MATCH SUMMARY : Widnes Dragons AFC Crusaders (07 May 2013)

Widnes Dragons 5 - Sutton U9s 0

We were left feeling despondant after a game in which we rarely put a foot wrong and in fact were looking the better team throughout the match.  Simply, the terrible condition of the pitch was against us and almost every bounce of the ball was away from us. On  reflection we probably should have refused to play the game.  To be fair to Widnes they did have a number of good players including their defense which meant we didn't get much chance to test their keeper.  The gameplay was good and we were the better passing side however the ground was just too uneven and the ball often bobbled away from our players feet.

The first goal to Widnes was taken fair and square, we just didn't really react quickly enough and were fighting back for the rest of the game.  Both the second and third goals were watched carefully all the way by Jako who would have saved them on any other day, but they hit a lump on theground and totally changed direction away from him!  The fourth goal was handled to the feet of the striker who slotted it into the net whilst we appealed for handball.  The final goal was an unfortunate own goal which just sealed our disappointment.

Throughout the whole match the pitch beat us and we're determined to make ammends when we play them again at home in a couple of weeks.

Widnes themselves were a nice team with a good bunch of supporters and a great set of coaches and officials.  The league ref didn't turn up and one of the Widnes officials stepped in.  With the exception of the handball he had a great game and was very fair so full credit to him for that.

On a positive note our players are really bonding better and better as a team and the communication between them was clear to see.  Everyone played well with no bad performances.  Man of the match was awarded to Alex for excellent gameplay throughout the match, he really read the game well and lead by example.

As a parent and coach it's very rewarding to see everyone playing well and not letting their heads go down despite the condition of the pitch.  Jacob is really settling into his new position and I feel that someone is going to get punished once he starts hitting the net as the goals are almost there.  Both he and Katie had a couple of narrow misses during the match, and they weren't the only ones.  Hollie amazed with her twists and turns and I believe the opposition were baffled at times how she was able to retain the ball!

Put simply we were beaten by the condition of the pitch and not by better players.  We asked the team to be cautious as we didn't want any injuries and to be fair to them they did.  The re-match should be a cracker!

As usual a big thanks to our parents for getting the kids there on time and for the support they give us.