FC Clacton U9's vs Oyster Youth

Sunday 29th January 2012 - 10.30AM Kick Off - Rush Green Bowl

After last week's resounding victory over the league leaders, our lads were keen to get back into the thick of the action once again, hungry for another three points and shot at the top positions in the table.  This week, on a cold and at times, icy rain laiden Bowl, we rolled up against Oyster Youth, only one place behind us in the league.  We knew we could have a tasty match on our hands - and indeed it turned out just that way.

At the whistle saw some fair exchanges of some neat football from both teams, with early attempts from both FC Clacton and Oyster at both ends, but each effort is easily stopped by the keepers.  At three minutes in, a nice one two between Harrison Lewis and Keelan Gearey gives us the first real credible effort, with the ball just going wide, much to Gearey's frustration, but this was to be a pre-cursor to later events.  The lads pile the pressure on, winning a stream of corners and throw in's at the Oyster end, but their defence is solid and resists - for now.

We didn't have to wait long, when Harrison Lewis runs down the left wing taking on three defenders, and sliding the ball neatly across the mouth of the goal which is collected up by Keelan Gearey, who cooly beats the keeper to score his first FC Clacton goal - well done and well deserved - putting us up 1-0 (and floods of tears from a very proud parent!).

Once again the lads rallied, and after winning the ball in mid-field 8 minutes in, Jake Mayes makes a great run on goal, fires but is deflected off the keeper, but not one to miss an opportunity, Jake collects the rebound and fires again, hitting the net and putting us up 2-0!  Yet more credible attempts are made by our lads, from Ryan, Jake and Patrick but the keeper stands resolute and denies them all, but this is all good pressure.  Such is the pressure supplied by Harrison Lewis, he finds himself marked by three defenders!!!  In the final moments of the first half, Ryan and Harrison both have great efforts, which should have extended the score line, but luck is on the side of Oyster who stave off the attacks!  The whistle goes and off the lads go for drinks, but the weather is cold and starting to bite.

Off we went again into the second half, and this saw us have early attempts by Ryan, Keelan and Joshua, but despite this Oyster fight back and at 24 minutes in, Oyster win a corner, and float a lovely ball in that hits our keepers hands, rebounding into the net.  This puts the score line at 2-1, but it does not stop us from fighting, and only 4 minutes later Leon Dutton skims the cross bar with a great shot.

At 35 minutes in, FC Clacton string together a great set of passes, starting with a ball from Jake, then from Joshua, Mitchell and finally to Leon who hammers a ball from just past the half way line and past the keeper, making it 3-1.

Oyster make a final push at 37 minutes in, and break quickly, releasing one of their forwards, for a one on one with the keeper, seems to result in a hand ball, but isn't seen by the ref, that ends up in our net, putting the score at 3-2.

We weren't going to lay down yet, and at 40mins, Reuben Cowler takes on three defenders and lets the ball rip, which the keeper vailliantly repells, but it's not good enough when Joshua King nicely collects and slides it into the net, to make the score 4-2!

The final moments fly by, and the whistle blows to see another three points safely in the bank!  Well done lads, excellent football played with passion and grit!

Can we catch the top two in the table - watch this space!

Go SEASIDERS!!!!!!!!