Date	Sunday 17th February 2013
Match	Royston Town Youth v Hatfield Youth
Competition	Royston Crow Youth Football League U15 Division 1
Result	Won 3-1
Royston Scorers	James R, Richard, Eamon

 

Hatfield were the visiters to Roysia on Sunday. There was very little wind, although with all the rain we have had over the past week the pitch was very heavy.

Alastair was still not fit and Eamon would only be used if we really needed him, so we had a squad of fifteen to choose from today.

We wanted the boys to work really hard on closing them down and not standing too far off them, something we were guilty of last week. In defence we wanted the boys to think about when to play out and when to clear our lines. Hatfield are always a physical side who always try to play back to front as quickly as they can for their two big strikers, so we had to be switched on at all times.

The tempo was really good and within the first few minutes you could tell the boys had learned from last week as we were closing them down really quickly and always looking to put them on the back foot. Chances were being created but not taken once again due to some very good goal keeping. Also we were guilty of rushing or not having the confidence to shoot when getting in good positions. Bradley was looking really lively on the left and one run ended with him shooting just over. Then Sam who was playing up front hit a shreamer from twenty yards only to see the ball smack the crossbar.

We finally got the break we deserved on twenty five minutes when after the ball was half cleared, Rhys picked it up wide and sent in a teasing cross which James R reacted to first and poked home for his first goal of the season. Hatfield were looking dangerous on the break but the defence were in control. Jack M then injured his hip in a challange so we had to make some positional changes, but we saw the half out with a 1-0 lead.

Our work rate was superb and our decision making on the whole was excellent, but we could not rest on what we had as we knew Hatfield would come out stronger in the second half. We knew more chances would come so we just had to start taking them,also we needed to give the player on the ball more options, AJ received a dead leg and would not be able to take part in the remainder of the match, so we had to move more players around, however, we were still confident of winning the match.

I have never known a season like this for injuries and within five minutes of the restart Jack M's hip injury became worse so he could not carry on, resulting in a complete reshuffle at the back. We were still on the front foot but that all important second goal just would not come. Hatfied were growing in confidence and with twenty minutes left equalised. A ball played over the top between full back and centre half caught us out and their foward was onto it like a flash and finished well, leaving Robbie with no chance. You always wonder what the reaction will be in a game you have dominated but now find yourself level. I need not have worried as we continued to make chances and pin them back with Ben's long throws really causing havoc in their box.

With ten minutes left Ben put in another monster throw and there was Richard to first control the ball before smashing his shot into the roof of the net. The game was really stretched now and Hatfield were getting in some dangerous positions from dead balls, however Ben and Matt were winning everything in the air. We had to bring Eamon on due to tiredness as the pitch was taking its toll. This paid off almost immediatly when the ball was played into Rhys and his superb reverse pass found Eamon, who went past his marker and shot high into the net for a third goal. A deserved three points agaist a Hatfield side, who had fought for every ball and never took a backwards step in a very physical game which was always played in the right spirit.

We got the boys together and congratulated them on a performance which deserved three points and eradicated all of last weeks bad points. We did make life slightly hard for ourselves by not taking our chances but we will work hard at training and put that right.

Although this was a good team performace with players playing out of position, I want to mention first Richard who took the responsibilty of driving the team forward. His determination in the middle of the park was a big factor in this win. Also Matt who has come in for the injured Alastair at centre half and has not put a foot wrong now in two games.

Finally Bradley who was having a really good game on the left of midfield, but because of injuries had to play alongside Matt and did the job we asked again puting the team first.

Well done today,the team spirit was excellent which definately helped with the result, this was so much better than last week and once again you have showed you listen and dont make the same mistakes twice.