On the Cup trail

....... trip to Fritwell to play Deddington Town Colts, in the 1st round of the KO Cup. The home side started the match, but quickly lost possession. Bloxham pushed forward and with their first attack, James W had a shot on target. It was parried out by the keeper and not cleared by the home defence. With the ball breaking to Tom W, he took a touch to steady himself and calmly slotted the ball home. The perfect start to settle the nerves after just 2 minutes. (0-1) From the restart, the boys started to take control of the game. James & Tom were breaking up most of the home sides play in the middle of the field. Whilst the defence stifled any attempted forward play. Moving the ball around the park and keeping the width, Bloxham attacked down both flanks. Creating chances for Josh, James and Harry C only to see them saved by the home keeper. With the visitors well in command, they increased their lead in the 15th minute. Thomas M took a corner on the Bloxham right and fired a rapier like ball into the area towards the far post ................ straight in! (0-2) It was clear that the home side, were struggling to get to grips with Bloxham's passing and movement. Harry C again tried his luck from a Harry G pass, again thwarted by the Deddington keeper. But the ball broke to Josh, who calmly knocked it into an empty net. (0-3) The game was getting away from the home side, but to their credit, they kept trying. When they did get past the midfield area, Freddie made solid tackles and cleared the danger. Or their shots were wide and didn't trouble Carson. As the half progressed, James W added to the score. Picking the ball up in the middle of the park, he drove through the home defence and clear, as the keeper came out, he shimmed to his left and stroked the ball into the goal. (0-4) With Bloxham well on top, Freddie and Josh made way for Archie and Ismaeel. H-T 0 - 4

During halftime, Jakob came on in the right wing position for Harry G. Bloxham started the 2nd half ....... Harry C passed to James, who knocked the ball through to Tom W and he out stripped the home defence to finish in style ............ just 34 seconds after the restart (0-5). With every attack, Bloxham looked likely to score. Some desperate defending and good saves, denied Harry C from scoring. He was causing the home defence all sorts of problems, with his constant hassling when they had the ball. As the half reached it's half way point, George F, picked up a goal kick in the centre of the park and went on a marauding run down the Bloxham right ... before putting the perfect cross into the centre of the area, for his brother Archie to stoke the ball home. (0-6) With the game secure, Josh returned to the game (with James making way). Deddington still tried to attack and the ball broke to their right wing on the edge of the Bloxham area. He took a quick touch and shot goal ward ...... but Carson got down well, low to his left and made a smart save. Freddie and Harry G retuned to the game, with Tom W and Harry C getting a well deserved rest. With Jakob making runs down the right, the home side kept coming over to cover .... leaving Archie, to come in from the left to get shots away, that only just missed the target. As the home side struggled to get out of their half, a long kick to an attacker was cut out by Ismaeel, in the left back area. Keeping his cool, he looked up and with the precision of a Surgeon, he played a wonderful pass ........ slicing through the heart of the Deddington defence to Harry G. Gliding over the ground like a whippet, Harry headed for goal. He held a couple of strong challenges off, before stroking the ball past the advancing keeper and in off the far post. (0-7). As the game entered it's final throws, the boys had one more effort. A cross from Archie on the left, found it's way to Harry G. Taking a touch to get in out from under his feet, he let rip ..... only to hit the post. The ball rebounded to Harry and he hit it first time, but straight at the keeper and it rebounded to Josh. Who didn't quite connect with his effort and it was smothered by the keeper. FT 0-7

This was a solid performance by all the boys. Good passing and movement, caused all sorts of problems for the home side. Every player got good game time and contributed at some point. Whether it was a run to make space, a pass or a tackle.