Rowhedge Juniors vs FC Clacton U9's
Sunday 16th October 2011 - Rowhedge Villiage Hall Ground

They Thought It Was All Over....Not When FC Clacton Are Still Playing!!!

Our second away game of the season, and a tough fixture, against the league table leaders Rowhedge Juniors.  Despite this, the lads were confident going into this match and lined up on a somewhat sloping pitch!

The whistle blew and we got straight into the action, but it was clear that Rowhedge would be formidable opponents as they were quickly passing the ball with great fluidity and pressing foward.  Although they looked good, just before the 4th minute Harrison Lewis suppllies the ball to Reuben, who clears two defenders and runs on goal, firing it just outside the box into the Rowhedge net.  This put us up 1-0, and filled us with great confidence!

At the restart, it seemed that our early goal had woken the opposition up, and they really started to pile on the pressure getting the ball and keeping it.  It was only a matter of time before, Rowhedge pilled into the box and put the ball into the net to square it up at 1-1!  From the next kick off, and to be fair to our opposition they put together some really good football, gliding past our players at time, and passing confidently and once again this resulted in a goal to push them 2-1 ahead.

FC Clacton U9's just seem not to keep hold of the ball very long, and Rowhedge capitalised on this, firing another two goals into the net.  This put the home team ahead at 4-1 at the end of the first half, with FC Clacton U9's looking a spent force.  The lads re-grouped and took on drinks and talked tactics before coming out for the second half.

Off we went again, and it was clear that our lads felt that it was all to play for and they didnt think it was a lost cause!  They weren't going to allow the steep mountain ahead put them off and they dug in and what a difference that made!  Starting to play as good a football as their opponents, and only a minute in, Rueben steals the ball from a Rowhedge throw in and passes to Mitchell Kill, who shoots from outside the box, which is a cracking shot just pushed wide by their keeper.

Pilling the pressure on we run deep into the Rowhedge half, and at 3 and a half minutes, Ryan takes a cracking throw in to land the ball near Mitchell, which deflects and Reuben fires the ball into the net to bring the score line to 4-2.  Another quick kick off, and again, we pushed back hard and at 7 minutes Mitchell gets a ball fed from Leon, takes aim and fires the ball through the keepers hands into the top left hand corner - putting the score at 4-3.  The booing that came from the opposition supporters showed that Rowhedge were now clearly rattled.

The lads really had the bit between their teeth now and at 10 and a half minutes, from a throw in that rolls through the feet of four Rowhedge players to captain Mitchell, who turns toward goal, and with a neat flick beats the keeper to square it off at 4-4!  At 11 minutes Reuben gets a great run on goal from a flick on from Jake and in a freak accident, fires a shot at goal hitting the cross bar, but bizarrely loses his boot which hits the Rowhedge keeper in the head!!!  Sorry keeper!

A final surge by Rowhedge and some stellar defending from Ryan Csaforda, but we desist their attacks and at the final whistle we all cheer that we made a fantastic comeback and proved beyond all doubt that we can match the league leaders!

Thanks go to Rowhedge Juniors for a fantastic match with some really close football.

Well done to the Seasiders again, FC Clacton U9's are UNBEATEN this season - today was a phenominal effort and proves we are as good as the best teams out there!  Well Done!!!!