MATCH REPORT : RED 14th November

RED 1 - 1 SOUTH MORNINGSIDE ROVERS

The second half of the huge derby weekend saw RED team take on the mighty South Morningside Rovers at the Meadows.  The pitch was heavy after a sprinkle of rain and with leaves making the pitch trickier the RED coaches worried that the skillful RED team might find the conditions tricky.

The RED team started with Ali in goals, Ollie and Hector in defence, Danny, Kjartan and Struan in midfield, Eyvindur as the striker.  Sasha started the game as sub, but would have a big say in the match!  (Alex A couldn't make it.)

(Free kick?  Struan in midfield while Ollie and Hector patrol the defence magnificently!)

South Morningside started the game really well, with RED team taking a bit of time to settle. Defensively though, Ollie and Hector looks superb, covering for each other and keeping the danger away from Ali. Suddenly things clicked in midfield with Kjartan nd Struan linking well and Danny making some powerful runs to support Eyvindur. Some brilliant crosses from Danny provided a couple of great chances to score but the ball couldn't be forced home.

(Great crossing from Danny)

Following a great period of play in midfield from Kjartan, Struan and Danny Sciennes forced a corner.  This was taken quickly by Kjartan, finding Struan with a nice short pass.  Struan took the ball inside and fired in a dangerous cross cum shot that was well blocked by the South Morningside defence.  The ball spun to the edge of the box where Sasha, just on to give Eyvindur a rest, took one touch and smashed the ball into the net.  A fantastic finish from a fantastic midfield player.  1-0 RED!

(Sasha - our goal hero - making his mark in midfield!)

It didn't take long for SM to bounce back.  The RED team did well to cope with a huge amount of SM pressure, but our defensive players were playing magnificently well - Ollie, Hector and Sasha all making fantastic clearing tackles and our superb keeper Ali was on top, top form.

(Great save from ATG - Ali The Goalie!  Hector and Danny help out just in case.)

In midfield Danny, Struan and Kjartan were playing magnificently well.  Danny was coming inside to help Kjartan and Struan stayed wide and was starting to cause SM some problems with some tricky wing play.  Eyvindur was being used in just about every position on the pitch (including goalkeeper later) and was playing really well.  It was a fantastic game with play swinging from end to end.  Some of the Red Coaches were getting very excited!

(Struan takes the ball for a run out wide!)

In the second half Eyvindur had a go in goals for a while and looked like he really enjoyed himself.  SM were shooting from everywhere but Eyvindur made some great saves.  Eventually a fantastic run from SM 'Archie' - who reminded me of that other Archie - broke through a packed Red defence and scored. 1-1. 

By now Reds were under lots of pressure and finding it difficult to get the ball through midfield to Ali The Striker (ATG).

Danny took over in goals, whoch allowed Eyvindur to go wide right and try to get those dangerous runs going again.  Ali moved to midfield alongside Kjartan and Struan took over up front - but told to drop deep to help midfield.  It took a few minutes for the Red team to understand their new positions and some more SM pressure followed.  However with DTG in magnificent form behind a rotating defence of Hector, Ollie and Sasha.  The Red team would not give in!

(Kjartan and DTG - Danny The Goalie - concentrate on defending a SM corner!)

Suddenly the Red team clicked!  Kjartan was inspirational in midfield, winning tackles and getting the ball out wide.  Ollie and Hector was bringing the ball out of defence really well - Red coaches like this total football thing!  Sasha was keeping things really neat in midfield - playing the game of his life.  Ali playing in midfield was seeing more of the ball and linking play with Struan really well.  Eyvindur looked really comfortable attacking from the right.

(Kjartan battles in midfield and Sasha offers support!)

Now it was time for the Red team to dominate.  Eyvindur was brilliant wide on the right and was causing the SM defence some real problems.  On one fantastic run he crossed the ball into the box and another epic stramash took place but SM defence scrambled the ball away for a corner.

It was all Reds now but SM looked dangerous on the break.  The Red defence was simply brilliant though and Danny was beginning to look cold.  In fact, he started playing as a defender for a while which allowed Hector and Sasha to really push forward and help the midfield!  The whole team were working so hard but could they get the breakthrough their play deserved?

(Great play from Eyvindur late in the game!)

Could we have a winner?  Would either defence crack?  Could SM break RED hearts again?  Could RED record a victory?

(SM were always dangerous on the break, Struan tracks back to help.)

A great move with only a couple of minutes to go very nearly brough a winner.  Ali, Kjartan and Sasha played the ball through midfield to Struan, who played the ball back to Kjartan.  A first time pass from Kjartan back to Struan gave Struan a sight of goal.  One touch, shot...oh, hit the bar.  The Red supporters were by now screaming encouragement.

(Struan shoots for glory, Kjartan thinks it is in...but it hits the bar!)

The game finishes with a flurry of goalmouth activity - and each end.  First Kjartan plays Struan in again but this time the SM goalie makes a magnificent save hit to his left.  The ball breaks forward and the SM midfield sense the last chance is coming.  A series of fantastic blocks in defence prevent a shot at goal but suddenly the ball spins to the SM striker - uh oh - who shoots into the side netting - phew!

A fantastic performance from the whole team - lots of substitutions required as we were working so hard and only had one sub.  It was great, great game!