Date	Sunday 27th October 2013
Match	Royston Town Youth v Sawston United
Competition	Cambridge & District Colts League U16 Division A
Result	Drew 1-1
Royston Scorers	Rhys

Our first home game at our new ground and we welcomed Sawston, the pitch was not at its best but we will play on worse this season, the wind was very strong so it was important to make the most of it when it was in your favour. We have played Sawston in friendly’s over the past three years and in a tournament so we new what to expect and that is a committed team which will make you work hard for anything you get.

 

We asked the boys to have the confidence in there own ability to keep the ball on the ground and trust themselves and there team mates, what we did not want to see is hopeful long passes just because there was a strong wind, we needed to close them down from the front and work together to close them down also. Due to holidays and injuries we signed on two new players and both Charlie and Ollie would start today.

 

We had the wind in our favour first half so we needed a good start and to take advantage of the conditions. What happened next is a bad habit which has crept into our game and that is a slow start and conceding a sloppy goal. We had more than enough players to cover when the ball was played up to there striker but as s defensive unit we did not do our jobs and found ourselves one down. This did affect us and we were not playing as I know we can and to make matters worse first Alasdair then AJ had to come off injured. We did start to find some rhythm and were knocking the ball around well but to there credit Sawston were defending well and throwing bodies in the way of goal bound efforts. We really did need a goal before half time and to the boys credit they got one James R and Charlie linked up well and Charlie’s pin point cross saw Rhys react first and the ball crossed the line although Ollie was on hand just to make sure. The ref soon after brought the half to an end and we went in level.

 

We had words at half time because in any football match you have to firstly start by showing commitment and passion before you can start to do the other things needed to win football matches and for me that first twenty minutes showed to many boys lacking in both qualities, you also have to be switched on from the first whistle again something were were guilty of not being. We still felt we could win the game we just needed to be solid in defence and break quickly and not panic on the ball.

 

We started the second half a lot better and although the wind was against us we were still seeing plenty of the ball, Sawston were a threat but just like the Sawston back four in the first half our back four were also solid and well organised. The wind with you can also make you over hit passes and Sawston were guilty of this. This game became a real battle and both teams were fully committed in the tackle. With twenty minutes left a good move down our right involving Matt and James R saw James R put a ball through to Charlie as the keeper came out Charlie lifted the ball over him but the linesman had his flag up for off side.Swaston had two good chances themselves from free kicks from just out side the area one went well over but the second forced Robbie into a good save. The ref blow for full time with the score level.

 

Overall a draw was a fair result that first twenty minutes probably cost us and we have to put that right quickly, as we have already seen this is a tough league and you can not start giving teams a goal start and get  away with it. Good debuts from Charlie and Ollie who both worked hard on and off the ball, Rhys was his normal self giving nothing less than 100% Richard and Bradley worked really hard in the middle of the park and James R showed that touch of class on the ball. Robbie in goal was a steadying influence, and after a shaky start the back four of Matt, Callum, Eamon and Jack O all had excellent second half’s showing that bit of steel which was needed in the second half.