2nd Team Vs Lichfield 5s

The 2nds welcomed Lichfield 5s to WGS for a midday start on a sunny but chilly day. Both sides sitting in mid table at the start of play.

With several regulars missing, the Wulfs team had an unfamiliar feel. The game started evenly but it was Lichfield who scored first with a slightly fortuitous goal, with a ball deflecting off a defender’s leg and a deflection off Lally’s stick falling to an attacker to deflect home.

Bad luck then befell Wulfs with Roberts pulling a hamstring and Thompson injuring his wrist in a collision with Horton in goal. Roberts couldn’t continue but Thompson battled on (no additional substitutes) but was unable to hit the ball.

The changes caused a period of confusion in the Wulfs ranks but we didn’t concede again in the half.

The second half started more positively for Wulfs but we conceded again early on. Wulfs pulled a goal back through Jandu with a neat stop and shot. Wulfs pushed for an equalizer but again conceded after a mix-up in defence. Both sides continued to press with the Wulfs passing game being met by a more direct approach from Lichfield.

Wulfs pulled another goal back when a Jandu shot was stopped on the line by a defender’s foot, Gurnam converted the resulting penalty stroke. With time running out Wulfs forced a short corner, Jandu switched the ball for Murray to fire in the equalizer. A draw probably would have been a fair result but there was still time for one more goal.

Unfortunately, it fell to the visitors, Wulfs were unlucky to concede a short corner when a 50-50 challenge looped up into a Wulfs defender. The shot from the resulting short corner struck Thompson in the knee and rolled into the goal.

Unlucky for Wulfs but a battling performance from a much-changed team, which also had to adapt to changes caused by injuries and a lack of additional subs. Thanks particularly to Lewis for slotting in at fullback when Gurnam had to move into the midfield to replace the injured Roberts. Gurnam putting in a man of the match performance holding the midfield together throughout the game.