Cambs Invitation Cup
This was another fine performance bringing our tenth consecutive victory and making it eighteen goals in our last three matches. We fielded our strongest possible line up as we are keen to progress in a competition where the final is at "home", we have the possibility of playing higher ranked teams, and we are only four games away from winning a trophy.
Ely City always make life difficult for visiting teams and the home side set out at a frantic pace, obviously determined to knock us out of our stride. Initially, it had the desired effect as possession changed hands too often for our liking and we lacked the composure needed, especially in our defending third. It should be said though that Blaine Hudson and Lewis Carr handled their imposing front pair of Beech and Impey extremely well so, despite their endeavour, our goal was rarely threatened.
We started to put some passes together and once we got the ball into Maz or JP we caused their back four loads of problems. It was our other wide player, Jack Eades, who almost opened the scoring though when he latched onto a well weighted through ball and was only denied by the outside of the post with a good early strike.
The breakthrough arrived through another Luke Berry penalty, this time sending the keeper the wrong way after Maz was upended in the six yard box as he was about to score himself. JP was giving their right back a torrid time with typically direct runs and somehow the referee judged an absolutely stonewall penalty as a fair challenge, whilst Maz could also have won another spot kick but stayed on his feet from another mistimed tackle when he could and/or should have gone to ground.
The second goal was not long in coming and Rory McAuley scored with yet another near post flick on from our increasingly productive near post corner routine. Daz Coakley and Jack Eades are providing consistently good deliveries and our movement in the box is becoming more disciplined, whilst the likes of Rory (below), Luke Berry and Alex Bevan show the necessary desire to get their heads on the end of crosses.
The first half finished on a sour note with a disgraceful "tackle" on Sam Ives which was more akin to assault and incredibly punished only with a yellow card. The reaction of our players in the ensuing melee was understandable and whilst we would never condone indiscipline, it is also good to see the players sticking up for each other and refusing to be intimidated.
Thankfully, we could calm one or two down at the break, remind them of their responsibilities and ensure that their minds were firmly back on the job at hand. The discipline we showed in the second half, whilst never shirking a challenge and having the courage to play our football, was extremely pleasing and a sign of our ever growing maturity.
Our third goal was slightly fortuitous but followed another electric run from JP with his left footed cross deflected past the home keeper (o.g.). Within a few minutes we had surrendered our clean sheet, with the assistant referee flagging for a penalty when a cross hit Blaine Hudson's arm, and ex-United youngster Tom Beech sent Laurie Walker the wrong way from 12 yards.
Any hopes of an Ely comeback were soon extinguished thanks to our two Jacks. Messrs Eades (above) and Bailey combined, with the former providing a fantastic cross to the far post and the latter volleying the ball back across the goal or guiding it into the far top corner, depending on which version you want to believe! Maz put the icing on the cake with a carbon copy of his finish for his final goal on Saturday that I described in my report. Lee Pacey joined the growing list of keepers to be fooled by his dummy and characteristic finish from the inside left position when 1v1.
We were able to make some late changes, and with only Jack Igglesden and Chris Tonks still under Greg's supervision and both progressing well, we are in good shape. The likes of Liam Hughes and JT will be looking to put pressure on the current starting XI, whilst Alex Bevan, Jordan Johnson, Luke Allen and Joe Bennett are getting valuable minutes to gain experience in the early stages of their scholarship.
We know how quickly things change in football though and whilst it's great to receive compliments about the team and our players from fans, officials and opponents, we are under no illusion about the task ahead in maintaining our interest in all competitions and continuing this unbeaten run. For us, the individual ambitions of the players will only be achieved by the same qualities needed by the team to be successful. Therefore, we must strive to maintain the work rate, application and intensity that enables us to keep improving.
Performance follows attitude, and we always believe that results will follow performances.Our last reverse against Kings Lynn Reserves on Saturday 15th August remains firmly in our minds as a constant reminder of what happens when we let our standards slip.
Our next opponents, Mildenhall Town, turned us over last year in the middle of a good run so we know that we face a stern test at the Abbey on Saturday (3pm). It is a great challenge for such a young group of players to see how long they can achieve this consistency and a good indicator of their mentality, which is crucial for them to make the next step into first team football. Lest we forget, that will always remain our primary aim and we have never had so many players showing this potential.
Team:
Walker, McAuley, Coakley, Carr (Bevan 80), Hudson, Ives, Eades (Bennett 70), Bailey, Marriott, Patrick (Johnson 75)
