ARYPT 2 3 V 10 Affinity

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; tab-stops: 309.75pt;">Truly a Beautiful Game &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Ullathorne School has been a happy hunting ground for Affinity of late and today was no exception.&nbsp; Being our first match against ARYPT2 we weren&rsquo;t sure what we would be facing, so it was a little surprising to be faced by a 4-5-1 formation.&nbsp; The first exchanges were even as both teams came to terms with the set up of their opposition.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Affinity were first to score with Ian breaking free and beating the keeper at his second attempt.&nbsp; ARYPT weren&rsquo;t about to lie down and pushed forward and were rewarded with an equaliser.&nbsp; Affinity&rsquo;s response was clinical and a further four goals followed before half time,&nbsp; 2 for Mike C, and 1 each for Lee and Josh P who got a final touch as James followed up quickly after Mike C&rsquo;s penalty struck the cross bar and rebounded into play.&nbsp;

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">All these goals involved measured build up play and slick passing involving a number of players and unselfish team work playing others in better positions in with decisive final balls.&nbsp; The only blots on the half was a further ARYPT goal, a shot through a penalty box, the result of Affinity not marking quickly enough from a set piece and a nasty injury to Luke that meant he wasn&rsquo;t able to carry on.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The half time team talk was easy.&nbsp; Keep doing what we have been doing and guard against complacency.&nbsp; Now playing down hill Affinity made and used increasing amounts of space.&nbsp; Moves flowed from one side of the pitch to the other and down both flanks.&nbsp; One particular move that followed this pattern involved seven Affinity players eventually finding Ian but his shot was just outside the post.&nbsp; He immediately made up for his disappointment with a fine header to add to his goal tally which totalled 4 by the end of the game.&nbsp; A further 2 goals for Ian and 1 each for Mike C and Lee took Affinty&rsquo;s goal haul to 10.&nbsp; ARYPT, naturally despondent by being on the back foot most of the second half, scored a consolation penalty to take the score to 10-3.&nbsp;

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">This half of football was comparable to our 2nd half performance against ARYPT1 on the same ground last year.&nbsp; Total football.&nbsp; Such was the &lsquo;team&rsquo; part of this performance that picking a man of the match seems unnecessary.&nbsp; 4 goal tallys don&rsquo;t come around too frequently (though Affinity have now managed 6 of these in the last three seasons - good job no-one has demanded a match ball every time they score 3!), however, this was the first from a midfielder.&nbsp; Ian&rsquo;s all round performances this year have been first class so it&rsquo;s fitting he takes the accolade today.&nbsp; Also of particular note was the stylish contribution from Mike A in the second half both in attack and defence.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Next up Myton-Jubilee.&nbsp; Another unknown quantity but confidence is high for another all action team performance.

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