SMJFL - Under 9's Saturday 7th December Venue: Home

Hazel Grove Utd U9's	4 - 3	Marple Athletic
Beth Langford(3), Adam Grant

On a day that saw a Premiership 'Clash of the Titans' , that game pailed into insignicance against this fixture. A real must win match, nothing else would do, and we were up for it. The conditions were not ideal with the pitch being very heavy and sticky in places ,sapping the strength.

We started very brightly and for the first 5 minutes the teams cancelled each other out. Marple brought on fresh legs that seemed to unsettle us for a couple of minutes. It took some fantastic goal keeping from Matt Boothby to hold our nerve. On 2 occassions his bravery and quick reactions stopped sure fire goals. Grove then mounted a series of sustained attacks that brought their goal. Great passing and movement from our midfield dynamo Sam Hazeldine released Beth Langford through the middle. She took her time and fired home from just inside the box. We kept up the pressure and could have had a second off a very nervous Marple keeper who failed to hold the ball on a couple of occassions but managed to recover to keep the ball out.

More pressure from Grove pinned Marple in their own half for the next 10 minutes. An head injury to Matt Ratcliffe, sustained after some fine committment and brave battling, finally meant he had to give way and Liam O'Brien came on to fill an unfamiliar left hand midfield role, which he took on creditably.

Marple mounted an attack down our right which we saw out with ease. The resulting corner dropped into what was becoming a glue pot in our goal mouth. The ball failed to be cleared, sticking between players legs as they tried desperately to get the ball away, and it was jabbed in from 2 yards out, 1- 1. The visitors again made a couple of changes and we found ourselves exposed at the back for the first time. Jon Pringle and Josh Timmons having to enlist the help of Adam Grant (who had come on for Carl Connor). Adam provided essential cover to a now 3 man Marple attack. He worked tirlessly up and down the right, covering the spare man on our flank and also providing the outlet to move the ball down the right wing. A shot from Adam near the end of the half stinging the Marple keepers hands, making him spill it, but he managed to smother before Beth could make up the ground.

A lazy shot from Marple just outside of the box looked as though it would creep wide but it just clipped the inside of the post to take Marple 2-1 in the lead at the break.

Straight from the off Marple worked the ball into the Grove final third. By this time though Jon, Josh, Adam and Liam had adapted to the Marple system and contained them magnificently. Sam Hazeldine worked like a Trojan in the central midfield breaking things up and coming away with the ball to set up our attacks. Beth made way for Alex Coop to take over up front.

Marple's third was an uncharactaristic lack of concentration on the edge of the box with 2 players leaving the ball to each other and neither taking the responsibility. A Marple forward took advantage of the opportunity and punished us with a shot that Matt Boothby could do nothing with apart from pick it out of our net. This was totally against the run of play.

A truely pleasing response was sparked from this and one that finally proves this team is growing and starting to believe in themselves. They dug in and fought for every ball, reapplying the earlier pressure and not giving in. They kept their shape and worked the ball, keeping the possession and finding Grove shirts with their passing. A free kick was won by Adam on the right. Jon Pringle stepped up and hit a fierce shot that seemed all the way to be in only for the keeper to pull off a great save.

The game was looking to be lost for Grove as the clock ticked away the second half. The demanding conditions saw Beth Langford re-enter the fray for the extremley hard working Alex Coop with immediate impact. Sam Hazeldine whipped in a corner with pace and there was Beth to meet the ball with her forehead and power the ball past an astonished Marple defence. 2 - 3. Could Grove at least level in the dying minutes?

Marple kicked off and immediately sliced through the Grove team to the edge of our area. The ball broke for a Marple player who shot for goal past the advancing Matt Boothby, the ball beating him and heading goalwards. It was only the fantastic cover from Liam O'Brien who somehow kept the ball from crossing the line that saved us. A truely inspired piece of defending. We dealt with the corner and broke up field to win a corner for ourselves.Once again Sam produced a fantastic ball into the danger area. Beth was there to meet it . She pounced on the loose ball and finished beautifully. 3 -3 surely this was it! But no a final twist loomed on the horizon as the sun set on this fabulous game.

With literally a couple of minutes to go Marple restarted and lost the ball as Sam and Beth went about them like a couple of terriers. Sam broke with the ball and released Matt Ratcliffe on the left, who had recovered to be able to rejoin the game for the heroic Liam O'Brien. He in turn slotted the ball down the line to the advancing Beth who touched the ball inside to Sam . He shot and beat the keeper. The ball would have undoubtably gone in but there was Adam Grant to make sure and fired the ball home on the goal line. The final whistle saw some incredible scenes from all involved.

A truely magnificent effort from every member of the team. There are no real words to sum up how the spectators and management felt after watching such a wonderful performance. The 'Man of the Match' award went to a deserving Jon Pringle for his workman like performance, but I am sure he won't mind me saying it could have gone to any one of the ten players who played their part in this game, and a special mention has got to go to the 'tough' lady and three goal heroine Beth Langford for a performance that was a joy to watch.

A very big THANK YOU from your manager to you all.

Man of the Match: Jon Pringle

(Match reporter: Paul Boothby)