MATCH REPORT : RED away to South Morningside, 7th May 2011

South Morningside 3 - 4 Sciennes P5 RED

At long last the RED team won away from home against rivals and bogey team from SM.  Lovely day, bit cold, blue sky, bit of a wind, bumper squad.  Team lined up with Keir The Goalie, defensive pair of Ollie and Kjartan, Danny on the right, Jack in centre mid, Eyvindur on the left, Struan up front.  Hector and Alex A ready to go from the bench.

Last minute instructions from the boss - keeper to defenders quickly. early pass from defence, midfield track back, strikers pass, work together, stay positive, and...a number of other things over his page of notes that he forgot to say!  Among the things he forgot to mention was a reminder about the short corner routine.

Kick-off - RED race up the pitch, shot from Struan, saved for a corner.  "Oh, I meant to tell them about corners..." muttered the coach to the away support "...we've been wasting them recently, but it was over the page in my notes...".  Just then, Danny flings the corner into the box and Jack smashes it into the net.  0-1 RED.

Banter ensues within the away support.  Coach folds up his notes and decides to leave them to it.  Suddenly SM break following a period of pressure from RED team.  Ollie and Kjartan are swamped and SM fire past a helpless Keir. 1-1.

Play rages from end to end now.  Keir makes a couple of wonderful saves as SM storm back into the match.  Ollie and Kjartan are brilliant at the back, fixing things, mopping up pressure and playing the ball out from the back.  Midfield is tricky.  Jack is forced back as SM pile into the middle, Danny and Eybindur make some great breaks but the SM defence hack the ball clear.  Hector is as busy as ever helping in defence and midfield.  Alex has an injury problem early on but battles on showing lots of willingness to tackle.  Struan is quiet upfront with a couple of giants bullying him off the ball.  This is going to be a tough match!

Slight reorganisation, Eyvindur as striker, Danny on right, Struan on left, Jack in centre.  Nice exchange of passes from Eyvindur and Struan sets up Danny.  A wonderful shot from distance flies into the top corner.  1-2 RED.

Lots of RED pressure now.  Eyvindur goes close.  Jack fired one just past the post.  Hector has one blocked on the line.  A third goal looks likely...oops.  Another break away and the SM flier (he can run like the wind) surges past the defence and fires another one into the net. 2-2 at HT.

"Unlucky.  Playing well.  Looking good.  We can do this".  Team talk over the coach sinks his hands into pockets and finds his notes again.  "Oh, forgot about the short corner routine again!", he offered to the away support.

Danny into centre mid now and spraying the passes around.  Eyvindur up front having a go at out muscling the big SM defenders.  An excellent through ball from Danny gives Eyvindur a half chance...goal.  Great, great finish. 2-3 RED.

More RED pressure now, passing well and playing like a team.  Nifty footwork from Struan on the right wing forces a corner.  "I really wish I'd reminded them about the short corner routine..." utters the coach as Danny puts the ball down, takes a short corner to Struan, who turns and plays the ball infield to a sprinting Danny..."that is the routine we worked on"...who fires the ball into the top corner. 2-4 RED.

One from the training ground.  No massed celebrations with the coaching staff though.

SM summon up the effort for one last push.  Huge pressure follows for the RED team.  Hector is brave as he tackles and clears danger.  Ollie and Jack are everywhere.  Kjartan is blocking shots on the line.  Keir the Goalie is in fine form, tipping shots onto the post, diving at feet.  A remarkable series of shots resulted in the RED crossbar then post being hit before the danger is cleared.

Suddenly the RED team break upfield and SM look a little exposed.  RED pile forward and Eyvindur lays the ball off to Jack who hits the ball just past the post!  SM retrieve the ball and break upfield.  Uh-oh.  Great save from Keir but the scramble sees the ball forced home.  3-4 RED.

We are now well into injury time.  The ref is looking at his watch.  The RED coaches have thrown their watches away as they are obviously broken.  The ref looks at his watch again.  Blow the whistle.  SM charge forward.  Blow the whistle.  Shot.  Blow the whistle.  Keir flies to his right.  Blow the whistle.  It is in the net...no!  Keir has saved it.  Blow the whistle.  SM forwards charge forward for the rebound.  Blow the whistle.  SM forward smashes it into the net...no!  Keir has saved it again.  Blow the whistle.  Where is the rebound?  Keir stands and proudly lifts the ball aloft in one hand while clenching his other in victory.  Still the ref has not blown his whistle!  Keir drops the ball to Jack who hammers it up the pitch.

The ref blows his whistle and RED win away to SM!  3-4 RED.

Great team performance from Keir, Ollie, Kjartan, Jack, Danny, Struan, Eyvindur, Hector and Alex.