26th March 2017 KO - 09:30am. Scoreline flatters Tigers in Dunmow Derby!
Team:
Charlie W Louis F (C)
Sam M Cameron M
Tom A Etien H
Charlie T Leo M
Charlie W Louis F (C)
Sam M Cameron M
Tom A Etien H
Charlie T Leo M
 |  |
Last weekend, the Piranhas made the short trip across town to face their local rivals, Dunmow Rhodes Tigers. A fixture that had always produced close, sometimes feisty encounters.
The team were coming into the game on the back of some inconsistent form and would be looking to put in a good performance to lift their spirits again.
The message was given to the lads in training was that we will always make football fun for them, but also that they needed to know when to focus.
As the warm-ups started for this game, the boys in Orange looked ready for action. We had been working on passing speed and accuracy and that was showing through.
The lads were without the calm and controlling influence provided by Harry H today as he was away on international duty. The Manager was also suffering this week as he had a particularly nasty strain of the worst type of flu there is - MAN FLU. As most men do, he just got on with things, and hardly mentioned it to anyone.
For his performance in training the previous day, Charlie W was elected captain, however, for the second time in succession, Charlie preferred to nominate a skipper so he chose Louis F. The two captains were called up by the referee and match got underway.
After the previous weekend, we were really looking for the Piranhas to revert back to some basic principles which we have always instilled into them: be comfortable and brave on the ball, move out from the back, keep the ball moving, don’t be afraid to make mistakes and if you lose the ball, work hard to get it back.
It would be fair to say that the lads showed all of these attributes as the game kicked off. Charlie W in the goal always looking to roll the ball into the defenders, Sam M and Tom A who are both comfortable with the ball. These two lads would always look to play simple passes into the offering midfielders, Cameron M on the right and Etien H on the left, with Leo M supporting both sides from the middle. From there the boys would look for the runs of firstly Louis F and then Charlie T up front.
This football was great to see and it the Piranhas found themselves in a few good scoring opportunities, with a number of the lads coming close. They were clearly up against a goalkeeper in good form.
This free flowing football continued through the first half, however, it did leave the team a little exposed in defence at times and Sam M, Tom A and Charlie W were left with a little too much to do. They had no chance of defending the first goal with Rhodes finding themselves in a four on two situation with one of their first attacks deep into the half. The second goal, also scored before half time was an absolute worldy from the left hand side, which no goalkeeper would have got to.
The Piranhas kept their heads up until half time. Leo M was battling hard in midfield as was Louis F when he covered in there. Chances came for Charlie T, Cameron M and Etien H but the Rhodes keeper was having the game of his life!
At half time, the lads looked a little deflated and it was easy to understand why. The performance they put in did not warrant the score they were walking in to. Sam M took his turn in goal and Charlie W came out into the defence.
The second half started reasonably well, however, the team shape was starting to get a little ragged as the Piranhas chased the game. The lads lost a little composure and started kicking the ball long, rather than taking control of it. Rhodes scored a couple more goals as the match became stretched, meaning the final score really did not reflect the overall performance from the boys.
It has been a difficult couple of weeks for the Piranhas, however, I am really pleased with how the team had responded from a performance point of view and we will use this match as a lesson going forward. We will continue to go back to our team ethos before every game from now until the end of the season:
There are areas that we need to work on such as keeping the team shape, and working harder to get back behind the ball when we lose possession and more importantly to maintain the same way of playing regardless of the score.
The team were coming into the game on the back of some inconsistent form and would be looking to put in a good performance to lift their spirits again.
The message was given to the lads in training was that we will always make football fun for them, but also that they needed to know when to focus.
As the warm-ups started for this game, the boys in Orange looked ready for action. We had been working on passing speed and accuracy and that was showing through.
The lads were without the calm and controlling influence provided by Harry H today as he was away on international duty. The Manager was also suffering this week as he had a particularly nasty strain of the worst type of flu there is - MAN FLU. As most men do, he just got on with things, and hardly mentioned it to anyone.
For his performance in training the previous day, Charlie W was elected captain, however, for the second time in succession, Charlie preferred to nominate a skipper so he chose Louis F. The two captains were called up by the referee and match got underway.
After the previous weekend, we were really looking for the Piranhas to revert back to some basic principles which we have always instilled into them: be comfortable and brave on the ball, move out from the back, keep the ball moving, don’t be afraid to make mistakes and if you lose the ball, work hard to get it back.
It would be fair to say that the lads showed all of these attributes as the game kicked off. Charlie W in the goal always looking to roll the ball into the defenders, Sam M and Tom A who are both comfortable with the ball. These two lads would always look to play simple passes into the offering midfielders, Cameron M on the right and Etien H on the left, with Leo M supporting both sides from the middle. From there the boys would look for the runs of firstly Louis F and then Charlie T up front.
This football was great to see and it the Piranhas found themselves in a few good scoring opportunities, with a number of the lads coming close. They were clearly up against a goalkeeper in good form.
This free flowing football continued through the first half, however, it did leave the team a little exposed in defence at times and Sam M, Tom A and Charlie W were left with a little too much to do. They had no chance of defending the first goal with Rhodes finding themselves in a four on two situation with one of their first attacks deep into the half. The second goal, also scored before half time was an absolute worldy from the left hand side, which no goalkeeper would have got to.
The Piranhas kept their heads up until half time. Leo M was battling hard in midfield as was Louis F when he covered in there. Chances came for Charlie T, Cameron M and Etien H but the Rhodes keeper was having the game of his life!
At half time, the lads looked a little deflated and it was easy to understand why. The performance they put in did not warrant the score they were walking in to. Sam M took his turn in goal and Charlie W came out into the defence.
The second half started reasonably well, however, the team shape was starting to get a little ragged as the Piranhas chased the game. The lads lost a little composure and started kicking the ball long, rather than taking control of it. Rhodes scored a couple more goals as the match became stretched, meaning the final score really did not reflect the overall performance from the boys.
It has been a difficult couple of weeks for the Piranhas, however, I am really pleased with how the team had responded from a performance point of view and we will use this match as a lesson going forward. We will continue to go back to our team ethos before every game from now until the end of the season:
- Enjoy the game
- Encourage and support each other
- Be brave on the ball
- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes - If we lose the ball, we get it back
- Play out from the back
There are areas that we need to work on such as keeping the team shape, and working harder to get back behind the ball when we lose possession and more importantly to maintain the same way of playing regardless of the score.
| MOTM today was Tom A. His performances in the heart of the defence get better week after week and he was imperious again today. Thanks to the loyal Piranhas supporters. Please keep encouraging your young footballers to enjoy playing. They have been unbelievable all season and shouldn’t let a minor set-back get them down. Well Done lads! Next Fixture - Saturday 1st April 2017. Home v Broomfield Knights. KO - 10am. |  |
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