Under 13's. Tameside & District League. Division 1.
Home v Glossop North End

  Result - Reddish North End 2 Glossop 2

Match Report: James Emmerson

I was absolutely delighted and can’t praise the team highly enough for the performance today. We played some of our best football of the season and dominated a large part of the second half, thoroughly deserving a point. On another day it would have been all three, as we hit the bar twice, the post twice, saw two shots cleared off the line, flashed several balls right across the goal, and had their keeper working at full tilt in a really heartening and encouraging display.

It is all the more creditable when you think that we were again deprived of three players – through illness, injury, and half-term holiday – and for the second successive week we had no subs. Additionally we had Ashley making his debut, Chris was unwell at right back and ordinarily wouldn’t have played but he stuck out the whole match, and later I discovered Jake had been playing almost the whole game with a nasty sore spot on his heel where his new boots rubbed.

We had another good early chance today – Callum B had a free header from a corner but it went over – before Glossop snatched the lead as their player beat the offside trap and just managed to squeeze it past Callum. After an even period Sam hit a fine early left footed shot from the edge of the box for 1-1, but Glossop punished a rare defensive error as we let the ball bounce and their player stabbed the ball home, although Callum almost saved it but saw the ball trickle onto the post and in. Sam then hit the bar and we turned round 1-2 down but very much in the game.

The second half saw the period of real dominance I’ve mentioned, and it seemed like it would be one of those days. Bar and post were hit, Glossop made two goal-line clearances, we had a decent penalty shout denied, their keeper spilled a shot and Arnold almost got to it. Then the lovely first-time passing move which saw Callum B spin on the edge of the box and fire a looping left foot volley over the keeper – the ball hit the post and bounced out – was brilliant stuff but we wondered if the boys would get the break their play warranted. Eventually a composed ball forward by Chris, and good pressure from Louis, saw their defender way underhit a backpass and Sam pounced again for 2-2.

Glossop then came back at us, but by and large we dealt with the threat pretty well. Callum had a couple of routine stops to make, and their goalscorer made another chance but fired over. But Reddish also still had plenty of play around the Glossop box and in the end the boys were disappointed not to have won.

However I felt that over the two games the results have been fair, but in the wrong order. Last week I felt Glossop shaded it and deserved at least a draw, but we won. Today we have been the better side but had to settle for a share of the spoils. All in all two really good games, well contested, in a really good sporting spirit.

The boys attitude was absolutely spot on and the sense of teamwork really saw us through, which is why I am so pleased. Sam nicked the man-of-the-match award for a fine display but Callum B was outstanding, Daniel L had a brilliant game in the midfield and kept the Glossop dangermen very quiet, Ashley had a composed and effective debut, the defence were again really good, the wide players played their part….the kind of mornings as a manger that you do the job for.

Next week we are away at Hollinwood.

Scorers : Sam (2)  

Man of the match : Sam