Academy make a winning start

 

Jets Academy 2 Harpenden Rovers Academy 1

01 September 2010

 

Jets started their second academy season with a home game against Harpenden and a lot of new faces in our squad. On a bright evening Jets started a little slowly in the first few minutes,but gradually started to control the game,Calum Heath  was seeing a lot of the ball and along with midfield partner Andrew Brennan started to create some chances, both Charlie Parker and Koran Goldson had good long range efforts that were just too high. With the game reaching the half hour make Jets were firmly on top but unable to find the quality needed to break the deadlock, at the other end Cameron Inch had little to do other than being alert for the odd long ball played by Harpenden over our defence. Captain Michael McRoberts and centre back partner Con Keating were looking very solid considering it was their first game together and full backs Joe Zazzera and Jake Grace both found plenty of opportunity to get forward. As the interval approached a good passing move involving several players created our best chance of the half but unfortunatly Charlie Parker snatched at it and pulled the shot wide
 
HT   0-0
 
 At the interval we made the pre arranged change of goalkeepers, introducing Aaron Mussett for his Jets debut, We started the second half in the same vein as we had ended the first and on 48 minutes Lewis Cook battled through three Harpenden defenders to make a space for a low drive, the keeper parried the shot but not well enough to keep the ball from crossing the line and giving us a well deserved lead. The next ten minutes we remained on top, with in particular a dazzling run down the left wing by Koran Goldson nearly creating an opportunity for us to extend our lead. On sixty minutes we made a further two changes, introducing Aidan Chambers For the injured Gary Yerby and Daniel McNamara for the perennial crock Michael McRoberts.  Harpenden at this stage had changed formation and were now playing three strikers and as tends to happen with us we were tiring very quickly, Charlie Parker had picked up a knock and for the first time in the game we were under pressure and hanging on, We need in these situations to keep our heads and still keep trying to play football but we were hitting everything long and loosing possession to easily, Harpenden got their equaliser on 80 minutes which immediately sparked us back into action, Andrew Brennan was now having his best period of the game and we created several half chances without ever really troubling the Harpenden keeper, just as the game was headed for the draw Lewis Cook provided the last twist when he muscled his way past two Harpenden defenders from the right hand edge of the box before sending an unstoppable drive into the far side of the goal to seal our victory.    
 
All in all a deserved victory for us and a lot of positives to take out of the game as well as a lot of things to work on, but considering this was the boys first competitive match together a good platform to build on
 
Next Wednesday the boys will compete at home to Cheshunt in the clubs first ever F.A YOUTH CUP match, We expect Cheshunt to be a very strong side but hopefully the thought of F.A. CUP glory will spur the boys on to  a good performance.
 
MAN OF THE MATCH : JOE ZAZZERA          
A TYPICAL TENACIOUS PERFORMANCE IN HIS FAVOURED RIGHT BACK POSITION