Match Report

Old Elizabethans II (2) v Derby Ams (2)

	Player	Rating
1	kirt smith	7
2	James Derbyshire	8
3	Darren Hanstock	8
4	Mark Hosker	8
5	Elliot Clay	8
6	Brad Scard	8
8	Mark Jebbett	8
9	Ben Perry	7
10	Aiden Meyrick	8
11	Ashley Bravo	8
12	David Crosby	6
13	Edward Macmillan	6
14	Adam White	6

Date: 07/11/09
Team: 2nds
Match Type: League
Venue: Away
Opposition: Old Elizabethans II

Today’s fixture came against old Elizabethans who being at the right end of the table were going to be a tough prospect, but going to 4-4-2 derby started the game brightly coping well with the early pressure and movement from our opponents forwards. We struggled to get the ball down and play our own game and at times the ball seemed to be coming straight back time after time it was cleared, but the football did come and good moves were being put together with Scard using the ball well on the left supported by Derbyshire began to make inroads into final third.
Old Elizabethans were getting chances in front of the Derby goal and Smith made a couple of fine saves to deny them taking the lead. The football started to come together for the Ams as Perry wide on the left found some space and with Mayrick coming and picking the ball up deep the ball was soon being put into our opponent’s area putting pressure on the keeper but still no solid chances were created.
Derby took the lead through a well worked move ending in Bravo finding the back of the net with a cool finish, but with time in the half still to be played old Elizabethans stepped up their pressure to find a way back into the game. The physical side of the match was starting to show and a after a couple of challenges Mayrick was booked for apparently showing his studs in a tackle, but Derby weren’t phased by this and the back four remained solid with good last ditch tackles being made by Hanstock and Hosker.
Going into half time 1-0 the game was still in the balance, and as the 2nd half started it was our hosts who came out attacking nearly getting an equaliser from the kick off. Derby settled and as Savage and Jebbett were busying themselves in the middle of the park trying to work openings through a tough Elizabethan defence with their midfield working just as hard. A corner brought the game level after Hanstock unfortunately headed the ball into his own net.
Picking themselves up and going again saw Derby play some good football and create chances in front of goal but still the back four worked hard in keeping a lively attacking team at bay. Substitutions made by both teams saw old E’s go 4-3-3 and Derby saw Bravo replaced by Macmillan with Scard going up front. Soon after the change a good period of play saw Derby with some sustained pressure and a headed through ball saw Scard latch onto and race into the area and finish smartly past the advancing keeper 2-1. Trying to keep the score line at 2-1 saw a few goal line clearances from Hanstock, Scard and Savage.
Late in the game our opponents drew level after an attack caught Derby napping and although the ball was cleared it fell to the edge of the area and a shot passed defender and keeper alike to make it 2-2. Changes saw White and Crosby replace Perry and Scard but the Ams still went in search of another goal with corners and free kicks going close as well as a well hit 35 yard volley from Clay which seemed to be heading into the top corner only to see a fine save by the keeper deny him.
Boys this was a good effort all round which saw us battle and take the lead more than once but despite our efforts to keep the ball out a lapse which allowed a free shot from the edge of the area undid all that good work. That’s something we can address in the next game to make sure we follow our runners and to put a challenge in to not allow a clear shot.