Island Bay United AFC

Now that is an amazing turn around! Not only in result but the whole attitude, desire and intensity which led to a remarkable improvement in performance, and we got the due result.

All week at training you could sense that everyone was keen make amends for our disappointing game last week, and although its a typical cliche - it really is the test of a teams character for how they come back from heavy defeats. So it was nice to see everyone respond accordingly and train hard.

It was great to be back at home, and it was a beautiful, if chilly, winters day at Wakefield Park. We were well organised and well amped for our return match against Wellington United, who beat us 4-2 earlier in the season, and sat second in the league, prior to the weekend.

And we started like we really wanted the match. We were aggressive but composed and absolutely dominated in the first half hour. We held onto possession well and fought like men possessed to get the ball back when we did turn it over.
The whole midfield absolutely worked their arses off, with the contrasting combo of Lomu and MJ teaming up well in the middle of the park to both win possession and create opportunities, while young Matt Hickey and a little less young Jody Bullen flew up and down the wings but still trudged back to help out their defence.

Unfortunately we couldnt get the goal(s) we deserved, but with the defence holding staunch we felt it was just a matter of time till we took the lead.
We went off the boil for the last 10 or so minutes of the half, but it was always going to be tough to keep up such high intensity for the whole game, and we went into the break at nil-nil.

We talked about sticking to the game plan and ensuring we kept up the concentration as we couldnt afford the sort of lapses we had displayed the first time we played these guys.

Again, we started solidly but it was the introduction of Luciano after about 60-65 minutes for Milney (who had been an absolute menace up front and tired out the defenders - and then had to start for the firsts!) that really sparked us into action. Luc (said Looch) chased after everything, and one nice through ball to the edge of the left hand side of the box was absolutely spanked by Lucs left foot into the net.

It was well deserved and a great welcome back for Luc after sitting out a fair few weeks because of injury. His partnership with Jimmy had continued on from where Jimmy and Milney started, and more and more chances were coming.
Unfortunately the chances were at both ends and but for an amazing backwards scrambling save from Adam and resulting immediate block off the line by Krip, things wouldve been back to square and our character really tested!

I wouldnt say we had it comfortable for the rest of the game, as Wellington United lifted with desperation, but we ran ourselves into the ground to defend our lead and still did enough to keep them stretched at the back.

Two more changes were made, and both kept up the intensity, but at the pace and commitment we were playing at we couldve done with 3 or 4 more, and we were really tiring. Lomu had to go off to stretch after cramping up, leaving us with 10 for a few minutes then Jody called to Mez for a sub, not knowing wed already used our allocation. Then I, along with others Im sure, started cramping up.

I thought Id throw that in there, to try and explain what apparently was a very clumsy challenge from me as I assisted their nippy midfielder into performing a double-pirouette-with-half-pike-flip, about ten out from our box. Luckily the resulting free kick was pants and we survived another attack.
Worth the yellow card I reckon! And should be covered by the team ;)

Then we got the buffer we needed after Luciano got behind the defence again and was taken late by the scrambling last line of defence in the box. No-one exactly rushed up to the spot for the penalty, perhaps feeling the pressure and having very weary legs, but Jimmy took it upon himself and made no mistake in blasting it past the keeper who had made a few cracker saves throughout the game.

2-zip with maybe 5-10 minutes to go and we were determined to keep our clean sheet so battled right to the end.
Then came the final whistle and some very satisfied lads.

Weve now got to make sure we build on this result, and continue our push up the table. The league is still competitive as hell - we sit ninth but only eight points from first - and with Stokes Valley, who are bottom, away next week, three points is a must to get away from them and among the mid tablers.

Nick

Labels: capital 1, clean sheet, home, wellington united, win