New Marske 1 - 21st Allstars B 3
After last weeks great win against Mount Pleasant we had what promised to be a much tougher game this week against the league leaders. The early stages were fairly even, and a cross in from 21st Allstars was brilliantly dealt with by Jack as he cushioned a header back to Dean.
As the minutes ticked by Allstars were starting to get more dominant in midfield as they were finding plenty of time and space due to us not closing them down. The left winger especially, was causing Hubby problems as he attacked down the wing. On 17 minutes we had a good break when Matty nipped in to win the ball a chipped it forward toward Joe. The ball deflected of him into Franks path letting him run at the keeper. He hit his shot early and the keeper made a great save pushing the ball back out to Liam who hit his shot over the bar.
Allstars were back on the attack but good pressure from the defence forced the attacker to hurry his shot, which went well wide of the goal. After about 20 minutes we found ourselves a goal down. Joe got clattered and was obviously hurt as there were calls to our players to put the ball out of play. We chose to play on however and lost possession a few yards outside our box, allowing the Allstars player to hit a shot past Dean into the net. 0-1 to Allstars.
Allstars were next to break away again as the defence pushed up to catch the opposition offside, however Hubby was further back playing them onside. The shot came in as the defence tried to get back and was well held by Dean.
We were under sustained pressure as we couldn't get to grips with Allstars midfield movement, and a ball lobbed over the top looked like it was going in until cleared for a corner from Jack. The corner came in and found the head of an unmarked attacker who missed with his header. We were only having the occasional sporadic foray upfield, while Allstars continued to have a lot of possession in our half.
Tim got a ball in the face as it spun up before we conceded a couple more corners to Allstars. the second corner saw us go further behind on 38 minutes. The ball was half cleared and lofted back into the box where it looked like Dean was going to get the ball, only for an Allstars player to run in and head the ball before Dean claimed it, allowing the ball to bounce into an empty net. 0-2 to Allstars.
The wind was picking up making it difficult for us to clear our lines and a challenge on an Allstars player saw the ball bounce away to a second attacker who shot and saw the ball come back off the post just before half time.
Half-time: New Marske 0 - 21st Allstars 2
It had been a very poor half from us as Allstars dominated most of the 40 minutes, but we were hopeful we could do better in the second half with the wind at our backs. Very early in the half we got an unexpected corner when a clearance from Tim on the halfway line looked to be going wide of the opposition goal until the keeper stretched out his hand and deflected the ball for a corner. The corner was hit into the danger area where it was cleared only as far as Danny who hit his shot well, but only into the arms of the keeper.
An Allstars midfielder once more collected the ball unchallenged before punting the ball over the top for the attacker to chase. He got their first but sent his shot well wide of Deans goal. We were starting to battle better in the game and began to exert more pressure in the opposition half, leading to a couple of corners which we failed to capitalise on.
We followed the corners with our best chance of the game up to this point when Danny put a great ball through for Frank, whose shot looked to be going in only to finally go just the wrong side of the post. Conor and Liam were substitutes as Josh and Johnny came on.
Good pressure straight away from Josh nearly saw us win the ball from Allstars goal kick but the most we got was a throw. Another great chance for us came and went as Frank looked to have got away from the Allstars defence until a defender knocked the ball back to the keeper, who sliced the ball away only for Frank to recover it. He hammered his shot in and the keeper managed to deflect it out for a corner.
On 63 minutes we finally got a goal back when a ball over the top from Danny set both Joe and Frank away, and it was Joe that got control of the ball before chipping it over the keeper. 1-2 to Allstars.
Allstars suddenly looked rattled and under pressure as a through ball from Danny for Joe looked to have caught Joe offside. However he didn't make any effort to get the ball and instead Josh came racing through and very nearly nicked it off the toes of the Allstars keeper. A poor goal kick from Allstars fell straight to Joe who hit his shot first time, unfortunately wide of the goal.
Although composed for most of the game Allstars were now showing signs of panic in defence as we pushed forward to get the equaliser, and it looked like the next goal would be crucial. If Allstars got it that would be game over, but if we got it there would be a good chance to go on and win the game.
Allstars broke through next until a superb piece of defending by Jack won the ball from the attacker, allowing us to go back on the attack. We now had a game on, and one that was going from end to end. Hubby came off as Bash came on to replace him. The action stopped for a minute or two as Johnny went down under a challenge. He was forced to leave the field and Ben Leaper came on in his place.
Frank once again looked to have broke through but the keeper managed to get his hand to the shot as Allstars held on their narrow lead. Some good challenging from Greg stopped Allstars from getting through but it was only a temporary respite as Allstars scored again on 73 minutes. We were under pressure and a slight deflection on a challenge by Jack saw the ball roll to an Allstars player unmarked just outside the box, and he curled the ball into the top corner of the net. 1-3 to Allstars. The relief from the Allstars players and supporters showed just how much pressure they had been under in the second half.
Yet again Frank looked to try and break through, but was tackled before he could get his shot away once more. It obviously wasn't his day as the final chance also fell to Frank when he raced away and saw his shot once again canon off the Allstars keeper as the referee brought the game to a close.
Final Score: New Marske 1 - 21st Allstars B 3
MOTM:- : Tim Jones
Other images from the game...
