Guthlaxton 9 - John Port 2

Team:	1XI Football
Competition:	National Cup 3rd round
Date:	7th November
Result:	won 9-2

Man of the Match: Liam Read

Change was needed for the away trip to John Port Derby. After losing in the first round of the county cup and having struggled to score goals Baldwin brought in up and coming Liam Read to the schools premier team and with player absence and injury a change in formation was needed also with Guthlaxton reverting back to 4-4-2.

Guthlaxton started with great passion and commitment, winning every fifty fifty and second ball and within three minutes had the lead. A well placed pass by Tom Orton found the debutant Read who slotted past the oncoming keeper. However this proved to be signal for Guthlaxton to take their foot of the peddle and resort back to old ways. Miss placed passes and poor decision making allowed John Port into the game. Defensive slips up allowed the equalizer and with two minutes Guthlaxton were behind. Suddenly Guthlaxton started to argue with each other and press the self destruct button and if it was not for two remarkable saves from Jack Ridley Guthlaxton would have been further behind. With five minutes to half time Guthlaxton were awarded a penalty that Adam Hohn duly slotted in for the equalizers. The half time whistled followed with Guthlaxton lucky to still be in the game.

Baldwin decided that this was the right time to highlight to his players that the half of football they had just played was nowhere near the standard they set themselves and that nothing could be won by 11 individuals, they must pull together and play as a team in order to get the job done.

With their ears still ringing from the half time lecture the Guthlaxton players returned to the pitch with a new purpose. From the whistle they kept the ball well and pressed forward. With in five minutes Liam Read had doubled his tally and started a flourish of goals that followed. Two minutes later Read bagged his hat-trick and then two minutes later Shiels opened his account. Three goals in seven minutes had put Guthlaxton in the driving seat.

Love was introduced on the left and immediately offered width that caused problems and set up Shiels for his second and Guthlaxtons sixth. Know Guthlaxton were dominating, Kirby at right back had settled into his role better and Hohn and Dowsing were playing closer together. Murray looked solid and allowed Orton and Murphy in the middle of the park to control proceedings.

Liam Read sealed his man of the match performance with his fourth goal before being replaced by Karl Bailey who proceeded to score with his first touch. With Guthlaxton continually pressing the final chance fell to Love whose shot was part saved before it trickled into the goal, some say a keeper own goal but Lewis claimed it anyway.

Nine two and a seven nil second half was prove to all involved that one team is better than eleven individuals.

The fourth round of the Nationals is next, equaling last years' efforts.

Published on Friday 7th November 2008 at 09:00