Sunday 5 January 2014

 

Village FC first team returned to action after the Christmas break against last seasons runners up Miam Miam and suffered a 3-1 defeat at the weekend. 
Over a month since the previous game and with the Sunday fixture falling before the first training session of the new year, turkey, mince pies and plenty of booze was probably going to influence the pace of the game for both teams. 

Despite the break, Village started the game with more purpose and certainly more enthusiasm than their counterparts. Moving the ball quickly and simply was the general trend and on a wide pitch and a Miam Miam team that was struggling to cover the space opened up by quick passing, resulted in several promising moves down both flanks as well as a couple of dubious off side decisions given by the referee with Carter and Golds had been sent clean through. 

The opening goal of the game was a worldy and arrived compliments of Paul Golds who picked up the loose ball 40 yards out and lashed a shot which sailed over the keeper who was scrambling to get back on his line, into the top right corner. It was a goal that Village deserved because of the positive start made in the first 20 minutes and certainly one for the scrap book.

Village had further chances that they would eventually rue missing with the pick of them coming from Langford who blasted narrowly over the bar on two occasions and Golds who was sent through but couldn’t connect with the ball. 
Carter was also clean through on goal only for the Miam Miam defender to cynically take him down and a yellow card was issued.

The goal seemed to spark Miam Miam into action and slowly they started to assert themselves more on the game in the final 25 mins of the half but Village continued to look good down each side, getting slightly more joy down the left side but most occasions saw the Miam Miam defence clearing the danger. 
Miam Miam’s greatest threat in previous seasons has come from set pieces but their best chance of the half came via a superb threw ball which left Village’s defence split in two, the forwards run was timed well but the referee blew for offside. At least he was consistent with his decisions!

Half time VMFC1 1-0 Miam Miam

The half time team talk centred around the need to take the first 20 minutes of the game and apply it to the second half. Fatigue may have been a contributing factor but Village simply didn’t retain possession anywhere near as long as they should have in the final 25 minutes of the half. 

It was clear that Miam Miam had a rocket at half time and they came out of the blocks with far more purpose. Not for the first time this season, Village failed to respond and lacked the composure and quality of passing that was required to stamp a foot hold on the game and deal with the pressure being thrown at them. 
There was certainly no lack of work and effort, but time and time again possession of the ball was given up far too easily and the result was a gradual building of pressure on the Village goal. 

Miam Miam got their deserved equaliser only 5 minutes into the half when the ball was once again given away in a dangerous position and the Miam Miam forward latched onto the loose ball before firing home. 

The second Miam Miam goal followed soon after and it was the second worldy of the game, this time beating Golds earlier strike for distance almost on the half way line, catching Baker off his line as it sailed into the roof of the net. It was a body blow for Village and whilst it was a once a season strike, the brutal facts were that having battled to win the ball in key areas, Village simply handed the ball back through poorly placed passes or poor decisions by electing for the ‘hollywood’ pass rather than the short passing that had given Village so much joy in the first 20 minutes of the match. 

There was however plenty of time left with 25 minutes left on the clock so the game was still within reach. That was until a third Miam Miam goal on 70 minutes doubled the size of the task for Village. Yet again, possession was given away when Village were in a good position and having dodged several desperate tackles inside the box, the Miam Miam blasted the ball into the net from 10 yards out. 

As the half drew to a close, the rain came down and it pretty much summed up the game for Village. There were however other chances for Village, one falling to Carter and Golds, both occasions a lack of pace on the ball and it being hit straight at the keeper meant a simple save was possible. 

The game ended disappointingly after such a good start but Village certainly showed they were more than  capable of stringing better performances together and results by focusing on the positives early in the game. 

Full time VMFC1 1-3 Miam Miam