Thursday, June 12, 2008

Year 11 firmly proved themselves as worthy winners as they cruised to a 4-1 victory over the staff. It was built up as the game of the season: the one that they were all waiting for and despite the dreariness of the opening stages the match did not disappoint.

• The game started with the Year 11s showing all the running but despite their enthusiasm they seemed slightly overawed by the situation. However, as the staff struggled to find composure on the ball, the year 11s started to show their true worth with German and Speakman starting to move the ball in midfield.
  
  It was this combination that saw the deadlock broken. A throw in from the right hand side saw Speakman lose his marker, and then flick the ball to the oncoming German who volleyed the ball into the back of the net from 8 yards.
   
  This settled the nerves and despite the staff's efforts their lead was soon doubled with Mousa showing his class breaking away and then slotting the ball neatly into the back of the net. The staff fought back, and a nice run by Smith just before the half time interval led to him being felled in the area only for the resulting penalty to be missed by the experienced striker Forrest.

2nd Half

• The second half saw a much changed outfit for both sides with both teams making a variety of changes. The introduction of Eccles provided the running and closing down that they seemed to have lacked in the first half and the arrival of Hall brought some trickery into their midfield.
   
  The staff fought hard, with Winters, Crowley and Low fighting hard to stave off the onslaught of their opponents' attack. Their efforts were in vain when again the class of Okasili broke away, the cross was delivered and a stunning overhead kick by Hall erased any hope of a staff fight back.
   
  As the game neared its close, the staff looked exhausted but another energetic run by Smith again saw him fouled in the area and this time he stepped up to convert. However, perhaps fittingly, in the dying seconds the Year 11 team broke away with the ball finding the feet of Mousa who skipped passed the oncoming challenges and then slipped the ball into the back of the net with the last kick of game.

Nick Gardham