Men's 2nd Team Vs Northampton Saints 7ths

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS 7ths   4      v     1    CITY OF BIRMINGHAM     2nds

CoBHC Goalscorer: Robin Stanley

This week the combination of long distance (100 Mile round trip) and Covid19 forced the CoBHC 2's to call on the league to ask if we could double up a first team player. Fortunately, the opposing team and the League Secretary had no problems with this scenario. Noah, normal left back for the 1st team, happily agreed to go in goal for the 2nds. This made a bare eleven on Friday evening, but unfortunately a late cry off on Saturday morning meant the team was down to ten for push back.

Stan,  the team’s match day captain decided to go defensive for the first fifteen minutes to ascertain the opposition strengths as we were weakened by being a man down. Both teams had equal possession for this period but the home team’s attacks were well supported for their attacking forays into the “D”. Noah was tested early on and he made good saves and kicked the ball clear into wide areas. The visitors’ midfield was supported by the defence to push the eleven-man home team back at times in the first half and had them on the back foot numerous times. Jack and Edan rotated roles as right back and winger and both players made three or four solo dribbles past three or four opposition players deep into attacking areas, setting up shooting opportunities with crosses or shots.

Stan, supported by Troy in the middle, gave the visitors structure and turned defence into attack four to five times in the first half. This resulted in the visitors getting four clear shots in the “D”. Unfortunately, the home team got the first goal, halfway through the half by breaking away fast in large numbers overrunning the back four of CoBHC. Then Stan sustained an injury which took him off the pitch for the remainder of the half and he was only able to return back in to the field of play in the second half as a static striker taking pressure of a nine-man team under constant attack.

The CoBHC team went into half time 2-0 down with nine players.

Without the strength of Stan as sweeper, the CoBHC withstood a lot of attacking pressure and defended for long periods. The midfield dropped deep to support and the visitors only attacks came from breakaway clearances down the wings. Anthony became the deeper forward linking up our deep midfield to the sole striker (limping for any ball). Anthony managed time and time again to lose his marker and get the ball through, sending it to the waiting Stan up front.

The defence gradually became overrun and extremely fatigued and the home team got a third. To the credit of Paul, Jack, Mohammad and Edan they made great tackles and helped keep the team in the game.

Sean was again having a good game and was holding the ball up when in possession, dribbling passed players and winning fouls. Eventually the visitors won a short corner from one of these dribbles in the box. The ball was pushed out accurately to Stan who instinctively controlled the ball into the “D” and took a power hit right through the middle hitting the back board beating the keeper with ease. 3-1 down and certain players thought a draw wasn’t exactly impossible. Jahed was the main legs in this team and he again made some brilliant solo runs with the ball down either flank, getting to the back line for crosses to the forwards. Jahed having to run the length of the pitch for his midfield duties meant he was eventually too tired for support of both attack and defence.

With ten minutes left the visitors’ defence either sustained injury or fatigue, and Mohammad was again called upon to shield the goal from the home team’s attacks, but the combination of being effectively 9 ½ men for an hour’s play eventually told, the home team made constant attacks in the final five minutes and they got the final goal, making it 4-1 to the Saints 7s