;D ;D ;D ;D
I think today was our best performance of the season, not due to the qulaity of the performance but the strong resolute togetherness we showed defensively!
Thats what won us the game, people prepared to put bodies on the line, when in the past it has all been to easy to let teams, not just quills, others as well, create opportunities to score.
I think tactically we got it spot on yesterday.
Phil has been in great form for them this year and supplied no end of scoring chances as well as bagging many of his own, so we needed to stop him, which Adi did, and even Will helped out! Forcing him to play back in his own half is not what any winger wants to do, and in the 1st half especially we didnt give him any opportunities to get forwrad, and when we did, Adis speed and strength snuffed out the danger.
Broady is always difficult to play against, and we new James would have to be upto the battle, and he was giving nothing away! Even Kev threw his head in and due to Turkey overload at xmas seemed to have gained sonme poundage in his arse area as he kept sheperding dangerous balls out.
Con was a blessing, as we needed that balance in the left sided area, used the ball well and talked the lads through the game. In midfield, we also knew that the lads would be up for a tough battle against Palms, boaly and Ryan. The strength and height of Clwewesy gave us opportunity to break up the play and win 50/50's that myself and Clarky wouldnt look at going for, and with Clarkys skill,, vision and free kick ability, we knew we would create a few chances, it was just whetehr we would take them.
Wide midfielders did there job in closing down and pushing back quills wingbacks, which is the only way you will have any joy against quills, as when they play balls into broady and suggy, they cant get up and support quick enough if there so far in their own half.
The front 2 in Hilly and Casson, again worked hard to hold the ball and get in behind the quills defence. We probably had the most joy in the 1st half than we did in the whole of the Prem Cup final at the end of last season.
The goals were fully deserved, after quills hit the bar with a 40 yard piledriver. I still claim that even if i was on my line with a step ladder i wouldnt have got near it, so i was made up when it bounced off the bar and out for a goal kick!
After that, we were the better team in the 1st half. Playing good football and using the fullbacks well.
The opener came from a corner, which quills are ysually strong on. A scrappy goal hooked in by Andy Hill, who got one back at Sped! The 2nd goal was a great free kick right on the edge of the 18. It didnt seem possible to get the ball up and down from that distance, but Clarky stroked the ball up and down, and i think the unsighted keeper couldnt believe it as it past him into the roof of the net.
Quills had a good chance late in the 1st half to pull one back, when a cross was met at the far psot but headed wide.
Half Time 2-0
We have been here before in games, leading, then had a miserable 2nd half, and we hoped this wouldnt be the same. Quills came out strong and started to be more direct. I think they realised we werent going to be easy to break down by patient football, so Palms, Phil and Thommo were now running at us instead of passing thru us.
The team spitrit kicked in and men were winning tackles, headers and clearing 2nd balls in a desperate attempt to keep the lead. Quill rarely had a shot, and were trying to get it wide and put crosses in to get back in the game. There was one attempt on gaol, from Phil who shot through a crowd of players. Luckily i managed to scramble acroos my line to get a finger tip save and turn it on to the post and then get the rebound. The next close shave came from a corner as the ball was put in and a terrible attempt to claim the ball by myself led to a scramble in the box which somehow managed to hit ankles and shins. I ran thru a few legs and thankfully picked up the ball before a quills foot tapped the ball in from 2 yards.
We did have a chance to increase our lead as a pass from myself found Casson, who had a free run on goal. He took it round the keeper, just a little too far, and when he had the chance to play in a team mate, he passed it to their centre half, that really would have been game over.
Quills then went down the other end and created there goal. A throw in found broadys feet, he hooked a good ball in over his shoulder and ryan roberts was left unmarked in the 6 yard box and headed into the net!
2-1
The last 10 minutes were backs to the wall, but good solid defending resulted in no more than half chances for quills, so we held on for the win.
There was a lot of anger towards the ref, but he didnt have any influence over the performance and the goals, so the credit lies firmly at the feet of the lads on the pitch.
We didnt keep the ball as well as we would have liked in the 2nd half but you tell me which teams have good spells of possession aganist Quills?
!!!!
I still think they will win the league, and easily the best side in the division, but everyone is capable of winning, with a bit of self belief and luck you never know!
Well done the Nudgers!
Were you really as good as a spectator told me?
And if so how come you are not closer to the top of the table???
