Jets Get The Reward For Their Effort
Jets earned their first win in ten games on the road again at Tring Athletic in the Hertfordshire Senior cup. Home games are rare in the cups for Jets lately, and the prize for this win is yes, Away to Hoddesdon in early December.
Jets had a few senior players back for the game but lost youngsters at short notice to make life difficult with arrangements. Jets had to revamp with all the recognised strike forwards out injured. One survivor of the forwards injury list was Elijah Seymour, and it was the classy young lad who was to notch the winner. Seymour put on a threatening display that was to worry Tring throughout.
Jets had the upper hand going down the slope and could and should have opened the scoring a few times. The openings were created by Seymour and the industrious Tom Gibson, but they were being squandered. One after a superb piece of play was incredibly blasted high over the bar and out of the ground by Patru when rolling it into the net seemed easier. We won’t miss many easier chances than that we thought, but football loves to prove you wrong and in the second half that thought was shown to be very very wrong.
Jets were often caught on the ball as many were making comeback games. The effort from all was high, so no complaints, just that final touch and match sharpness were missing. One returning player, Jude Bell, was outstanding with his work rate.
The winner, as it proved to be, came in the 35th minute and it was young Eli who produced the magic. A splendid attack and solo finish slotting the ball past the excellent keeper. (0-1 Jets)
The second half deteriorated severely as a spectacle, and there were strange decisions by all three teams. Jets, playing uphill now, were the happier team and containing well.
Rob Partington, who had produced the save of the match in the first half to deny Tring, continued to be alert and at his best in goal. It was only late on when Tring threw everything up that it got a little shaky.
Jets introduced two subs to freshen things up, and Luke Lloyd was an instant asset in the midfield battle. Jets faded as a threat up front, but with time almost up the unbelievable, Tring threw everything up even the keeper and Jets won the ball and broke clear with a superb pass to Kojo. With just the centre-half to deal with, and three Jets players swarming forward across the pitch and the Tring keeper stranded upfield, it looked like a second goal to settle it.
He who hesitates, however, loses and the four on one chance was wasted, and the keeper somehow got up the hill ready for the goal kick with the Jets sidelines horror-struck to silence in a scarier than Halloween moment.
It was a tense few minutes that followed, but it ended okay, and Jets went home able to (almost ) smile at the moment.
Jets man of the match was tight. Eli worked hard and classy in an almost solo forward role. Jude Bell ran for fun all night and so forgiven for coming back from holiday in Cornwall without any shortbread biscuits! Tom Gibson was outstanding in the first half.
The final pick this match was made by Ali Taylor, as a reward for nailing the pics of the diabolical penalty not given Saturday, and he gave it to Liam James. Liam was outstanding in the air against the tall Tring side and, when it counted, hit the tackles with a brick wall determination that held Jets solid.