Difficult final game of the season for U14Cs
By Alasdair McIntosh
Hampton U14C team faced Reading Blue Coat School in their last game of the season and were determined to end on a high note. Unfortunately, Hampton were unable to fulfil their desires and were beaten 4-1.
The whistle blew and the team began the match with some decent football and had a few close chances. However whenever Reading gained possession their first instinct was to counter. It soon became very clear that this was when Hampton were at their weakest, as midfielders could not get back quick enough to help defend.
After a series of counter attacks, Reading finally scored. Their striker cut the ball back to a man waiting at the corner of the box who quickly crossed it in to the winger at the back post who launched the ball in to the net.
It was not long after the first goal that Reading grabbed their second, and yet again they had scored from the counter. The Reading winger found himself in a great position to shoot and, after cutting past the Hampton right-back, he fired it in to the bottom corner of the net giving Rocky McCann no chance.
The half-time whistle blew and, after conceding two goals in the first half, Hampton needed to keep their heads up with a comeback in mind.
A third goal was scored by Reading roughly 10 minutes into the second half. Hampton clumsily lost the ball near the halfway line and, after a series of attempts to cease the incoming attack, many Hampton players were out of position and the Reading player found himself with enough space to have a crack. It was close but the Hampton ‘keeper was unable to reach the ball.
Now three goals down, the U14Cs struggled to keep their heads up and this was made even harder after Reading scored their fourth. A swift 1-2 left the opposition striker with only McCann to beat and the striker flicked the ball over him and the ball bounced over the line, centre-back Alasdair McIntosh was inches away from stopping the ball from going in.
Hampton found inspiration when Max Turner scored his first goal for the team. After an initial shot, the ball rebounded off the defender to his feet and, after weaving his way through the defence, he calmly slotted the ball into the bottom right corner.
A comeback for Hampton did not happen, as the final whistle blew leaving the score at 4-1. Being their last game of the season, Hampton hoped for a better result. However, it presented them with mistakes to correct and problems to solve when looking forward to September when the footballing season will start once again.
