue were going one-out with the belief that individual brilliance would be enough to break through. But it wasn’t. Football is a team game and it wasn’t until they got the ball moving that they threatened to goal. Even when they got organized and did this, Gold had all the answers, shepherding their opponents away from goal and clearing the ball from danger. And when their strikers got on the end of it they repeatedly threatened to upset the apple cart by stealing an early lead. Though the game ebbed and flowed for the duration of the first half, neither side could find a way to score and we went to the break deadlocked at nil all.

When play returned, Blue unleashed some fresh legs on their tiring opponents. Their leading goal scorer was one of the fresh bodies, and he set to work building on his impressive season tally. But although this goal-scoring wizard ran with speed and power and intent, he was taken away from the onion bag time and again by the uncompromising tenacity and will of an army of hobbits defending their homeland. But although he couldn’t find a way through, his team mates did – finally capitalized on a scrappy ball to hack one into the net. A second followed soon after as a delicate lob cleared the goal-keepers outstretched hands. But the hobbits rallied again, making life harder and harder for their opponents. Gold’s goal keepers deserve special mention here. In the first half, a clean sheet was kept. In the second, the young man employed every part of his body in a desperate bid to defend his net. This ultimately threatened his fathering potential as he saved a blistering close-range shot, only to be left staggering in pain and unable to block the follow-up shot. But credit must also be paid to Woodside Warriors U12 Blue. Once they had settled into the game they showed their ability to play classy football – their passing game is crisp and accurate – they play with structure and discipline – and to a player, they are willing to share the ball for the greater good. Their usual goal-scorers were taken out of the game this week, being mobbed whenever they touched the ball. But instead of becoming frustrated, they showed a willingness to adapt. On multiple occasions, they played wide and sent the ball in to their team-mates. It was this unselfishness that set up the goal of the match when an inch-perfect cross from the left wing was expertly deflected into the net to cap a deserved victory.