Squandered Chances cost Sport dear

6/11/10
Saturday U12's Division One
Hucknall Sports 1 Clifton AW 2

After a weeks break Hucknall Sports U12's went into the game with Clifton AW knowing that a first win would move them up the league but unfortunately a catalogue of poor finishing, heroic goal line clearances and fantastic goalkeeping mean that Sport are still waiting for their first win of the season.

Playing with the slope and a slight breeze at their backs Sports started slowly and Clifton took the game by the scruff of the neck with a series of probing long balls that Hucknall keeper Kal Orton dealt with confidently. A breakaway goal from Clifton's newly signed striker put the visitors into the lead but Sports responded with a series of opportunities that they failed narrowly to convert. In one particularly amazing incident the Sports looked certain to score but the ball cannoned off a Clifton defender on the goal line and miraculously looped up and over the cross-bar. Further chances feel to Sports before the end of the half, but the goal just would not come.

Half time: Hucknall Sport 0 Clifton AW 1

Changes for the second half saw Ryan Towle moved to right-back, Dylan Smith pushed forward into midfield and Oliver Bowley to right midfield. James Hallam forced the Clifton keeper into a fine save early on but then his stunning long shot found the bottom corner and Sports were back in the game. Hucknall sensed victory and with Hallam in fine form surely it was only a matter of time before the second goal came for Sports. More great saves, glaring misses and unbelievable clearance meant that Clifton were still in the game and then with only 10 mins remaining All Whites broke forward to force themselves back into the lead once more. Still Sports pushed on and on, Hallam saw his goal-bound left footed clip the head of the Clifton centre half and loop over rather than drop into the net and then second half substitute William Brown saw his great shot well saved by the impressive Clifton keeper and for the second week running the final whistle arrived all too soon for Hucknall.

Final Score: Hucknall Sports 1 Clifton AW 2

On another day Sports would have been out of site by half time, but football is a cruel game and today the ball just would not find the back of the net.
A number of performances were worthy of note with Kal Orton, Mitch Davies, Jacob Barlow and Oliver Bowley all playing well but today's winner of the Man of the Match award was James Hallam. His fantastic display of inventive and intelligent forward play deserved more than his solitary goal - a truly great performance James.