Match: League Match 7 – Bromsgrove Blades 0 vs 8 Redditch United

Date: Sunday 28th October 2007

Report: (By Tim Delaney)

After the superb display from the boys in the previous match, adapting to their new formation of 4-3-3 with great success, it was time to build on this further and hopefully match the performance with the result and what a result!

From the kick off the reds were on the attack with Max passing to Charlie who drove down the left before crossing into the box for Sam who shot just wide & a minute later Brad made a surging run down the right before being cruelly dumped to the floor, Sam curled a dipping free kick on goal off the underside of the bar & Max reacted quickest to bundle the ball over the line for 0 vs 1. The back line of Ben Mc, Rob, Nick & Huddy were in fine form & any attack that Bromsgrove could muster was snuffed out almost immediately with solid tackling & neat moving of the ball & on one such occasion a great dribble out by Rob led to a good break, the pass to Brad was good but the home defence cleared for a corner. The corner came to nothing & Bromsgrove mounted an attack of their own but Dan & Ben N were positioned superbly to clear the danger. On 7mins more great work from Brad saw him deliver a quality cross into the box for Max whose decent shot was saved well by the keeper. Ross saw his first real action of the game on 8mins when a lofted shot from a Bromsgrove attacker looped dangerously into the air but Ross's safe hands prevented the equaliser. The reds extended their lead on 10mins when they forced another corner, this time Charlie delivered a deadly ball into the box which Max met with a perfectly cushioned header to direct the ball into the far corner for 0 vs 2. From the restart Bromsgrove tried in vain to get themselves back into the match but more accomplished defending from Huddy & Nick then Rob & Nick meant there was no way through. On 15mins the move of the game saw the reds go 0 vs 3 ahead after Ross cleared to midfield where Sam brought the ball down with great control then turned & played a defence splitting, diagonal ball, through to Brad wide right, he took a single touch to move the ball out of his feet then whipped a pacey cross into the box where Max, who had timed his run to perfection, planted the ball firmly past the keeper with the side of his boot – truly awesome & a move reminiscent of the current young Arsenal squad. Just a minute later & with the match reporter still writing up the previous goal, Charlie played a perfect through ball between the Bromsgrove centre backs for Max to run on to and finish clinically to make it 0 vs 4 & effectively put the game beyond doubt. Bromsgrove huffed & puffed & indeed put together some neat moves of their own but they were no match for the unforgivable Redditch defence where Rob & Ben Mc combined to play their way neatly out of trouble before releasing Dan who got the reds back on the attack with neat footwork. With 3mins of the half remaining Bromsgrove won a free kick outside the reds area, the first ball was headed clear by Sam but the rebound was struck firmly on goal but the ever alert Ross turned it round the post acrobatically for a corner which came to nothing.

Half Time Score: Bromsgrove Blades 0 vs 4 Redditch Utd

Bromsgrove had obviously incurred the wrath of their manager at half time and they came out fighting for the second half in search of something from the game & indeed they had a good 5mins of concerted pressure with the reds unable to clear their lines. Eventually though the reds got back into their rhythm & gained control of the game again with players putting their foot on the ball & looking for the pass to available team mates & on 28mins Sam won the ball in midfield & looked to lift it over the Bromsgrove back line for Max to run on to but the Bromsgrove defence somehow managed to clear their lines as Max looked to pounce & counter attacked at pace but superb defending from Ben Mc at right back kept the clean sheet intact. On 31mins the Bens were replaced by Matt & George after they had both worked tirelessly for the team & played their part in the healthy lead. Matt was straight into the thick of the action on 33mins after Max & Sam had combined for a decent effort on goal by Sam which the keeper cleared upfield, Matt was equal to it & cleared well considering he had only been on the field a matter of seconds. George was also keen to stamp his mark on the game & on 34mins he was fouled just inside his own half, Sam lifted the free kick over the top of the back four for Max to run on to but the keeper came off his line to clear, George picked up the loose ball on the edge of the box & fired in a decent shot that the keeper managed to hold. Bromsgrove to their credit were still looking to get forward whenever they could & forced a succession of 3 corners but Matt, George, Sam & Rob were all on hand to clear & from the 3rd corner Redditch broke away on the counter, Max set up Charlie with an excellent pass but his powerful shot was again saved well by the keeper & on 43mins a reds throw was flicked into the box by Sam but Brad's shot was saved. The reds were now starting to force Bromsgrove back again, much like their play in the first half & on 44mins the lead was extended yet further as Nick played a great through ball for Max, Max chased it down & forced the defender into a hurried back pass which fell short of his keeper allowing Max him to coolly round him & slot the ball home for 0 vs 5. Bromsgrove looked shocked by this latest setback & their resolve looked shattered, on 47mins great work from Nick won the ball in midfield before he laid it off to Sam who played another deadly accurate pass through the defence to Charlie who hit his first time shot over the keeper & into the back of the net for 0 vs 6. The reds won the ball straight from the restart as Nick closed down the Bromsgrove midfielder & forced him into an error, the loose ball fell to Brad who drove at the heart of the defence then shot across goal, the ball looked to be going just past the far post but Sam chased & cut it back off the unfortunate keeper to make it 0 vs 7 & in the final minute the rout was complete after yet more 'pressure football' saw the ball fall to Brad on the edge of the box, he steadied then smashed the ball into the far corner of the net to make the final score 0 vs 8. A tremendous display of football from ALL players involved & the performance of the season so far.

Full Time Score: Bromsgrove Blades 0 vs 8 Redditch Utd

Reds Goals/Scorers: 1st half: Max - Sam free kick hit underside of bar tap in from yard out.

Max - corner from left curled in by Charlie, cushioned header into far corner.

  Max - great pass from Sam to Brad, pinpoint cross into box powerful side foot.

  Max - Charlie great through ball, clinical finish low past keeper.

  2nd half: Max - Nick through ball, short back pass by defender, cooly rounded keeper to tap home.

Charlie - Good work Nick to win ball, Sam great pass through, llifted ball over onrushing keeper.

  Sam - shot across goal by Brad, chased ball down & cut back in off keeper.

  Brad - good closing down again, loose ball on edge of box struck low & hard into far corner.

Man of the Match: Dan – for his excellent work in supporting both attack & defence.

Formation:  4 - 3 - 3

Colours:  Red/White Shirts, Red Shorts, Red Socks

Substitutes:  MATT, GEORGE