U9A Haidar and Allen
Impressive as Hill are too good for Xcel
Xcel
0 – 5 Buckhurst Hill A (Echo League)
Jason
McMullen, 7th March 2010
The
Hill were hosted at the Elmbridge Sports Centre in Hainault
by Xcel on a sunny but windy and cold March afternoon. Xcel
have enjoyed a strong season in the top half of the table and
had only three losses conceding only 13 goals, the third best
defensive record in our division.
Manager Wilson and the management were
quietly confident as they had a full squad of ten to choose
from.
The
starting team was keeper Long,
Park right defence and Fox
left defence, Captain Wilson in central
midfield, Allen right midfield,
Tebbutt left midfield,
Haidar as the front man with
Koczan, Gueli and
King as the substitutes set to come on for
the second half.
The
Hill started well and opted to kick down hill with the wind
assisting them and the winter sun in their opponent’s eyes.
After a few minutes Haidar was pulling the
strings, using his skill to beat Excel and run and
long-range, powerful strike from outside the area beat the
keeper all ends up for 1-0. Park,
Fox and Wilson were strong
in defence and started some good attacks for
Allen and then later for
Tebbutt.
Allen’s
pace
was causing them a problem, his side step round a player and
run at goal produced a right foot shoot, which the keeper
seemed to have covered and spilled into the net for
2-0.
Excel
were being carved open in defence and The Hill looked
dangerous in with every attack, Tebbutt
intercepted an Xcel player in midfield, and set off towards
goal beating one sliding challenge, and getting in front of
the last defender as he entered the box but halted by a
dubious last ditch tackle as he ran in on goal.
Xcel
did respond with a couple of chances but keeper
Long was on good form showing strong hands
and patrolling his goal well.
Even when Xcel did break through the defence
Long saved bravely at the attacker’s
feet.
Another
penalty appeal was turned down as Wilson’s
brilliant forward pass found Allen break
clear of the defence to chase the ball but the Xcel keeper
came out to meet him and the two collided. The Hill continued to keep up the pressure
and towards the end of the half had a succession of corners
with Tebbutt connecting at the far post with
a shot arrowed into the side netting and then minutes later
another excellent Allen corner found
Haidar unchallenged in the box with a
spectacular glancing header for 3-0 and his second of the
game.
The
second half saw wholesale changes with King
on for Park in defence,
Koczan on for Allen and
Gueli on for Tebbutt both
in midfield. The boys were under
pressure as Xcel came at them but Fox,
King, Wilson and goalkeeper
Long were resisting well. We were trying to soak up the pressure and
hit them on the break. Subs Gueli and
Koczan showed some nice touches and
Haidar was coming deeper to get the
ball.
Xcel
became stronger as they attacked and got through the defence
on a few occasions but found goalkeeper Long
on incredible form as he either caught the ball or got a hand
to various shots on goal.
Notably, the Xcel goalkeeper launched a huge kick the length
of the pitch, which bounced on the edge of our area and
looked like it would loop over Long, but he
backpedalled and tipped the ball onto the bar and caught the
rebound.
With
Xcel committing more players and pressure forward it was
always going to leave them open at the back. With Allen’s
re-introduction he raced onto Fox’s forward
clearance and had three Xcel players chase him from the
halfway line.
Allen raced towards goal and as he got to
the right hand side of the box arrowed a powerful shot for
4-0 leaving the defenders in his wake.
The
game become more open after this and The Hill attacked with a
shot from Koczan from midfield, which went
just wide. Then after great
individual skill by Allen, the ball fell for
Gueli on the edge of the box but the Xcel
keeper saved his shot. After great team play from
King’s throw, Allen set up
Wilson for a shot from the edge of the area
which the keeper saved. The party piece came in the last few
minutes when Wilson’s pass into space found
Allen’s pace take one on one with the last
defender towards goal, his excellent awareness and unselfish
play saw him square the ball across the box to the supporting
Haidar and
Gueli.
Haidar took a touch to set the shot and
finished with his left foot placing the ball past the keeper
for 5-0 to complete the perfect hat trick.
Manager
Wilson was delighted with the whole team’s
performance and after discussion with the coaches gave the
man of the match to goalkeeper Long,
midfielder Allen and forward
Haidar. This win
should see us move into 9th position with eight
games still to play there are plenty of points to collect.
Next week we are at home to Barking Colts whom we have not
played yet this season.
MOM.
Long
– Clean sheet, fantastic performance to keep the opposition
out.
Allen
– Two goals and some great passing and
awareness.
Haidar
– Perfect hat trick, one with the right foot, a header and
then left foot.