60s Versus Bay City Strollers Match Report 3 - 1

This is the first time this season that the best 9 players from the 60s squad were all available to play and to know this ahead of the game was exciting from the off.

We started a little tentatively with us sparring with Bay City. We had already decided to go man to man and everyone soon picked up their players and tracked them well.

We were soon on top and started to play some good solid football. The ball was played up to Shaun who held the ball up well with support coming from the midfield trio of Steve R, Rob and John R. Good interchange passes between these saw us create early chances with them all getting shots away albeit that these didn't really test their keeper.

We were dragging Bay City across the pitch with slick passing and movement. We were resilient in defence with Mike and Den looking very comfortable and kept Bay City at range. It was surprising and somewhat against the run of play, when Bay City opened the scoring. The ball broke to their striker and his right footed shot went across Steve E and found the net.

Instead of our heads dropping we didn't let this affect the way we were playing. We were continually finding space with our midfield seeing plenty of the ball. Bay City were chasing us and the ball, but were getting caught for not walking. Their indiscipline was also being seen with us being awarded several free kicks for contact offences and tackling from behind.

We were unfortunate not to equalise when Steve R saw his low shot come back off the post with their keeper well beaten and John R seeing his follow up flying wide. Eventually though, Bay City's failure to walk caught up with them. Their striker was guilty of at least 3 non walking offences the last of which was the team's fourth and we were awarded a penalty.

Steve R was given the duty and he despatched his spot kick to the keepers left. The keeper got something on the shot but couldn't prevent it from flying into the top corner.

With half time approaching we continued to press and remained the better side without really troubling their keeper again. We went into the break all square at 1 - 1.

Our half time talk was all about continuing in the same way. We tweaked the formation slightly with Rob and Steve R swapping positions but the shape remained the same. We wanted to try and stay wider rather than becoming too narrow and we needed to stop chasing lost causes having given away two non walking offences following balls that should have been left alone.

The second half started as the first had finished. We were instantly on the front foot and pushing high. The ball was played up to Shaun who had moved wide and his cut back found Rob joining from midfield. He caught his shot perfectly and it sped along the ground through players and passed their keeper into the bottom corner. Within a minute of the restart we had the lead.

Bay City clearly wanted a swift response but they were getting frustrated at their own indiscipline which continue to give easy possession. We knew that whilst we had the lead we needed a further goal at least to make it feel more comfortable. As both teams tired, we started to try more flamboyant touches and the flicks and tricks started to appear rather than the good hold up play and assured passing that we had been doing. This was giving away easy possession and a few sloppy passes when a easier one was on, found us getting caught out on more than one occasion.

We absorbed the pressure that Bay City were applying and continued to create chances ourselves. Shaun, Steve R and Rob all got shots away but it was John R who cut in from our left and sent his shot high and passed their keeper that sealed the deal.

Bay City were again on 3 non walking offences and so needed to hold their discipline. We maintained our pressure and tempo whilst managing the end of the game. We played the ball around drawing Bay City out but there was no further scoring and the final whistle came without any other incidents. Canterbury 3 - 1 Bay City Strollers.

My thanks to the efforts of every man that stepped onto the field today. We were on it from the start to the finish and I could ask for nothing more.

Special mention to both Colin and Jan who were both unused substitutes.

Finally, thank you to those that turned up and supported the team throughout. Your vocal encouragement didn't go amiss.

Congratulations to Rob for his Player Of The Match award for his control in midfield and an excellent goal.

Paul