Badgers Vs Edgbaston Kestrels

Yardley Badgers 0 v 7 Edgbaston Kestrels

 Yardley started the game with nine players after a few cry offs and a few injuries. Edgbaston had a bare eleven with a kicking back. In the interests of safety and fair play the Yardley coach (after discussion with his counterpart) decided to allow penalty corners for both teams but our older players would not take first strike for these exercises.

 Yardley played a strong defensive line up, being two players down they would need to consolidate their position.

This tactic worked really well and the whole group played as a team. All working together and encouraging each other throughout the game. The team’s effort and work rate was excellent and a big improvement from the last game. The visitors were a well drilled group with very skilful talented individuals. Thanks to good defending and great saves by their keeper Jack, Yardley stopped any early threats and for fifteen minutes there were no goals. Islam and Jahed both stood out for their excellent defending and great tackles. They were talking to their other team mates. They were encouraging the group to make short and quick passes and movement throughout the game.

The visitors soon used their extra players to good effect and got their first goal on the twenty-minute mark.  At this time they also had four substitutes arrive who rotated to good effect. The home team tried really hard to put pressure in their opponents’ half and give the defence a bit of respite. These opportunities helped relieve the pressure but none tested their kicking back in the “D”. The team started to tire and three more goals were scored, but with five minutes of the half, left Yardley had three players arrive.

They had just come from playing a first team game. Using two adults to bolster the team helped stem the attacks and goals. The team then reorganised in the second half playing with a full eleven. This made the game more even with the home team having more midfield play and ten chances in the “D” to get shots away. The visitors now with rolling subs never tired and got three more goals as the half wore on. Tired legs in the home team meant they found it hard to run back to support the defence but if a chance to break away and score appeared before them the cantered up high to get into a scoring opportunity. Yardley Badgers won six penalty corners in this half and they worked them really well. In fact, Islam scored a hit shot, but because we pre-decided he couldn't shoot the first shot in penalty corners it was disallowed.

The Yardley Badgers worked hard in this game. The team work and co-operation between all of them was positive to see. They were up against very strong opposition and they should all be proud of their own abilities and the team effort. It was a much better team display than last week and shows the development potential in the group as a whole.