Coming just 24 hours after our FA Youth Cup win at Histon, this match was always going to present us with a massive challenge but we showed tremendous character and resilience to claim three hard earned points.
We were very grateful to our hosts for agreeing to put this fixture back from Tuesday evening and I would again like to thank Simon Charlton for his co-operation. His team gave us a thorough examination during as tough a 90 minutes as we have experienced this season and, on this evidence, it will not be long before Mildenhall start to climb the table.
Whilst this was a team effort, three players deserve particular praise. Blaine Hudson, Luke Berry and Jack Bailey started both fixtures, showing fantastic application to cope mentally and excellent fitness levels to cope physically.
We know that you have to take advantage of the slope at Mildenhall, so we were anxious to set the pace in the first half and get into a winning position by the break. The home side had different ideas though and played at an impressive tempo in the opening skirmishes. From our perspective, we looked dangerous when we moved the ball quickly and our right hand flank, with JP playing against his home town club, was looking particularly dangerous.
Jack Bailey has been working really hard with Nolan in the last two weeks to improve his hold up play and he pinned their centre backs to great effect, allowing us to build our attacks through balls into his feet. Maz was being marked tightly and followed into the pocket of space he usually finds by their centre backs. This created holes that were exploited by the "old firm" of Berry and Ives with their usual quota of forward runs.
We should have opened the scoring when Luke Berry's quick thinking from a free kick set Blaine Hudson free in the box. He toe ended the ball past the advancing keeper, who brought him down for a stonewall penalty. The only problem was that everyone bar the one that mattered thought it was a foul. Blaine was not to be denied though! Moments later, striding forward majestically with the ball from the back, he let fly with a fantastic strike from more than 40 yards which arrowed past the keeper into the top corner. He will dine out on that strike for a while!
United old boy Jamie Thurlbourne began to cause problems down their left and we were allowing too many crosses into our box. The home side enjoyed a sustained period of pressure but failed to test Laurie Walker through committed defending and one or two rushed finishes. At the other end JP shot narrowly wide at the end of a typically mesmeric run and the vital second goal arrived moments before half time.
Lewis Carr did well to keep the ball alive at the far post from a right wing free kick and Jack Bailey steered in the resultant cross from close range.
It is difficult to defend against the slope at Mildenhall and the tendency is always to drop too deep, which only invites pressure. We may have been guilty at times but as a whole the team remained compact and whilst the home team dominated possession, they only created one clear cut chance. This free header went begging and the early let off had the desired effect as we gained in strength as well as showing the discipline and organisation needed to defend a lead.
We blunted the attacking threat of our hosts really effectively and with a total of five players on the pitch by the end of the game having played the previous evening, this work ethic was even more pleasing. We had two chances on the break to kill off the game but Jack Bailey failed to make contact with an excellent driven cross by Maz, who also hit the post as he twisted and turned with great dexterity in the penalty area.
Our Man of the Match was Sam Ives. He showed endless energy, used the ball intelligently, defended well and drove on the team for the entire 90 minutes. He is also starting to show an authority on the pitch, leading by example and becoming far more vocal. It is fantastic to see players growing in stature like Ivesy; definitely the best part of my job.
He has a real presence, belief and focus about him with a look in his eye that says he knows what he wants and nothing is going to get in his way of achieving it. We are proud of the humility our youngsters show off the pitch and Sam combines that with a real inner belief that makes him look ten feet tall when he crosses the white line.
Anyway, no games yesterday or today so the players have been able to rest! We have done everything possible to aid their recovery - ice baths, skins, correct diet including the right food within the "golden hour" after the match, hydration, cool downs - and took the opportunity to watch a DVD of the FA Youth Cup tie, kindly provided by Histon. Despite the win, we identified loads of areas of improvement and details that we must do better and more consistently, even in the first half.
We are never satisfied, whatever the result, and the players enjoy an environment where we always demand more. It is the only way to develop and become successful.
Our next game will prove a real test as we travel to Stanway Rovers to face the league's top scorer with a younger than normal team for our fourth game in eight days. We then have the luxury of no midweek fixture for the first time since the season started on 8th August.
The players have done remarkably well to perform at such a consistently high level and achieve such good results over such a long period of time, especially considering the injuries that have stretched the squad. CRC are unbeaten in 14 league matches (20 in all competitions) and CUFC Youth Team has won all five of their FA Youth Cup ties without conceding a goal.
Such sustained consistency is incredible for players so young and one which will be tested severely this month with Enfield, Tranmere and league leaders Needham Market waiting in the wings after Stanway. Good results bring big games so the players should be relishing the next few weeks...
Team:
Walker, McGeorge (Bevan 55), Coakley, Carr, Hudson, Ives, Patrick, Berry, Bailey (Hughes 75), Marriott, Johnson (Eades 70)
