3rd Team Vs Market Drayton 2s

3rds travelled to Lilleshall to face Market Drayton 2nds, on a fine sunny autumnal afternoon.  Not personally having played MD before and with them putting 10 past their opponents in their last home match, we didn’t quite know what to expect from them.

Old Wulf’s welcomed two debutants to the club and team: The young legs of Ted Murray, and the slightly older legs of Mark Hucker.  With the previous game running over the game eventually got on the way.  For the first few minutes both teams had several touches of the ball.  However as early as the 4th minute a free hit was awarded to Old Wulf’s on the right side of the pitch, just outside OW’s 23. The free hit was taken quickly by James who made great advancement down the line, feeding the ball to Ted who carried the ball with some neat control into the D passes the ball to Jandu. 1-0 Old Wulf’s. Following the restart and on 7 minutes MD were awarded the first short corner of the game, which Old Wulf’s defended well, and the score remained at 1-0. On 12 minutes following some good interchange play between the midfield, Old Wulf’s were awarded their first short of the game courtesy of Ted finding an opposition foot in the D. Injected by James to Jandu, who slips the ball to Ted and his shot beats the keeper at the far post. 2-0 Old Wulf’s. On 17 minutes Old Wulf’s failed to clear their lines following pressure from MD. Old Wulf’s eventually managed to play the ball out over the goal line but at the expense of a short corner.  The resultant shot however was well saved by Rowley in goal.  On 25 mins ‘Frosty’ picked the ball up inside Old Wulf’s 23 and played a clinical pass to Jandu inside MD’s 23, Jandu passed the ball to Ted in the D for his second of the game. 3-0 Old Wulf’s. Following the restart Old Wulf’s went on the attack again, this time James drives into the D and plays a high looping shot which the keeper successfully palms away, but straight back to James who plays the ball to a waiting Jandu at the keepers left hand post, with Jandu deflecting the ball narrowly wide.  Old Wulf’s were well in control of the game with MD struggling to put a sequence of passes together. On 30 minutes Old Wulf’s went close to their 4th and Teds 3rd, when the keeper just managed to prevent the ball from going through their legs and into the net.  On 32 MD earned themselves a short corner as they attempted to reduce the deficit, and nearly did, if ‘Coxy’ hadn’t of cleared a goal bound shot away for a long corner.  As the end of the first half approached Old Wulfs had another opportunity to increase their lead, when the ball found Ted in some space in the D, but the reverse strike was put just wide of the keeper’s right hand post, and so it remained 3-0 at Half Time.

HT 3-0 Old Wulf’s.

Market Drayton, got the second half started. On 38 mins Old Wulf’s were awarded the first in a series of 3 short corners, which Old Wulf’s were unable to convert. The 3rd of these resulting in a long corner, followed by a free hit, then a side-line ball just outside MD’s 23. From the side-line MD gained possession, however MD were unable to find their intended player on the line and a side-line to Old Wulf’s was the result. Old Wulf’s from the side-line advanced over the halfway line towards the final third, and although an MD player got a stick to the ball, the ball looped up into the air to Jandu, who plays the ball to Ted who shoots the ball just goes high and wide of the keepers left hand post. 42 mins in and from the 16 Old Wulf’s gain possession with the ball finding its way to Ted who plays the ball to Jandu who releases a shot at goal, however the shot is saved by the keeper, only for Ed reacting quickest to mop up the loose ball to make it 4-0 to Old Wulf’s. Old Wulf’s continued to attack at every chance they got but MD were standing firm preventing Old Wulf’s from increasing the score. On 52 mins MD were awarded their first in a series of 3 short corners, however Old Wulf’s defended well, with the final of these going wide for a 16.  Again, from the restart Old Wulf’s advanced and again earned another series of 3 short corners in succession and what seemed like an age and several shots on goal the score still remained at 4-0.  MD were still finding it difficult to advance and often relied on long fast balls to break through Old Wulf’s midfield & defensive line, when the lines were breached, their players were often isolated and found it difficult to sustain momentum. With around 8 to go MD worked their way into a promising position at the top of the D but Old Wulf’s rear guard successfully snuffed out the threat and so it finished with a win for the 3rds.

Full Time 4-0 win.              

Scorers Ted Murray 2, Jandu 1, Ed 1.

Players MOM = went to Ted with 61.5% of the vote remaining percentages went to, Tom Parry, James, and Mark.

Overall, a game where 3rds were for the most part in control of the game. It’s fair to say that not everything went well and there is still room for improvement, but today’s performance was a great team effort were each player all played for each other, and worked as a unit across all areas of the pitch.   Great discipline, good team spirit, a great team effort with nobody having a bad game.  Well done to all.

Special mentions to the debutants Ted & Mark who slotted in seamlessly and put in strong solid performances. Also, Tom & Frosty who seem to have the makings of a good partnership in midfield. James who despite some heavy challenges got through them all countless times, and Ed for following up the attack and picking up his second of the season.