Patience pays dividends against a resilient Langley park team.
With no Richard and no Ollie the coaches had to shuffle the pack a bit today against a Langley Park team who gave a very spirited display.
The first 10-15 minutes was mostly about Langley Park attacking and the Colts defending, as the home team made much the better start. Rhys was called into action more than we would like, but we stood firm and took the lead after several missed chances. Jack O’s very quick thinking from a free kick set up James to smash a cracking left foot shot high into the net. 0-1 and 25 minutes played.
Langley came straight back at us and had the upper hand in midfield at this point. Although the defence was holding tight, but under more pressure than they needed to be. Several more chances went begging from Jack A-B, Stuart and James as the game ended 0-1 at half time.
The interval saw the introduction of George and Nathan, which swung the game Colts’ way. George stiffened the back line with some no nonsense tackling and clearances and the opposition had no answer to the strength, pace and power of Nathan. However it took 17 minutes before Nathan did what he is doing best at the moment and that is score. He poked in James’s goal bound shot. 0-2 and 47 minutes played. Nathan and James combined again 4 minutes later but this time it was James scoring from a Nathan assist. 0-3 and 51 minutes played.
Langley scored direct from the kick off running straight through the centre of our defence and midfield unchallenged. 1-3. 52 minutes played and where they back in it? No... From our centre Nathan found Scott with a forward pass and he just beat the keeper to the ball rounded him and slid it into an empty net. 1-4, 53 minutes on the clock.
But Langley were not giving up and were once again back in the game as a speculative shot bobbled through the legs of Rhys. 2-4 in the 57th minute. James then completed his hat-trick in injury time from a Stuart threw ball and a first time strike into the top corner. 2-5 is how it finished but credit to Langley who pushed an off colour Colts team all the way but it’s a good sign when a team can still win without being anywhere near their best. Well done boys.
MoM nominations included Remy, Stuart, Scott and Michael with George and James pushing the eventual winner Nathan very close.