Sports Rollercoaster ride continues

U12's Saturday Division 1
12/ 3 /11
Vernon Colts 4 Hucknall Sports 4

A rock hard pitch welcomed Hucknall Sports U12's to Vernon Park for their League One match against Vernon Colts. In the previous meeting Sports had contrived to throw away a two goal lead to lose 4-2 but the boys arrived in good heart and ready to play.

Disappointingly for Sports management all training drills and match instructions were forgotten by the players and within 10 mins of the start Hucknall found themselves 2-0 down. Sloppy play throughout the entire team meant that Vernon did not need to work very hard for their lead. Injury to Ellis Evans meant that an early switch was enforced and Dante Diriso entered the fray. Sports settled down a little and some chances started to appear but the large frame of Vernon's goalie denied both James Hallam and Buckly Gibson-Brown in one-on-one situations. The off-side flag caught out both teams but Sports were probably the most guiltly of not looking along with line when in promising attacking positions. Finally Hucknall's breakthrough came with a well taken goal by Charlie Blatherwick and it looked like Sports had turned a corner only for more sloppy play to gift Vernon their third goal just before half-time.

Half time: Vernon 3 Hucknall Sports 1
Oliver Bowley (right-wing) and William Brown (centre midfield) entered the game as second half substitutes but once again Sports defence failed clear their lines and Vernon took a 4-1 lead with only 20 mins left on the clock - Game over , well not quite!
Finally, Sports decided to start playing football and the rewards duly arrived. Firstly the ever-dangerous Hallam burst clear to smash a shot into the far left corner of the goal and then simple play between Bowley and Diriso saw Hallam grab his double with another well taken goal. Brown played a lovely ball inside the Vernon right-back for Jacob Barlow to cross for Blatherwick to score his second of the game and in a stunning ten minute spell Sports were level - phew! Hucknall sensed victory and great work by Gibson-Brown split the Vernon defence only to see the ball narrowly evade Hucknall's on-rushing forward line. In a thrilling end to the match more chances were created and all credit to Vernon's man-mountain goalie for keeping out a late effort from Hallam to keep the scores level.

Full time: Vernon Colts 4 Hucknall Sports 4
You would think that coming back from 4-1 down with 20 minutes remaining to snatch a draw would be cause for celebration but Sports management and supporters couldn't help feeling that this was a missed opportunity.
Football is a simple game, but today Hucknall contrived to make life very difficult for themselves by forgetting the basics.

The Man of the Match award went to Jacob Barlow for showing that one Sports player at least took the lessons learnt on the training ground onto the pitch - Brilliant display of wing-play Jacob and many congratulations.