Clissold 3 v Glebe Lions 2
A hard fought match between two quality teams. The Glebe team came to the tournament as the leading team in their age group in south london and as the holders of the under 9 London Cup the previous year and Clissold came fresh from their semi final victory over the well known Senrab.
From the kick off Clissold initially moved the ball with confidence and press for an early goal and only a save of unreal quality from the excellent glebe goalkeeper denies Clissold
taking the lead as Tayo hammers a shot goal
bound top right, only to see the keeper dive, cat-like, to push it round the post.
The sticky pitch and the occasion make it difficult for both teams to play their usual free flowing football. Clissold take the lead with two
first half goals. One a deflection by a defender
after real pressure from Charlie Owens in Midfield, Lloyd Williams/Tayo would have scored if the defender had not! The next one,
a fantastic passing move from our own half which ripped Glebe's defence into shreds, a cross ball pass to Tayo, who smashed in from close range. A wonderful bit of football. Clissold look to have it well won by the middle of the first half...the parents are starting to relax for the first time....and the boys are starting to play with a bit more fluency..as the glebe keeper makes another good save to keep them in the match..
Celebrations are premature....Glebe come on strong and a rushed clearance from defence came back with interest for Glebe to score. 2-1. As Clissold wait for the half time whistle Glebe attack strongly again and get a free kick which is whipped in, a scramble on the goal line with Rowan clearing on the line with a dramatic desperate lunge onto the post and out wide where it fell invitingly to an on-coming Glebe attacker,...no mistake. 2-2!!.Glebe, with confidence gushing and their supporters extatic, rush forward for the telling lead... Clissold just hang on as the half time whistle blows.What a half of two halves....and its all square.
Into the second half and the heavy pitch starts to take its toll on all the boys....a real battle
of ebb and flow from both teams bursting forward, tackling and tracking back
well. Clissold start to play better football and are possibly edging it but its still too close to call...the next goal will decide it...
Freddie Cornwell snapping at the heels, Jordon closing down and Charlie Owens causing real
problems in the middle. Oliver Chen, a contender for man of the match, a real rock
in defence along side Capt Rowan. Mills in Goal with very safe hands . With Lloyd
Williams always a threat upfront and Owens really pushing for the winner,
Clissold get a free kick 20 yards from goal. The goal area is packed out and a 2 man wall stands in front of the taker, Charlie Rowan, opting for
finesse over power lifting the ball above the wall and over the throng in the box, the defender on the line only manages to get the top of his head to it, as it hits the back of the net. 3-2!!!!The Clissold supporters explode with
joy.
Further end to end action. The tall glebe captain goes on a couple of mazy runs from defence into the Clissold half past despairing tackles...and is only stopped by last ditch tackles from Olli Chen. Owens and tayo drive Clissold forward, tayo is taken down from
behind and Owens goes close with the free kick. Lloyd Williams produces another great save from the glebe keeper rounding off a flowing move involving jordan, owens and tayo. Both sides go close but neither can get
the elusive next goal.At last the referees final whistle blows..Clissold have held out to win the cup. The crowd go wild and the parents look/are drained....
The whole team battled hard not playing football with the composure or movement and passing we are used to seeing from Clissold, but as ever, finals are a nervy affairs with two real quality teams giving their all on a very sticky and slippy pitch.
Very, Very proud and the Treble is Now On!!
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