Affinity 2 V 2 ARYPT

Two Minutes!!

A reflection of how far Affinity have come over the last 18 months is the air of expectation with which we started this game.

The opening exchanges were to be representative of the game as a whole; competitive and tight.  ARYPT opened the scoring after 10 minutes with a speculative shot from their right touchline leaving Josh P no chance as it sailed into our bottom right hand corner.

Affinity’s response was to battle back into the game competing in all areas of the pitch.  It was clear that ARYPT had upped their game from previous weeks and as hard as Affinity pressed their defence stood firm.

The second half started as tight as the first.  Early pressure from ARYPT forced a number of corners but good defending and a couple of great saves from Josh P kept ARYPT at bay.  As the minutes passed Affinity steadily had more and more possession and the pressure brought the reward of an equaliser through a great team goal.

The ball was played through from defence to midfield and found Lee who controlled the ball and slipped it to Mike C who placed it cleanly past the keeper into the net.  Affinity players glanced at the linesman before celebrating.

Affinity were now in charge and playing with confidence in all areas of the pitch moving the ball down both flanks.  With 10 minutes to go Affinity’s hard work was rewarded with a second goal from Ian from the third of three consecutive corners.  The ball was swung in from Luke and Ian forced it home at full stretch.

As the minutes ticked by it looked like Affinity were going to close the game out and gain 3 priceless points but with two minutes to go Affinity allowed a long goal kick to bounce and after a bit of a scramble the ball bounced into the net off the post.  ARYPT players celebrated as though they had won the game.  There were no more chances and Affinity had to settle for a 2-2 draw.

This was a good all round team performance with special mention for Josh S’s first half performance and Josh P’s confident display in goal