| Match Report |
Blue Mountains played a great team game, controlling midfield to record a solid 5-2 win. Midfielders Tim, Scott, Liam and Justin all ran well and gave great service to the forwards, enabling PoM James C and Ben Hof to score one goal each and Mitchell H to grab a hat-trick. At the back, Mitchell C, Ben Ham, Cameron and Tom put in a good disciplined performance while James B was solid in goal. Blue Mountains made the best possible start with Mitchell H collecting the ball on the right, running forward and beating the ‘keeper with a strong shot from the right corner of the penalty area to opening the scoring in the first minute. Blue Mountains went on to dominate the opening stages of the game. After 2 minutes Mitchell H won a corner following another run up the right. Two minutes later James C won the ball in the centre of the field and made a great run up the centre, only to be dispossessed by a defender while lining up to shoot with only the ‘keeper to beat. A minute later Scott and Tim combined well to get the ball to Mitchell H whose shot was narrowly over the bar. But 9 minutes into the game Cranebrook equalised with a goal against the run of play from a break, Blue Mountains ‘keeper James B touching the ball for the first time as he retrieved it from the back of the net. The rest of the first half was dominated by Blue Mountains everywhere but the score sheet. Tim had a shot saved by the goalkeeper at the second attempt and within two minutes he had another shot saved following a corner. Mitchell H had another shot go just over the bar while a minute before half time Scott made a shot from range which dipped just after it had gone over the crossbar. Blue Mountains started the second half with more attacking pressure, winning two successive corners in the second minute. Two minutes later James C found Scott whose shot went just wide. In the following minute, Scott passed to James C in the penalty area whose low shot was well saved. The deadlock was finally broken two minutes later when Tom put the ball through to James C who beat a defender in a strong run up the centre of the field which finished with a well-placed low shot which gave the ‘keeper no chance. Blue Mountains continued to press and were rewarded again two minutes later when Tim passed to James C who had a shot blocked, with Mitchell H squeezing the ball into the bottom left corner during the subsequent goalmouth melee. Fifteen minutes into the second half Blue Mountains had a succession of 4 corners well taken by Cameron. Mitchell C came up for these corners and had a strong shot from the edge of the penalty area pushed over the bar by the ‘keeper and had a header saved. But five minutes later it was Cranebrook who pulled a goal back after another break. After a more even period of play, Blue Mountains got back on top in the final stages of the game. With six minutes left, Ben Hof and Liam both had shots blocked following a corner. A minute later Ben Hof was rewarded with a well-placed shot from the edge of the penalty area which passed through a crowd of players to enter the bottom left corner of the goal. Two minutes later Tim had a shot pushed behind for a corner. During the subsequent goalmouth melee Mitchell H was able to push the ball into the net to complete his hat-trick and a fine team win for Blue Mountains. |
