Falcons swoop late to knock the wind out of the Hurricanes.

U15 Falcons Match Report
Falcons vs Henley Hurricanes
24th September 2022
Falcons 4 Hurricanes 4
Makepeace, 17 (Brown)
Hurricane, 26
Brown, 30 (Caffery)
Hurricane, 31
Hurricane, 40
Hurricane, 65
Pickrell, 71 (Laffan)
Khair C, 79 (Cichocki)

Falcons swoop late to knock the wind out of the Hurricanes.

This was our seventh all-time meeting with Henley Hurricanes. Our record before today was W2 D2 L2. They’ve always been keenly contested games. Last season we lost narrowly to them 2-3 in the cup, the season before they beat us 0-6 at home, before then, we’d never lost to them. So, I really wanted us to get a result today :-D

They also were losing cup finalists last season, so all-in-all, a strong team and a good test for us.

We had to apologise to the opposition for the quality of the pitch beforehand, more weeds than grass and sorely
in need of a cut!

We started with a squad of 14 for this game and took a slightly different approach in midfield and up front today. Eadoin played as a target-man, tracking the back four and Ioan moved into the centre of midfield. We wanted to get more shots on target and stretch their defenders

The Hurricanes started the match on the front foot and had the balance of the opening attacking play. They looked efficient, but we dealt with the danger well, our defence of Frankie, Liam, Rufus and Gabriel, with Max in goal, handling everything well. The Hurricane’s eager start seemed to unsettle us a bit and we were a little hurried in some of our play at times, a little over complicated.

After about ten minutes the balance of play began to swing towards the Falcons more as we put pressure on the Hurricane’s defence. After 17 minutes Alastair played the ball through for Eadoin to run onto, he took it out wide right and fizzed a cross into the ‘corridor of uncertainty’, aptly named, as five players failed to deal with the ball and it travelled through to Stanley on the left of the box who calmly swept it home (1-0). Great cross, great positioning and finish.

The Hurricanes came back strongly and 9 minutes later, pressured us into a mistake. (1-1). On the half hour, a turnover by Rufus saw him pass the ball to Ioan, who lofted the ball over the advanced Henley defenders for Eadoin to run onto… Eadoin hit a half-controlled shot which the Henley ‘keeper could only parry back into his path, which Eadoin buried (2-1).

Over the next 10 minutes, the Falcons had further chances and the match was quite even, both sides were making a few mistakes, but Henley exploited ours very effectively to score two further goals. We spoke aboutthese after the game, not to call anyone out, mistakes happen in every game, but to help us eradicate them as we progress through the season. As a result we went into half time 2-3 down.

The second half saw Marcus return to the team on the left wing and Max and Alastair swap in goal and midfield. Nathan came on for Liam at right back. Our wing play was good today, Jack, Cameron and Marcus all put big shifts in… We looked solid, and on balance created the majority of the chances, with Ioan, Jack and Max shooting over or wide and the Henley keeper making a few saves.

However, with 15 minutes to go it was Henley that extended their lead with an excellent, well worked goal
(2-4)

In seasons past, that would have been it. Game Over…..But not for these boys…

These Falcons have spirit, grit, and determination, and in the last 10 minutes they piled it all on the Hurricanes. Our defence stood firm with Nathan, Rufus, Gabriel and Cameron proving to be really solid and our midfield of Marcus, Chris, Max, Ioan and Stanley pushing hard in turnover and attack mode. With 9 minutes remaining, Marcus curled a super ball in from the right wing to Max, who took it round a defender, the Henley ‘Keeper parried his shot, but Max was there to smash into the net (3-4).

As the clock ticked down.. The Falcons had a numerous shots and attempts, Marcus, Chris, and Eadoin amongst
others.
The Henley ‘keeper must have been really tired, as I have never seen anyone walk so slowly to retrieve the ball from behind the goal…. I helpfully went round there to run after and quickly return the wayward balls to him so he could get on with the game. Strangely, I don’t think he appreciated this all that much, haha!!

It gave me a great view of the final act of the game however…In the final minute of the game, after building pressure, we won a throw-in, right by the corner flag on the left. Gabriel took the throw and he put so much energy into launching that ball into the box, that he actually fell over…however his throw caused mayhem in the Henley defence and Chris pounced to prod the ball into the net (4-4)!!

The game finished 4-4 only our second ever 4-4 draw in 164 games. (The other one was against Burghfield Bisons on 19-9-20, as I’m sure you all remember J).

I sensed a little disappointment after the game, I think we all know we again had the chances to win that game.

Don’t forget, we are playing a league higher against tougher opposition. At the moment we are resilient, focussed and remain unbeaten. These are great foundations on which to build our game and as we gain back our full fitness and get our passing game going again properly, we will get the results we deserve.

Shout outs and POTW…

Max another game another goal, currently our top scorer, not bad considering you’ve spent 50% of your time
in goal J Great work!

Stanley – yet another goal from a cross at the back post…you said to me it was a ‘tap-in’, but its great positioning
and anticipation, well done!

Chris – I know we played you in a different position today, but you did it well and it put you in the right position
for the equaliser…Off the mark, now!!

But…Gabriel - was my player-of-the-week this week, Our whole defence had to be switched on for the full 80 minutes today and they all did well, but Gabriel went into tackle after tackle and stuck his head in dangerous places to win the ball…couldn’t buy a free kick, although he got clattered on at least three occasions… the allor- nothing effort into the throw at the end for the assist for the equaliser summed up your game today… You left everything on the pitch. Immense.

To be confirmed, but we are at home again, next week, against Ashridge Park, with whom we also have
considerable history J

COYF!!
Phill