GAME-ON League: Good Shepherd

On the 29th January, Wyken hosted their next fixture in the GAME-ON league against Good Shepherd. The players did their usual warm-up led by our captain Corey and after a quick team talk from Mr. Brown and Mr. Shaw as Mr. Vernon was unavailable today, the players started the match.

The game started sloppily with both teams struggling to get a hold on the match with lots of long balls and tackles. Midway through the first half Good Shepherd took control and before long scored the opening goal of the game to make it 1-0. Wyken restarted the game but again struggled to get into the game with Good Shepherd putting Wyken’s defenders (Archie, Louie, Arjun) under lots of pressure forcing the defenders to make some great tackles, interceptions and clearances, with pressure still building on Wyken’s defense Good Shepherd doubled their lead. 2-0. After the second goal, Wyken started to get back into the game and after some good passing play from Dexter, Corey and Ben Wyken almost found themselves getting a goal back. Wyken continued to attack the Good Shepherd goal resulting in some good saves from the goalkeeper and some good efforts going just wide from the Wyken attackers. With Wyken attacking they were vulnerable on the break and after a good counter attack from Good Shepherd a Wyken defender brought down the player on the edge of the box resulting in a Good Shepherd free kick which was pinged over the Wyken wall and into the bottom corner of the net to make the game 3-0 to Good Shepherd before half time. Half time.

Mr. Brown and Mr. Shaw called the players over for a half time team talk and said that we needed to take control and play our natural game and show some more effort as we could still come back from this with the benefit of now shooting downhill.

The players came back onto the pitch with a couple of changes to the line up with Ryan and Dexter swapping positions, Dexter now in goal and Ryan now in midfield and also Calvin coming back on to lead the line for Wyken. The game kicked off and Wyken immediately looked more up for the game with the players closing the ball down much quicker and trying to pass the ball around. Wyken continued to be dominant and eventually this lead to Wyken getting a goal back as Corey took a shot that landed in the bottom corner of the goal. 3-1. The players now sensed they could come back into the game and really tried hard to win the ball back and attack the Good Shepherd goal and with several chances being blocked or saved from the Good Shepherd players the ball went out for a Wyken corner. Ryan, who had been excellent in the second half, whipped in a corner which was met by the head of Calvin who put the ball into the back of the net. 3-2. Wyken continued to press as the game restarted and again forced the Good Shepherd defenders and goalkeeper to make some good blocks and saves, with only a few minutes left on the clock it started to feel as though luck wasn’t on the side of Wyken as the ball struggled to find its way into the goal after the second until Ryan made a great pass to Archie who put the ball calmly into the net to make it 3-3. A fantastic comeback from the Wyken players and a real team effort.

The players made their way over to Mr. Brown who expressed how delighted with the second half he was and how well everybody did their specific jobs to make us comeback into the game. Mr. Brown gave Corey the man of the match award for his second half man marking display and his excellent contribution to Wyken’s attacks.