League - AFC Urmston Meadowside Eagles v Oswald Road

Sun 27th Feb 2011 - KO 10:30 AM

Subs: Sean, Andy, Clevon

The pitch was very soggy and sticky, but just about playable. This fixture could turn out either way, how the lads handled the conditions and the opposition would dicate the outcome.


First Half:
From the start the pitch conditions were affecting play for both sides. End to end football with neither side taking hold of the game. Slowly but surely, Eagles were beginning to take hold and about half way through Eagles break and some nice play sees Aaron slot one home to put Eagles in front. 1-0. Things got a bit scrappy after this with free kicks awarded to both sides, Oswald Road barely making any chances and Eagles not doing much better. Half time whistle blown and with Eagles in front we hope for more of the same as far as performance is concerned.


Shots on Goal: (On target on not)
Eagles: 5
Oswald Road: 3

Team talk given, Jaffa Cakes munched and off we go again.


Second Half:
Oswald Road attack from the start, a crossed ball sent into the box and Eagles escape. Another Oswald Road attack after an Eagles free kick sees Oswald Road score the equaliser from a break. 1-1. For a good 10 mins or so, Eagles gain the advantage for a while as far as possession goes and create three chances from Chris, Aaron and Kaelan but nothing comes off. Oswald Road start to gain a foothold on the game, and mount attack after attack. The continued pressure pays dividens for them and they go in front from a ball crossed in from the wing and an attacker heads it home, 1-2. Oswald Road continue where they left off and keep attacking and Eagles defend as best they could. Then Eagles break free and Chris scores an equaliser 2-2.
Oswald Road keep the attacks coming, Eagles break when they could, but Oswald Road are next to score what is a very stuffy goal from some sloppy defending on our part. 2-3. Soon after this Eagles are awarded a penalty, Chris steps up to take and has to retake it due to some infringement, on his second attempt he fires one low into the left hand of the net! 3-3. After a couple of Eagles attacks, Oswald Road step things up yet again and batter us! In one attack there were three shots on goal and these were saved or blocked, it was like the alamo! Not much time left (in fact I do think we played more minutes than we should!) there was a foul on Travis, legs taken from under him as well as the ball, our players all wanted a free kick and most stopped! Play went on, Oswald Road attacked and won a penalty due to a clumsy challenge! Needless to say they finished the pen off and the game ended 3-4 soon after, and that was that!

Shots on Goal: (On target on not)
Eagles: 6
Oswald Road: 19

Summary:
We did well to come away with a 1-0 lead in the first half, we played well and just about deserved to be ahead. What happened in the second half is anyones guess! Basically Oswald Road wanted to win this fixture more than we did, and in the end we would have happily accepted a draw. Why a draw? Because we survived (in most parts) the 'onslaught' that Oswald Road gave us in the second half. However, as often happens in football, the referee decides if a foul is a foul, and either gets it right or wrong and can dictate the final result of the game 'if' he gets it wrong. Today, I think he got it wrong in my opinion, the noise I heard when our player got tackled would have been enough for me to stop the game alone. But that's football for you, one week most decisions go your way or are considered fair, then the next week nothing, zip nada nought!
That aside, when football was played today, it was an exciting game to watch but very dissapointing to come away with nothing.


Result: 3-4

Goal Scorers: Aaron 1, Chris 2