Date	Sunday 12th May 2013
Match	Royston Town Youth v Buntingford Cougars
Competition	Royston Crow Youth Football League U15 Division 1
Result	Lost 2-0

So part two we had lots of positives to take from that first game and I was expecting another close game.

We asked both full backs that when taking throw on’s in the opposition third of the pitch that they continued to push forward as to often in the first game they were to worried in getting back which they did not need to do. We had to stay focused and just because the dangerous centre forward would not be playing that we could take things lightly as they are far from a one man team. Also I told them I was fed up with us playing well in the big games this season without picking up anything for all our efforts so lets put that right. We wanted plenty of chat and we had to work as hard as we did in that first game when we did not have the ball.

As a manager who has known this group for quite a while I was not fully convinced that the mind set was the same as the first game and my fears were confirmed, It was a sluggish first five minutes as Buntingford took the game to us and on six minutes won a corner and although the delivery was excellent to allow a free header from eight yards was naive, to say I was livid was an under statement that’s three goals from the last four conceded due to free headers from corners and words failed me. We had now left ourselves a mountain to climb and I wondered how we would react. Well I thought for the rest of the half we were absolute fantastic, we played some really good football their goal keeper and defence was much the busier as Sam, Rhys and James B all created chances as well as a couple of goal mouth scrabbles, but we did not get the equaliser we deserved and found ourselves one down at the break.

A team talk with mixed emotions I was so angry at the goal we conceded but so pleased with the response after that. Ash called for a really high tempo first ten minutes to try and get back into the game, we could both see some tired players but one thing this team has is plenty of heart.

Credit to the boys they went out and tried to lift the tempo but found it difficult with a strong wind getting up which was now in our faces. We had to make changes to freshen things up as one or two of them were carrying knocks but also to try and mix things up and I must say, credit to all four subs they gave us the lift we needed as we continued to give it a go. To be fair the more the game went on the harder we found it and Buntingford looked in control and sealed our fate when they scored their second goal and it was a goal out of the top draw, the forward got the ball out wide on the edge of our area worked a bit of space before hitting a shot into the top corner giving Robbie no chance. We still gave it our all and never dropped our heads and as much as we tried it was not to be and the game finished with Buntingford running out 2-0 winners.

Two very close games overall our performance in the first game was better but that first half in the second game was one the boys should be the proudest of as we really did take the game to them and deserved better for our efforts.Buntingford are the bench mark for not just us but the rest of the county and on these two showings we are not to far behind them we just need to show more belief and that killer instinct in front of goal and when we do get that time in the game when we are on top we make it count. So as happy as I am with the commitment and effort and the football we played I still feel frustrated that in two close games we have once again come away with nothing, and I am sure the boys will feel that frustration as well.

Although there were many pleasing individual performances I thought Rhys was superb in both games giving there two centre backs plenty to think about as well as running himself into the ground his work rate off the ball was exceptional. 

We have one game left and it is important we finish off with a win and give ourselves a chance of finishing third.

Take heart from these two games and hopefully this will spur you on to achieve what I believe you are capable of in the future.