Under 14's.

(Metro Cup second round)

Sunday 22nd January 2012 - Home v Hillgate Boys

  Result - Woodley Albion 5 Hillgate Boys 4

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Match Report: Mike Lamont (Manager)

 What can only be described as a classic cup tie that saw us once again in the cup take on a team from the divisions above, this time from the lower reaches of the 1st Division. It had been eagerly awaited for a few weeks with the bad weather but that only gave us more passion and eagerness to get on with it.

 What was paramount for this game was giving the lads the belief that they could compete by playing good football, battle hard, defend with our lives and when we were given the chances make sure we took them. Overall.........we did!

 The game started very well for us, something to do with a pumped up team talk by all accounts but something we haven't done too well of late. Some early possession gave the opposition a taste of our good passing game and a good combination with Tom and James saw the ball fall wide on the right for Franco whose whipped in cross deep into the box was acrobatically volleyed over his left ear by Danny that went just shy of the post with the keeper beaten. Soon after Rudgie saw his first attempt with a low shot go narrowly wide.

 Right against the run of play after 15 minutes a long punt from their goalkeeper went down the right and despite some earlier warnings of his pace the fastest striker I have ever witnessed at this level was on his bke beating our back 4 and finished past Jake to make it 1-0. The 1st Division side did take control for the next 10 minutes and had several other half chances but again pace did us and we conceded a penalty after several missed tackles. This was tucked away for 2-0 and for the first time this season we were looking uphill and needed to dig deep mentally by remaining positive. This was evidenced in droves with no heads going down but a genuine belief that we could go on and get something from the game.

Late in the first half some of this belief bore fruit as a quick throw from Franco to James was returned and Franco curled a shot into the top far corner over an imposing keeper into the net to take us to the break a 2-1 down. I thought it was a cross, he tells me otherwise.

 After the break we really took it to them and probably delivered the best half of football this season. I would love to tell you about every chance but like many parents who can't remember either everyone was caught up in the moment so apologies if yours isn't mentioned. A series of excellent corners led to one hitting the bar and going to the far corner, Franco picked up laid it back to Tom who found James on the edge who took on one defender and blasted us level past  the keeper 2-2.

 We continued to press and were rewarded when Rudgie fired us 3-2 up midway through the 2nd half. The game then flowed into a great end to end game with chances for both teams and a ball down the channel found our favourite nippy opposition winger who got around Jake and laid the ball square for their centre forward to roll into an empty net 3-3. Again both teams had chances to win it in the dying minutes but the game went into extra time.

 The wind had always played a really strong part to how both teams played and as we faced the wind in our faces in the 1st half of ET we did start to look a little tired and was probably overall the only advantage the higher placed team had on us in the whole game. We beat them hands down in every other department. In this half Hillgate took the lead again to make it 4-3 but once again I thought if we stayed in touch until the final half of ET we were in with a shout and I also think the lads thought this as well.

 This came to fruition and with an absolute brilliant last 10 minutes the striker of the day Rudgie bagged a leveller before finally with a few minutes to go coolly slotted for his hat trick and win the game for the team. 5-4 was the final score but in terms of football, passion, desire and a belief that we wouldn't get beat the gap between the teams was much larger which showed in their frustrations and anger as to how they could have been beaten by a lowly 4th Division outfit. We weren't in this game and we haven't been all season and it was great to see the lads delight at the final whistle at what the whole team had achieved.

 I haven't mentioned enough players in this report as everyone on the pitch played a massive part and as you know I have struggled with a Man of the Match award as I think there was at least 7 strong candidates form all areas of the pitch from Jake in nets, the fantastic centre half partnership, midfield and the striker partnership. 

At times we were stretched more than we ever have been and I thought Brandon and Louis were like a rock wall at the back, Rudgies performance was excellent with great defending from the front and some cool finishing, but I felt that James's performance wide on the left was his best for a long time and he influenced the team to show how it could be done against higher league opposition and he is my Man of the Match, a reward he should share with all the players who were on the pitch and for the ones who didn't feature but encouraged fantastically from the sidelines.

 A great reward in the last 16 with a home draw against top of the table in Division 1.....the lads should be very proud and always look forward to giving another 1st Division side the fright of their lives. Back to the day job next week with a really important game against Hattersley which is a big decider in how the division table will finish this season.

   Cheers - Mike 
 
Man of the match award - James