City u13s come back to win 5-2 in the league.

Thanks to Andy Houston (aka Assistant sub editor) for a superb match report this week.
With near perfect weather conditions and only a slight wind CCYFC entertained Haverhill at the Marconi ground in Great Baddow on a soft and very bobbly pitch. An afternoon kick off for only the teams third league game of the season owing to promising starts in both the League and County cups.
With Max still injured and Joel unavailable this week the team lined up for the first half with Cam in goal, Ed at the back on the right, George on the left and Hayden in the middle. Luke took up the holding position just in front of the back three. In the middle of the park James started on the right, with Brandon on the left and Teni and Billy in the middle. The responsibility up front was taken on by both Charlie and Kyran.
The game started and saw both teams struggle to string anything more than two or three passes together with the ball bobbling around not lending itself to a neat passing game. One early chance to the home side saw a nicely weighted free kick delivered by Ed from the right into the visitor’s box, which George connected with, but couldn’t get enough power behind the ball making it a fairly routine collection for the Haverhill keeper. However it was the visitors who drew first blood after 4 mins with a rare error from Cam in goal, who spilled a fairly innocuous shot into the path of the advancing Haverhill forward who made no mistake with his finish - 0-1 to Haverhill.
Chelmsford were struggling to find any sort of rhythm but after 10 mins of play another half chance came by way of a corner delivered by Ed, which was met by Charlie who nodded it over the bar. On 13 mins another corner this time met by Hayden, but was well gathered by the keeper. A swift counter down the right from Haverhill was finished by the advancing unmarked Haverhill player on the left after the ball was switched leaving Cam with little chance – 0-2 to Haverhill.
With neither team creating many more chances and the pitch forcing plenty of errors from both sides the only difference between the two teams was that Haverhill had taken their chances better than Chelmsford. This was the case up until the 22 min when a short free kick and one two between Ed and Teni saw the ball delivered into the opposition’s box. The keeper spilled the resulting cross straight into Brandon’s path whose shot unfortunately was sent high over the bar from close range.
On 35 mins the breakthrough came to Luke after he latched onto a poor clearance from the opposition defence and delivered a well struck curling shot over the keeper into the top right hand corner of the goal on the stroke of half time – Half Time 1-2 to Haverhill.
The second half brought changes in the line-up with Kyran, Ed and George replaced by Sam, Gabe and Alex respectively.
The half time team talk worked and saw Chelmsford emerge with more purpose and conviction. Straight from the kick off a through ball to Sam whose shot was tipped out of play by the Haverhill keeper earned Chelmsford a corner that was delivered by Brandon and poked home by Charlie after 36 mins - 2-2
After 40 mins Chelmsford were now starting to dominate the game, picking up any loose balls and advancing in the direction of the opposition’s goal. An anxious moment saw Haverhill counter on the break and only a last ditch, well timed tackle from Gabe stopped Haverhill scoring what surely would have been a goal against the run of play.
Soon after James released Charlie with some neat individual build play, Charlie then turned just inside the box and delivered a superbly executed finish from 18 yards, high and wide of the Haverhill keeper on 42 mins - 3-2 to Chelmsford.
After 44 mins time for one more change with the introduction of Reece for Billy. Reece immediately made himself busy providing energy to win the loose ball and linking up well with Brandon on the left. Both players managed to get shots on target providing though balls to one another, one of which was only stopped by a last gasp interception by a Haverhill defender. After 50 mins a killer ball from Reece released Charlie who was through on goal, but was held up by the Haverhill defender whose challenge resulted in Teni picking up the loose ball and curling in a shot which ricocheted off the right hand under side of the bar into the net – 4-2 to Chelmsford.
Reece was starting to grow in confidence and rounded off a very good display with a goal of his own on 62 mins after picking up a loose ball and firing home a well struck effort from just inside the box into the far left hand corner - 5-2 to Chelmsford.
With Chelmsford dominating there were a few other chances for Charlie to have scored his hatrick, including a free kick on the edge of the area, but unfortunately it wasn’t to be today.
All in all a good second half performance after a shaky first half with Chelmsford the deserved winners based on overall possession, play and chances on goal.
Goals: Luke (35), Charlie (36 & 42), Teni (50), Reece (62)
MoM: Rightly awarded to Reece who came on and was determined to make a difference. He injected energy and enthusiasm into the team and rounded off his own performance with a really well taken goal.