MATCH SUMMARY : Rushmoor Hawks (24 September 2016)

<p>We were long forward with baited breath for this game against high<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />flying Hawks. They are a team that had already won both games this<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />season, including a 7-2 win over highly respected Hark Sharks.<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />It was a lovely morning for playing football. Sun was out, lots of<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />football going on and teas/coffees readily available.<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />The first 15-20 mins was full of excellent football from both sides.<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />The play in and out of possession was mature and thoughtful. Hawks<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />possession intent was clear, constantly switch play, but our ability<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />to slide across and prevent forward passes was good. Phantoms in<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />possession were passing well, varying play with short passing and then<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />looking to play longer when areas got busy.<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />With the wind against Hawks and up the hill, we needed to press high<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />particularly from goal kicks. I'm not sure we did this very well as a<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />team, but as a result of a couple of individual player presses, the<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />ball was won and passed to the striker to tap in 1-0 to Phantoms.<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />Possession stats for first half slightly in favour of Phantoms, but<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />little in it, except that Phantoms had two or three one on one<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />opportunities to score.<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />Half time team talk was about coping with the wind and the hill,<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />trying to play a bit longer and play as much as possible in oppo half.<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />The first 15 mins of second half we were really backs against the<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />wall, unable to release pressure. Equaliser came from a very long<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />distant shot that rebounded to the centre spot for their striker to<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />score. Unfortunately a second goal was scored soon after, a very<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />passive bit of play leaving their fortunate striker to tap the ball<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />into the open goal. At this point we could have fallen apart, but this<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />is where the boys have changed. Whilst being on the backfoot we<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />started to cause Hawks problems too and could well have equalised<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />before the final whistle.<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br />