Outback vs Allstars - MA Cup quarter report
The Allstars battled it out with the league leaders and title favourites, outback, in the MA Cup quarter final, with the winners being rewarded with a semifinal against Crown & Goose.
Outback came into the match not having a lost a game since September, but in the last 3 weeks, the Stars had finally hit some form with 3 good wins on the spin. Game on.
The opening was lively with both teams showing some danger upfront. But despite Outback threatening , it was the gowers who took the lead when the lethal combination of Botts and Owen combined on the counter sending Owen through one on one, and he coolly finished to make it 1-0.
The lead didnt last long, some shaky defending at a corner allowed the Outback player to finish well. 1-1
And outback surged on, putting pressure on the Gowers when they had the ball, forcing mistakes – and their good work paid off when an attack resulted in a good strike across the keeper – to give Outback a 2-1 lead with 30 mins gone.
Credit to the gowers and to the quality of the match, they struck back almost immediately, evening up the match again, when roger struck a sweeeet left-foot volley after a corner, powering into the roof of the net, giving the keeper no chance.
2-2 tit for tat.
Soon enough it was half time and the game was there for the taking for both sides.
If the Stars could step up their game by 25% it was theirs.
Gowers started the half stronger, hungrier and what seemed, slightly more focused than outback.
Aaron in midfield was driving the team forward with the help of Roger, which allowed the back four to push forward quicker, and force the mistakes onto Outback.
But both teams wanted this. Tackles were flying in on from both sides, on a difficult bobbly pitch. Players going off and on the pitch injured.
The referee was one of the worst ever. Both sides hated him, although the gowers did get their fair share of good decisions, which gave them some momentum.
20 mins to go, it becomes tense as both sides can knick a potential winner.
Then a Couple of important clearances by debutant Stuart Madeley at centre back, saved the gowers.
But Botts and Owen, and Ollie and Mike were getting more into the game as time went on. And it was in fact Lol who spotted the overlap by full back Ollie, and pinged an A1 pass across the pitch, to find him in space on the wing. Couple of touches later, Ollie sweeps in a tantalising cross... right in between their back 4 and their keeper – a peach of a cross – which finds Botts storming in and he finishes sweetly to give gowers a very important 3-2 lead. Fine goal indeed.
The game was soon sealed by a strike of the highest quality from Mike Kelly, who had an audacious attempt at goal from all over 30 yards, with top spin, and top corner precision, and his perfect strike burst the top corner of the net - giving Gowers an unassailable 4-2 lead.
The allstars punished 10-man Outback even further in the last 10 minutes with two fine finishes from Botterill, one of which was a particularly graceful chip over the keeper – and the final score ended at 6-2 with the Gowers inflicting Outbacks first defeat in 6 months and giving the Allstars 4 wins on the bounce.
I have to say, this was a tough tough test against a steely, solid outfit of Outback with a good defence, but there was a grit and determination about the Allstars in that 2nd half, which was reminiscent of the first half of last season, when they went 11 unbeaten. Playing football, with a solid spine through the team, every one of the team fighting for each other, and showing real quality at times in both defence and attack.
Big performance. Big win. Big statement to the league.
Semi-final this Sunday vs Crown & Goose, then 5 league games in a row, all against our tital rivals. Win them all, and we win the league. Believe.
Keep this momentum, this focus, this effort level, and theres no reason you cannot win the double. You are the team on form.
MOTM = Tempted to make it a "team MOTM" as everyone played well and worked hard, especially in that second half. However aaron was immense again this week, a much needed terrier in the heart of midfield, but this weeks MOTM is going to Stuart Madeley, mainly for the contrast in his two halves. Having not played 11 aside for 2 years, he got off to particularly shaky start in the 1st half and looked vulnerable at centre back, but credit to him, he found his feet in a gritty 2nd half, which tested him to the full, and he actually finished the match as Gowers best defender. Impressive turnaround, impressive character and debut. Well done.
Now for semi-final Sunday – no complacency. With their strongest 11, C & G can play. Believe me, they can. So we treat Sunday as a tough game, and be focused and determined from the first whistle.
What better prize than a final in a stadium...
Outback came into the match not having a lost a game since September, but in the last 3 weeks, the Stars had finally hit some form with 3 good wins on the spin. Game on.
The opening was lively with both teams showing some danger upfront. But despite Outback threatening , it was the gowers who took the lead when the lethal combination of Botts and Owen combined on the counter sending Owen through one on one, and he coolly finished to make it 1-0.
The lead didnt last long, some shaky defending at a corner allowed the Outback player to finish well. 1-1
And outback surged on, putting pressure on the Gowers when they had the ball, forcing mistakes – and their good work paid off when an attack resulted in a good strike across the keeper – to give Outback a 2-1 lead with 30 mins gone.
Credit to the gowers and to the quality of the match, they struck back almost immediately, evening up the match again, when roger struck a sweeeet left-foot volley after a corner, powering into the roof of the net, giving the keeper no chance.
2-2 tit for tat.
Soon enough it was half time and the game was there for the taking for both sides.
If the Stars could step up their game by 25% it was theirs.
Gowers started the half stronger, hungrier and what seemed, slightly more focused than outback.
Aaron in midfield was driving the team forward with the help of Roger, which allowed the back four to push forward quicker, and force the mistakes onto Outback.
But both teams wanted this. Tackles were flying in on from both sides, on a difficult bobbly pitch. Players going off and on the pitch injured.
The referee was one of the worst ever. Both sides hated him, although the gowers did get their fair share of good decisions, which gave them some momentum.
20 mins to go, it becomes tense as both sides can knick a potential winner.
Then a Couple of important clearances by debutant Stuart Madeley at centre back, saved the gowers.
But Botts and Owen, and Ollie and Mike were getting more into the game as time went on. And it was in fact Lol who spotted the overlap by full back Ollie, and pinged an A1 pass across the pitch, to find him in space on the wing. Couple of touches later, Ollie sweeps in a tantalising cross... right in between their back 4 and their keeper – a peach of a cross – which finds Botts storming in and he finishes sweetly to give gowers a very important 3-2 lead. Fine goal indeed.
The game was soon sealed by a strike of the highest quality from Mike Kelly, who had an audacious attempt at goal from all over 30 yards, with top spin, and top corner precision, and his perfect strike burst the top corner of the net - giving Gowers an unassailable 4-2 lead.
The allstars punished 10-man Outback even further in the last 10 minutes with two fine finishes from Botterill, one of which was a particularly graceful chip over the keeper – and the final score ended at 6-2 with the Gowers inflicting Outbacks first defeat in 6 months and giving the Allstars 4 wins on the bounce.
I have to say, this was a tough tough test against a steely, solid outfit of Outback with a good defence, but there was a grit and determination about the Allstars in that 2nd half, which was reminiscent of the first half of last season, when they went 11 unbeaten. Playing football, with a solid spine through the team, every one of the team fighting for each other, and showing real quality at times in both defence and attack.
Big performance. Big win. Big statement to the league.
Semi-final this Sunday vs Crown & Goose, then 5 league games in a row, all against our tital rivals. Win them all, and we win the league. Believe.
Keep this momentum, this focus, this effort level, and theres no reason you cannot win the double. You are the team on form.
MOTM = Tempted to make it a "team MOTM" as everyone played well and worked hard, especially in that second half. However aaron was immense again this week, a much needed terrier in the heart of midfield, but this weeks MOTM is going to Stuart Madeley, mainly for the contrast in his two halves. Having not played 11 aside for 2 years, he got off to particularly shaky start in the 1st half and looked vulnerable at centre back, but credit to him, he found his feet in a gritty 2nd half, which tested him to the full, and he actually finished the match as Gowers best defender. Impressive turnaround, impressive character and debut. Well done.
Now for semi-final Sunday – no complacency. With their strongest 11, C & G can play. Believe me, they can. So we treat Sunday as a tough game, and be focused and determined from the first whistle.
What better prize than a final in a stadium...
posted by Gower FC @ 3:37 PM
1 Comments:
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