7s vs Old Wilsonians 8s – 07.10.17

Match Report

Merton 7s v Old Wilsonian 8s

Finally the league fixtures start, after the SALC concluding with 1 win, 2 losses, 6 goals for (4 for Billy) 11 against!! Were now amongst our own. Although it’s the newly formed 6^th Division, it’s more or less the same teams from last term, which we finished a strong fifth for a newly formed squad. This season, there’s talk we want top 3 minimum. So today, we need a good start

We welcome back OW8’S, a team we comfortably beat in the SALC 4-0 and twice beating them 3-1 last season, it’s a good game to bed in a few new faces

Going with the standard tried and tested, 4-4-2, we have Darren Fitzgerald volunteering to go in goal. With Josh, Tom, Martin, Steve making up the back 4, Luke M, Chris D, David & Ram as the midfield and Billy and his new boots, accompanied by Ryan up front.

Now, generally when doing a match report, there’s a certain amount of ‘padding out’ to be done, so that you can get across the type of game that went on… however, this time, more will be missing than can be remembered, as to how the team played today….!!

Yes, it was a poor side that we was up against, and the old cliché of ‘you can only beat what’s in front of you’ can be rolled out. But it was the manor that the 7s went about the job. Ruthless… and with more composure, this could have been a Merton record for a team win (No idea what it currently stands at, but Im sure we would have been close… )

So…

1-0   : Games under way and in less than 2 minutes, David collects the ball, travels pass the OW8’s midfield, slots a ball between the defenders which Billy latches onto at pace, and calmly slots near post

2-0   : A move that started from the left back , shuffled around to the right wing, with Josh and Luke linking up, towards the 18 yard box, Josh & Ryan with a neat 1-2 into the area for Josh to dispatch a low far corner shot

3-0   : Corner from Billy to the far post, David winning the aerial battle and knocking down to Ram who controls and volleys over the static keeper

4-0   :Good work from the defence, passed out towards Luke M who curls a defence splitting pass forward for Billy to footrace the back 4, calmly slotting pass the advance keeper

5-0   : Billy with a near post corner, evades the defenders and drops centre of goal, Ram is ghosting in at ‘pace’ to slam home an unstoppable shot

Half time, and there’s not much you can say or change at this point and you feel for the guys waiting to get on the pitch. But the talk is about making this count, getting the goal difference up as that’s what lets us down last season… just with the one change, Luke who’s improving with each game makes way for ‘Kieran’ for a debut on pitch.

6-0: Took a while, the opposition stood firm for 15minutes until Ram slots in Ryan for a 1v1.

Change made – Ram off for Scott and a change to 4-3-3,

7-0   :Soon after, the ever energetic Ryan once again is on his heels after a neat pass from Kieran and skips pass the OW8’s back four to dispatch his 2^nd

Change made – Steve off for Dan, Martin goes left back, Dan Centre

8-0   : Billy put through by David and he races clear, only for the keeper to get a good hand on his shot, which falls to Ryan to complete his Hatrick

9-0   Kieran down the right wing, Crosses, Billy leaves for David on the 18 yard, defender closing down gets lobbed with a back heel flick, David through on goal and as the ball drops, scissor volleys into the roof of the net

10-0           Ryan robs the OW8’s centre back and dispatches his 4^th and our first ever double figure score is achieved for the mighty 7s

11-0           Kieran once again have all sorts of fun down the right wing, doubles up with Josh who with still 25/30 yards to go, accelerates into the box and drives a fierce low shot into the far corner again… 

This concludes the goals, however, a few notable events that also took place,

Luke in midfield had a few good moments, one notable when being closed down  by two players, calmly left the ball to run through his legs, leaving them both static and out of position, only to have no one backing him up. Chris coming back after from what someone said was a spell of old age (but clearly not the oldest in this squad!!) had a good baptism alongside David in the centre of midfield with some good strong work from the pair of them

First half and 5-0 up, David breaks up a OW8s attack, he dispatched a through ball for Ryan to latch onto, forced out wide and towards the corner flag, Ryan cuts inside and draws the keeper out, Billy having no problem keeping up with play waits in the penalty area before making a quick run as Ryan slots the ball across the goal line…

Unfortunately, Billy and his new boots manages to get to the ball just at the point it takes a bobble (not many saw this… but I’m sure it happened!!) and from 2 yards….. YES, 2 YARDS!!!! Hits the crossbar!!

There’s not many players that can score 2 goals, set up 3 and still walk of the pitch gutted, and feel like they let their team down, but to be fair, the young lad was first to ‘Man Up’ and take the DOTD award for that little miss hap, Don’t worry Billy… were sure you’ve got more goals in you this season, and there’s that other old cliché “you’ve got to be there to miss’em”…

So a job well done, a poor side put to bed by a team that showed, on their day, they can play some great football, now the trick is to take this form deep into the league and make a good fist of it.

Next week we are away at the unpredictable Old Blues 3^rd, a team that has a few good and bad results already, and any team playing at home must be regarded as a threat. None the less… only a win is expected from the management as they look to go on a long unbeaten run

MOTM: Ryan…. Not only 4 goals and a few assists. But once again, never stopped running. Again, mentions for the other scorers, notably Josh “Mr Ever reliable”… 2 goals and another strong performance at right back. Billy, 2 goal 3 assists… but will be remembered for the ‘Jug Avoidance’ shot… (See below)

DOTD: Billy…. For blatant ‘Jug Avoidance’ … 2 Yards young man… 2 Yards!

Team: Darren, Josh, Tom, Martin, Steve, Luke M, Chris, David, Ram, Billy, Luke

Scott, Dan, Kieran