On a bright sunny but
cold afternoon we welcomed De La Salle to Tempest Road for our 6th league
fixture of the season. Tom, Ollie, Josh
and Bayley started on the bench with Ladybridge back up to full strength this
week. Both teams were pretty tentative
in the first 5 minutes with neither settling in a scrappy opening. Jack livened proceedings up with a couple of
decent efforts on 10mins but each of them just went wide. The first goal of the game came after 15mins
when some good pressure in the DLS penalty area by Ladybridge resulted in a
weak clearance that fell to Jack 15 yards out and he was able to hit a ferocious
drive low and left of the keeper to open the scoring 1-0 Ladybridge.
10mins later Ladybridge
were to score again when a vicious drive by Jack from 35 yards out was parried
away well by the DLS keeper but the loose ball fell to Taylor who guided the
ball home to make it 2-0 to Ladybridge.
It might have been three
a couple of minutes later when Taylor crossed from the right hand side and
Josh's header just went high and wide. DLS
nearly pulled a goal back with 5mins of the half remaining when their No 10
made a powerful run and unleashed a cracking drive that Conor did well to push
past his post and out for a corner. DLS
were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box with a couple of minutes
remaining in the half but their player scooped the ball over the crossbar.
Half Time Ladybridge 2-0
De La Salle.
I'm not sure what the DLS
coach said to his players at half time but it was a completely different DLS
team that turned up in the second period. It was pressure from the off from the away
side and they eventually got the goal that their pressure deserved 5mins into
the half when their No 17 found the back of the net after the Ladybridge
defence were not able to clear the ball properly from their penalty area 2-1 to
Ladybridge.
The No 8 for DLS was to
put his team level with about ten minutes of the game remaining when a weak
goal kick from Conor was collected well by him 30 yards out and he ran forward
to guide the ball home from 15 yards to make it 2-2.
There would be chances
for both teams to score their vital 3rd goal but unfortunately for the home
team they were to be undone by a superb individual effort by their No 10 with
10mins of the game remaining. He collected
the ball on the right hand side of the pitch just inside his half and he made
an unopposed run to the edge of the Ladybridge area and unleashed a shot come
cross that climbed over Conor's head to find the top right hand corner of the
net to make it 3-2 to De La Salle.
Taylor had a chance with
a minute left on the clock when clean through on goal but the DLS keeper made a
tremendous stop to deny him.
Full Time: Ladybridge 2-3
De La Salle.
The expression "a
game of two halves" summed this game up perfectly today. De La Salle went into the break a couple of
goals down that could quite easily have been 3 or 4. However in the 2nd half they out fought the
home team and battled back to turn the match on its head to claim a deserved
victory with 3 unanswered 2nd half goals.
Well done DLS on a good win and the best of luck to you and your support
for the rest of the season.
Today we experienced a
tough defeat that will test the collective resolve of the players, coaches and
support going forward. We have bounced
back well after defeats earlier in the season and it will be interesting to see
how the lads react in our next game away in the 3rd round of the Challenge Cup
against Boundary Park next Sunday.
