29/04/2017
Codicote Youth Reds v. King George U9 Cobras 22nd April 2017
The Cobras won a tight fought game 1:0 thanks to a single strike from Charlie H.
The Cobras were Alec, Charlie, Charlie W, Daksh, Freddie, Jacob, Max (Captain in Andrew’s absence) and Nicholas.
The Cobras defended an early Codicote corner and Nicholas made a save before Freddie hit the side net of the opposition goal following a pass from Daksh.
Good defensive play by Max limited the home team to a corner which was over hit and missed everyone. Codicote hit a shot wide thanks mainly to good defensive covering from Freddie.
On the attack, Alec crossed the ball to Daksh who set up Freddie whose shot was deflected off the post for a corner, which the home side cleared following Alec’s ball in.
Charlie W made an important clearance in defence and then shot just wide at the other end after picking up a throw in from Alec.
The home team hit a shot wide and another over the bar, but the visitors were pressing too. Charlie H hit a shot wide following a pass from Freddie and Charlie W had a shot saved after he made a solo run up the left wing. Daksh passed the ball forward to Alec who squared it to an onrushing Charlie H who calmly thumped the ball into the net from the other side of the goal.
Good defensive work by Charlie W and Max denied Codicote as they tried to respond and the visitors had to defend another corner before the half time whistle went.
Alec also hat a shot cleared early in the second half, and Max threw the ball in for Charlie H who set up Daksh but he couldn’t get any power on his shot which was saved.
Codicote hit a shot over the bar and more good defensive play from Max denied the home side twice at the expense of a corner which was again over hit and missed everyone. .
Alec took a Cobra corner which fell to Daksh but his shot was cleared by the keeper.
More good defensive work from Max and by Nicholas coming off his line early maintained the clean sheet.
At the other end Alec put the ball through to Freddie who would have almost certainly have scored had it not been for quick thinking by the Coricote keeper who came out quickly to narrow the angle and save the shot.
A crucial interception by Max broke down a dangerous home attack. Charlie W put the ball through to Freddie whose resulting cross was blocked. Max threw the ball in for Alec who shot wide. Alec won and took a corner which went straight into the arms of the Codicote keeper who deftly booted the ball up field, but Nicholas came out quickly to narrow the angle and the attacker struck the ball wide of the post. Nicholas made another save and Alec blocked the ball that came in from the resulting corner at the expense of another corner which Nicholas touched across the box to safety.
Alec won a corner in the dying moments of the game after a defender hand-balled his shot in the box. Alec stepped up to take the corner but hit the ball wide of the right post, and was lying disconsolate on the ground when the final whistle went.
Nicholas was well defended by Jacob and especially Max today (who seemed to be everywhere) but Nicholas kept his concentration and the defence secured a good clean sheet in a very even contest.
Assistant coach Big Ben named Max a well-deserved Cobras Man of the Match.
Pitch-side reporter Dave Bird