Hasland CFC U18s - CJB Thunder
Under 15s
Today our under 15s were back in league action for the first tine since the end of November, keen to keep our 100% record in tact. Our opponents today were an up and coming CJB Thunder team who in my humble opinion are one of the most improved teams over the past 2 or 3 seasons.
We therefore knew it wasn't going to be an easy morning and we had to play at our best to get a result. The conditions were just about perfect for football if not a little cold but both sides settled into the game and large parts of the first half things looked very even.
Just as it looked like a 0-0 half time team talk CJB beat the of offside trap with 2 minutes of the half left and their striker kept his head to put the ball past Ben in the Hasland net and give CJB a half time lead. To be honest at half time we couldn't really be disappointed as CJB looked the better team as Hasland just didn't get going.
At half time we asked the boys to increase the intensity as we were winning nothing in the middle and every second ball was dropping to CJB player. Hasland definitely started better in the second half but couldn't find that clinical pass to unlock the heavy packed defence. On the 65th minute however a great switch of play by James found Cole open on the edge of the box and his shot found the back of the net despite a good effort to save by the keeper.
The last 10 minutes looked the Hasland of old, camped in the opposition half, creating chances and getting plenty of corners. CJB on the other hand had plenty of threat on the counter attack as both teams were going for the win.
In the end neither team could break the deadlock and a draw was a fair result all round. Hasland man of the match went to Jack our striker who never gave up today and worked his socks off. On another day he would score a hattrick but it just didn't fall his way today.
Well done Hasland, not our greatest performance by a long stretch but I find you learn more from games like this than when winning comfortably. On to the next one.