Report

The Redditch team traveled to their last game of the season on a wet day to find a muddy but playable pitch and very cold conditions but knowing in reality only a win would keep them in with a chance of winning the league.

My reports have become like a broken record saying that the boys started well, but I think it was one of the most dominant first 10 minutes that the team has produced all season with the ball only going into the Redditch half when the opponents kicked off. Some dogged defending and inspired goal keeping kept the scores level with Callum and Chad troubling the full backs, either getting shots in or crossing into the area for Ben N or Ben L to try and finish. Chad broke down the left and crossed, the Hawks defence and goalkeeper we caught ball-watching letting Callum run in side footing the ball into the net.

A couple of weak attacks from the Hawks then followed without any serious threat on Michaels goal before Redditch had a couple more attacks with Declan doing well to get onto a ball on the penalty spot and just failing to get his foot round the ball before Ben N received a pass on the edge of the box, burst through, before calmly pushing the ball past the goalkeeper.

The ball hit the net a couple of minutes later when a Hawks defender and goalkeeper contrived to put the ball into their own net only to have a dubious offside decision rule it out. So the halftime whistle was blown with the scoreline at 0-2. There wasn’t much to say at half time except keep going try and be more clinical in front of goal and don’t repeat last week when we were clearly the better team but let the opponents  back in the game for the last 10 minutes.

The second half kicked off with Redditch kicking down the slope and more pressure on the Hawks goal, after 2 minutes Declan did very well to nip in and take the ball as the goalkeeper waited for it to arrive in his hands, he took the ball wide turned and showing good composure laid the ball on a plate for Ben N to score his second of the day.

The goals now started to go in and after Callum had a strong run and crossed the ball a hard pushed defender scored a spectacular own goal. A rare attack saw Michael get to touch the ball but the three man defensive line looked to have all of the answers to the Hawks attacking force. Callum added to his first half goal when Ben N pushed a ball through the defence, Callum showed how he has matured over the season kept a calm head and pushed the ball past the keeper into the net.

A few substitutes may have shown I felt the game was won with Joe and Jimmy getting runs in forward positions. The days scoring finished with a great showing of team spirit when Ben N pushed a nice pass through for Chad to score. I feel sure that Ben N would be aware when he put the ball through it might cost him a share of the top scorer accolade as both were on 21 goals - so well done Ben for showing the team result was more important to him than the individual glory.

So the game finished 0-6. A good strong finish to a great season plentiful goals at one end and Michael not having a meaningful save during the whole of the game.

I heard after the game that Boldmere didn’t play due to a water logged pitch, so we will be top of the league then wait to see what happens in Boldmere’s final game, where any result other than a win for them, would see us as champions.

Regardless of how Boldmere perform in the last match I feel a big well done is due to all the boys who have played for us this year a great effort in the first season of 11 a side - doesn’t it seem a long time ago since the lads were being caught offside twice a minute!

Man of the Match
Declan - Declan had a fine game showing lots of energy in heavy conditions as he played in midfield and managed to contribute in both attack and defence. As always he played the game with a big smile on his face and topped his best performance of the season by setting up Ben N for the third goal with quick thinking, good feet and a calm execution of his vision.

"Football is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it"