Match Report

Southwell Amateurs II (1) v Derby Ams (1)

Date: 30/01/10
Team: 2nds
Match Type: League
Venue: Away
Opposition: Southwell Amateurs II

Derby shire Amateurs 1 v Southwell Amateurs 1
Today’s away fixture, seemingly in the middle of nowhere in a small place called Morton, was the return fixture against Southwell Amateurs who we drew against earlier in the season.
On a very murky day, playing with the wind in the first half, we set out to play our own brand of football as we have been doing in last few weeks. With a slight change in line-up due to availability including Mayrick starting in centre mid-field, with Crosby and Scard up front.
The game started with Derby moving the ball down both flanks and up to Crosby, who held the ball up well. The chances, although coming from distance, were soon finding range.
Southwell, being the leaders of the division, were soon counter-attacking with balls to our right flank; with balls coming down our flank and over the top, they too were starting to create chances. However, pressure coming from Derby resulted in free kicks and corners, providing the first clear-cut chance of the game for Derby.
Clay, intercepting the ball from a corner and bringing it onto his right foot, unleashed a shot from 35 yards with Southwell’s keeper saved. The subsequent rebound coming back off the post was received by Mayrick and was slotted home only to be called offside.
Late in the half, a period of sustained pressure on Derby saw Southwell seeming to take the lead with a shot that appeared to enter the goal only to ricochet back out off of the back of the net with no reaction from the ref or linesmen only for Derby’s defence to clear – much to Southwell’s dismay.
The first-half ended as it began with Savage’s industrious display seeing him run from box to box and work really hard in the middle of the park.
The half-time team talk was very positive with praise for the work rate and effort; however, as Derby would be playing into the wind in the second-half calm heads and retention of the ball would be essential.
The second-half began with Derby kicking off. It was soon apparent that Southwell would be going all out to attack in search of the first goal. Derby started to use the ball down both wings, with White and Perry breaking and putting balls into the box with limited success in front of goal. The opening goal came courtesy off Scard, who picked the ball up just over the half-way line broke through the Southwell defence to coolly slot the ball home from just inside the 18yard area.
The restart resulted in a 15 minute period of Derby clearing the ball only to see it return time and again giving no respite. During this passage of play Smith, making his debut as Captain, pulled off a string of fine saves to keep Derby’s lead intact. During this time substitutions were made to stiffen Derby’s defence; Clay and Crosby were replaced by Blackburn and Trembirth. This seemed to have the desired effect until the final 15 minutes of the game when Southwell’s pressure started to tell by keeping Derby penned in their own half with a succession of corners and throw-ins.
Yarnall, Derbyshire and Hanstock cleared the ball time and again, with Smith again producing saves to keep Derby in the game. A late substitution saw a fresh pair of legs in Bravo, who replaced Scard upfront. Derby were holding on for the win, only to see a late free-kick unsuccessfully cleared by the Derby defence and end up in the back of Derby’s net.
The subsequent onslaught from Southwall was weathered by Derby to hold on for a well earned point.