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Freeflow won their third game in a row with a dominating display in very wet and unkind conditions. The 3:0 score line was very flattering for the opponents All Saints who should really have walked away from this game with a demoralising 6 or 7 nil defeat.
Amazingly this was Freeflows second home game of the season and yet it was also the half way point in the league. All Saints arrived 45 minutes late meaning the kick was delayed and the focus of the players distracted. The home team though controlled the game early on and produced a better passing performance than in the previous game against Aldborough.
The opposition as always played a direct physical game with no real thought and no real discipline. Freeflows approach play from defense to midfield was very good but in the attacking third poor movement and poor decision making resulted in wasted attacks. Without creating a clear cut chance Freeflow opted to shooting from distance as Jag went close with a lovely shot from the outside of his right foot that beat the goalkeeper but just went pas the post. Jaspreet then tried his luck from distance with his left foot; again with the goalkeeper beaten the ball flew narrowly over the crossbar.
Then Rajvir, Faris and Selim exchanged passes to form a lovely triangle move but failed to shoot by overplaying the move. Then from an Ahmed corner Selim arrived late to volley agonisingly wide in what could have been a lovely goal. The deadlock was eventually broken as Ahmed took advantage of an All Saints defensive error, he raced through with pace and power and then casually guided the ball across the keeper, 1:0.
This obviously spurred on both teams as All Saints tried to attack with more purpose but Amandeep was on hand to read the game and tidy up. Jaspreet again used his physical presence to halt the opposition and was aided with Selim's energy to track back and drive forward. Harjeet picked the opposition off with cute passes and lovely skill. The second goal came as a result of a typical Freeflow move, a quick counter attack led by Harjeet who passed to Jag. The forward spun with the ball and then put a lovely through ball to Ahmed to race clear again with pace and power and once more he produced a cool finish across the goalkeeper, 2:0.
Freeflow made changes at half-time and were encouraged to produce better movement in the last third as too many moves were ruined by poor forward play, even though they were 2:0 up. The second half was even more one sided than the first and produced more scoring opportunities for Freeflow but they only managed to add one more goal. The rainy conditions did not help as the pitch was cutting up in the midfield and puddles were forming, which affected the first touch and end product of many players. However this can only prove to be an important development experience.
The movement of the strikers in the second period did not improve so it was up to the midfielders to push on as Selim, Jaspreet and Faris all had attempts on goal. It was Faris who added the third goal with a moment of technical brilliance. From the just in side the left corner of the penalty area Faris controlled a difficult looping ball with his chest and then guided a volley which looped in the top corner at the near post over the goalie, a classy moment by a classy player, 3:0.
Selim then struck the cross bar with a long range effort before Faris rose brilliantly to head the ball also against the cross bar. Other attacks produced good saves by the All Saints goalkeeper and scuffed shots due to the poor conditions. Sunil had then best chance, with all the time in the world inside the 6 yard box he failed to pull the trigger held on to the ball to long and allowed the goalkeeper to close the angle in what should have been the fourth goal.
To summarise the game, 3:0 was not a true reflection, a number of near misses, the woodwork, poor decision making and horrible conditions deprived Freeflow from warranting a 5, 6 or 7 nil victory. Playing in poor conditions was a new experience for the players and can only serve as another new experience but the players must realise every game is different and every game will present new challenges meaning as players and human beings you must have the ability to adapt to the various obstacles presented on the pitch and in life.
SQUAD: ADAM, FARIS, LIAM, ARAN, SUNIL, JAG, AHMED, AMARDEEP, AMANDEEP, HARJEET, ARJUN, JASPREET, RAJVIR, SELIM & NAV. 3 Changes made to the previous squad.
GOALS: Ahmed 2, Faris 1.
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