Match Report

Old Wilsons 7s v Merton 7s

 

Bleak Saturday afternoon, winters kicking in. on the back of 3 loses, we now head over to OW7s who are in a similar situation of being on a dire run of form, so this game could be a moral maker or breaker, but made even harder that the squad are missing Tom as a late drop out, Ram and Billy to illness, Daban to work and the usual suspects who can’t make an away game or confirm, only to no show.

With plenty of room in the changing room due to only having 11, were discuss going back to basics with a 4-4-2, it’s decided that Martin will once again come to the rescue of the 7s and start between the sticks, Josh at right back, Steve left back, Dan and Joe at centre backs, Andrew to take up the right wing, with Ryan on the left, David and Adam, who’s finally been able to come back into the fold, make up the centre pairing, leaving Luke and Niall up front

First half starts of quite confidently with good passing, the early exchanges sees the 7s take command of the game, good work down either side brings little reward, but at least its more positive. Adam commanding the centre of the pitch is winning every aerial challenge and Andrew on the right is instrumental in every attack going forward, as well as defending anything in the opposite direction.

So in normal 7s fashion, concede a soft goal on the OW’s first attack! Bad luck, unlucky, unfortunate…  nope… just the 7s being 7s…. have all the play, create a good 3 or 4 chances and then watch as the opposition just about string a few half arsed passes together to take the lead. 1-0

From the kick off, once again the 7s attack, more chances are created but the nerves are they as every shot is being taken from 18/20 yards and with such force, it’s like there trying to take the leather off the ball!! A further 3-4 great chances go begging (and way off target) before you can guess what happens next…. 2-0 down

Once again, kick off, start an attack, find all the space in the world between the OWs midfield and defence, take a shot, off target, goalkeeper kicks the ball out, start an attack, find space… you get the idea…

So we are now 3-0 down, the stunned silence is deafening amongst the 7s, with the exception of a few, heads are down and at this point, it feels like rock bottom… OW’s are now playing the football the 7s started and with less than 10 minutes to go, 4-0….

And now it begins

Half time and the OWs 4th goal seem to spark a bit of life into the squad, either to the open ‘mocking’ they are facing or the fact they are fast becoming the whipping boys in the league, it seems the 7s have finally got there ‘backs up’

For a change, the captain wasn’t the only one who was to voice an opinion, Ryan started with a few colourful words which we didn’t know he knew! Steve used similar words which we knew he knew, and Martin use the word ‘Bugga’ a lot!!

Fired up for the second half, the 7s kick off, most of the good play was now going down the right wing through Andrew. A good stem of play sees Niall pass to Adam, Adam to David, David to Andrew, Andrew crosses and a corner is awarded. Ryan, drives a low cross over, which takes a deflection, Adam slams a shot which comes off OW’s hand and a penalty is awarded. Ups steps Niall in Billy’s absences, he scuffs a shot at the keeper which he does alarmingly well to not even get a hand to….! 4-1.

NOW the 7s are up for it… every one of the back 4 are rallying the guys in front of them to get into the oppositions, Adam not needing to much encouragement shows the way with some heavy but fair tackles, Steve (with a broken toes from the first half) also has a good few skirmishes with the opposition, 7s are on top, a great cross into the OWs box see the keeper fumble, Niall is on hand from 4 yards to make 4-2.

This just adds weight to the 7s cause, every ball is now being challenged for, the back 4 marshalled by Steve is working as a unit and Martin has yet to concede with 15 minutes gone.

Once again, the ball is played out from the back, a neat 1-2 sees David’s first time ball over the OW’s back 4, Ryan latches on and cuts inside and crosses to Niall who somehow manages to back heel, flick forward and confuse the keeper into going the wrong way and knock in for his hatrick and the bring the score to 4-3

Openly arguing, the OW’s are fast becoming a deflated team, from kick off, the 7s win the ball back and start another attack, confidence hasn’t been this good for a while, the midfield is now supporting the attack, Josh is exchanging passes with Andrew and getting forwarded in more of an attacking roll, the ball worked from centre finds Niall out wide with a OW’s defender for company, holding up play just long enough for David to get into the box, Niall releases a stunning cross which finds the captains run perfectly and in his stride leaps to chests down the ball to Josh who is running in un-marked to half volleys the ball passed the OW’s keeper, 4-4 and still time to go.

Now it’s the OW’s to be stunned into silence, 7s on a high, contest every ball. Back on the attack, Luke takes up the challenge, receiving the ball well over 30years out and hounded by 2 players, he quickly skips pass and creates enough room to get a fierce shot off, which curls in off the bottom right post, what a comeback 4-5!!!

With the 7s well on top, and seemingly in control, the OWs remind the 7s that there still in the game, with 10 or so minutes remaining, pride must have kicked in, as now, not only are the tackles flying in, but even the ref is having to step in between players mouthing off to each other.

Caught short at the back, and with a possibly 3v2 situation, Ryan is forced into taking one for the team by scything down a player to stop the game and take a possible booking. Leaving the field of play due to a ‘knock’, the 7s are now down to 10 and the ref announces 4 minutes to play

The Alamo, OW’s are now swinging with everything they got to gain a point, corners, free-kicks, throw ins… but the 7s are  not finished yet. OW’s fully committed to attack leave themselves open for the counter attack, although down to 10 men and under the cosh, Niall is a lone figure up front with every one of the 7s defending to keep the points, the ball is cleared and the break out is on, Niall holding up play, times his through ball to perfection as David passes, OW’s young defender tries to keep pace but even in the 90th plus minute, the old boy opens up the legs and out paces the defender.

Keeper in two minds to either come or go, gets stranded in no man’s land as El’capo meets the ball around 30 yards out and nonchalantly chips the keeper and calmly peels away as the ball dips under the bar to seal a epic come back and 4-6 victory

‘A game of two half’s’… 7s at their worse, and best.. Now, if only they can take that second half belief, fighting spirit and confidence into the next few fixtures, maybe they can finish the year on a high, what with next week’s fixture being the return game against OW 8s, which was a resounding 11-0 last time out, these are the fixtures to build on.

MOTM: No contests, Andrew ‘DOBBY’ Dobson got everyone’s vote, didn’t put a foot wrong and was instrumental in the comeback

DOTD: If you confirm and don’t turn up…  giving the team no chance to get anyone in as a replacement, after it was made clear that the squad was threadbare and struggling for players… then you’re a DICK!

 

Team: Martin, Josh, Dan, Joe, Steve, Andrew, Adam, David, Ryan, Niall, Luke

Posted in Match Reports 7s