This match against Hoole United was our third successive away fixture since the start of our Premier League campaign. A blustery day saw the lads play on a very uneven surface which made playing conditions extremely tricky for the Pumas who are used to better pitches. The Pumas starting line up was Conor, Caleb, Matt, Callum, Sam, Ben, Lewis, Robert, Jack, Dion and Eddie with Elliot on the bench. Tyler was injured and Tom was away on holiday. A bright start saw a couple of early efforts from Caleb and Robert from distance, test their keeper in the first five minutes. Hoole seemed very comfortable with the surface and coped better with the uneven bounce. Ben made a great run down the right and was unfortunate that his ball across their area was cut out well by the Hoole defence. Jack was operating down the left and was looking particularly dangerous going forward making a couple of great runs and tested the keeper with shots on both occasions. Robert was looking lively and was unlucky with a good shot saved well by their keeper on 5 minutes. Jack was like a terrier up front and was being ably assisted by his strike partner Dion whose pace was causing the Hoole defenders all sorts of problems. Hoole’s first attack of the game came after 15mins with a shot just going wide of Conor’s left hand post. Puma’s dominance territorially would surely force a goal and further efforts from Lewis, Jack and Dion kept their keeper busy. A substitution after twenty minutes saw Elliot on for Eddie and it would be a pass from Elliot that created the goal as he found Jack in space out on the right and from 15 yards out he smashed a left footed effort past their keeper for a well deserved goal. 0-1. The Pumas seemed to relax a little after the goal and their passing game started to improve. However, Hoole came forward on a couple of breaks that were effectively dealt with by Callum and Sam. Dion and Jack were looking hungry up front for another goal and a superb cross by Dion to Jack was parried well by their keeper for a corner which unfortunately didn’t come to anything. Pumas really dominated the last 10 minutes of the half with Robert and Callum looking impressive. Pumas forced another corner on 25mins which was taken by Jack which found Ben ten yards out, unfortunately his header just went over the bar. The pressure was building in the last 5 minutes of the half and the Pumas were finally rewarded with a goal when a great run and pass from a gazelle like Dion found Robert in space and he duly finished it off to make it 0-2. Matt made a fantastic run into the Hoole area with a minute of the half left but his shot was blocked bravely by a Hoole defender who was injured in the tackle. Half Time 0-2.
The first couple of minutes of the 2nd half started as the 1st ended with the Pumas dominating possession and territory. A corner taken by Jack found Elliot whose shot just went wide. However Hoole would enjoy their best spell of the match for the next 20 minutes and smart work by Sam and Caleb at the back in the early part of this period kept Hoole at bay but they threatened more as this period progressed. Dion was really unlucky not to get his name on the scoresheet after a clever run and shot just went wide. Hoole pressure was still building and unfortunately Conor would have to wait a little longer for a clean sheet as Hoole scored after 45mins. The Pumas defence were unable to clear from a fairly innocuous attack. 1-2. The Pumas defence were sitting very deep and seemed to be inviting the Hoole attack on, Hoole couldn’t believe their luck. Constant pressure was eventually relieved by a fantastic darting run forward by Ben, whose snapshot went just wide. Hoole nearly drew level after 50mins when another attack ended in a shot that hit Conor’s crossbar. Pumas were really living on the edge and a goal for either team would be crucial at this stage of the match and Hoole looked more likely to get it until out of nowhere a clearance out of the Pumas defence found Jack who raced forward with just the keeper to beat. The keeper rushed out of his area and tried to push Jack off the ball, but Jack was far too smart and he swept past a despairing keeper to fire home a left footed shot into an empty net for his 2nd - superb stuff Jack. 1-3. The tide definitely turned after this goal and Robert made the game safe with a shot/cross which fooled the Hoole keeper into thinking it was going wide- wrong, it found the back of the net 1-4. The Pumas needed the 3 goal cushion as Hoole forced three late corners with minutes to go, fortunately the defence were able to cope and no damage was done. Sam ended the match with a powerful 80 yard run out of defence that typifies his determined character, unfortunately a defender eventually stopped him. I’m sure he’ll get a goal that his all round play deserves, sometime soon. The ref blew for full time shortly after Sam’s run for another away day win. Final Score 1-4.Three games played and three wins for the Pumas. A simple statement of fact but considering that all these games have been played against new opposition, away from home, it is a real achievement for the team so early in the season. Today’s game has been the most satisfying win I believe as we were pushed very hard for most of the 2nd Half when we only had a slender 1 goal advantage. Our defence looked in trouble on numerous occasions and the game could have ended a draw. Our players showed real character to have come through this period of pressure and score a couple of quick goals to kill off the opposition. Our first home game next Sunday is against the early pacesetters in the league BAC/EE, another unbeaten team that were above us only on goal difference before the start of the fixtures today.
The first couple of minutes of the 2nd half started as the 1st ended with the Pumas dominating possession and territory. A corner taken by Jack found Elliot whose shot just went wide. However Hoole would enjoy their best spell of the match for the next 20 minutes and smart work by Sam and Caleb at the back in the early part of this period kept Hoole at bay but they threatened more as this period progressed. Dion was really unlucky not to get his name on the scoresheet after a clever run and shot just went wide. Hoole pressure was still building and unfortunately Conor would have to wait a little longer for a clean sheet as Hoole scored after 45mins. The Pumas defence were unable to clear from a fairly innocuous attack. 1-2. The Pumas defence were sitting very deep and seemed to be inviting the Hoole attack on, Hoole couldn’t believe their luck. Constant pressure was eventually relieved by a fantastic darting run forward by Ben, whose snapshot went just wide. Hoole nearly drew level after 50mins when another attack ended in a shot that hit Conor’s crossbar. Pumas were really living on the edge and a goal for either team would be crucial at this stage of the match and Hoole looked more likely to get it until out of nowhere a clearance out of the Pumas defence found Jack who raced forward with just the keeper to beat. The keeper rushed out of his area and tried to push Jack off the ball, but Jack was far too smart and he swept past a despairing keeper to fire home a left footed shot into an empty net for his 2nd - superb stuff Jack. 1-3. The tide definitely turned after this goal and Robert made the game safe with a shot/cross which fooled the Hoole keeper into thinking it was going wide- wrong, it found the back of the net 1-4. The Pumas needed the 3 goal cushion as Hoole forced three late corners with minutes to go, fortunately the defence were able to cope and no damage was done. Sam ended the match with a powerful 80 yard run out of defence that typifies his determined character, unfortunately a defender eventually stopped him. I’m sure he’ll get a goal that his all round play deserves, sometime soon. The ref blew for full time shortly after Sam’s run for another away day win. Final Score 1-4.Three games played and three wins for the Pumas. A simple statement of fact but considering that all these games have been played against new opposition, away from home, it is a real achievement for the team so early in the season. Today’s game has been the most satisfying win I believe as we were pushed very hard for most of the 2nd Half when we only had a slender 1 goal advantage. Our defence looked in trouble on numerous occasions and the game could have ended a draw. Our players showed real character to have come through this period of pressure and score a couple of quick goals to kill off the opposition. Our first home game next Sunday is against the early pacesetters in the league BAC/EE, another unbeaten team that were above us only on goal difference before the start of the fixtures today.
