For our first away match of 2022 we traveled to the foggy, mountainous area of Berkshire to play Berks County Wolves. The Falcons have played on some interesting pitches over the years including many bumpy, uneven and slopey pitches, but I cannot recall one with quite as big a gradient as the pitch we played on today.

After last week’s narrow defeat to Spencers Wood, we were keen to have a few more shots on target today and hopefully convert more of our chances.

The game started brightly, with Falcons playing down the hill and Eadoin, Stanley and Marcus creating several good chances. It was Wolves, though, that almost opened the scoring after 16 minutes. A good shot looked destined for the top corner, however, Archie seemed to fly across the goal at full stretch to tip it wide. A top quality save.

After 21 minutes, the Wolves goalie rolled the ball out to his defender. Eadoin, eager to pressure the defender, was on hand to quickly seize upon a heavy touch, steal the ball and slam in into the bottom left corner (0-1). A deserved lead for the Falcons on the balance of
play to this point and a good reward for quick thinking and applying pressure.

Wolves played hard for an equaliser of course, but our defence had a strong game today Pete and Nathan were solid and assured at centre back, and Frankie and Gabriel won turnover after turnover as wing backs, really good performances today. This solidity was much to the frustration of the Wolves coaches who were complaining and moaning at the linos and ref , and their players, from mid-way through the half onwards. #notcool

The game was very competitive in midfield, and in the first half especially, Falcons won this battle. Marcus had a great game on the right wing, Alastair was a solid anchor in the middle, Stanley and Max were winning possession and putting through some excellent attacking balls which lead to attacking opportunities. Jack had a real battle on the left wing and put in a strong shift against a tricky opponent. Eadoin played as a false nine, dropping back into midfield at times and popping up all over the place, the opposition coach told him he was ‘a
nightmare’ after the game

Falcons deserved a bit more for their efforts and this came on the stroke of half time. With a fine passage of passing play from the Falcons. Alastair won the ball back in midfield, passed to Eadoin, who slipped the ball to Max. Max played a fab 1-2 with Stanley to split the Wolves defence before slotting it past the ‘keeper (0-2) A lovely passing move and a trademark Falcons goal. HT

The second half saw Chris come on as Striker and Cameron join the defence. It also saw the
Falcons playing uphill!

Wolves started well and the game was fairly end to end with Chris, Stanley and Eadoin having good goal efforts either saved or just wide. As the half went on and both teams tired the hill became more of a mountain and a the Falcons got pushed back a little. But our defending was still as resolute. The Wolves’ breakthrough came around the hour mark. After 58 minutes, Archie made another very good save to deny a Wolves attack from which Wolves won a corner. The corner delivery was excellent, with the looping ball dropping right under the bar, very tricky to defend, and the ball only needed a nudge to end up in the net (1-2)

This goal seemed to knock us a little psychologically, and we conceded again just 3 minutes later. Under pressure in our own box the ball broke to a Wolves attacker, who put his laces through the ball and leathered an unstoppable shot into the net from close range (2-2)

As a team we looked gutted, I was worried that we might concede again, but we regained our composure quickly and dug deep to take the game back to Wolves. As the final minutes of the game ran out, both Chris and Marcus had a half-chances to clinch a winner. But it
wasn’t to be.

Today was a game of two halves, Falcons stronger in the first half and Wolves edging the second half, overall a draw seems a fair result. It always feels better to get a draw from a losing position than a winning position, but ultimately both teams scored two good goals
each. A draw away from home is never a bad result.

It’s hard too, to come of the back of a very good run of results before Christmas, into some tricky games, certainly in terms of the conditions (wet and cold last week and foggy ski slope this week) that make our passing game more difficult to execute. But, I’ve been pleased with our positive attitude, application and determination. Let’s keep playing our style of game and stay focussed and strong mentally and physically and the results will take care of themselves.

Next week we are at home to Hawley Youth Colts.
COYF!
Phill

Match details

Match date

Sat 15 Jan 2022

Kickoff

15:00

Team overview