Sheffield City FC 5 FC Grimsby 3

Sunday 15th June – English institute of Sport, Sheffield.

 2008_misc_futsal_001.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Grimsby Achilles heel continues to be missed chances plus
not be able to play 2 quality halves. 
Yet again we led at half time (2-1) and did not finish off the
opposition in the second period.

One nil down in the opening minute was not a good omen as
players struggled on a surface that seemed to have little grip.  The signs did not look good.  The team stayed with the task and played some
great controlled futsal that led to 2 well constructed gaols and half time lead
that deserved better.  Chizz’ and
Buckthorpe getting the final credit.

 

Grimsby had Sheffield on the back foot for most of the opening
half; chance after chance was created, time after time the ball hit the goal
framework or the keeper pulled off a great save to deny Grimsby.  Not to say Leigh Graves was not asked to make
some great saves, several times his agility saved us; but that’s futsal, keepers
are asked to earn their corn.  The team
at the top end of the FA Umbro Futsal League was clinging on, to go in at half
time only a goal behind was for Sheffield a bonus.

 

Danny Hornigold and Dale Jenkins pace and tricks continually
opened the Sheffield defence that neither scored did not reflect on the damage they
caused. 

 

The opening of the second half, not for the first time this
season, was a disaster. 3 goals conceded in a 5 minute spell.  All had a Grimsby mistake attached to them;
allowing the opposition to turn inside your own penalty box, poor man for man marking
at a corner, and a bad unforced pass that will lose you games at any level.  Add a free kick score and we had shot
ourselves in the foot, a brilliant first half and now we were facing a 2-5
score!

Richard Creer gave Grimsby a window of opportunity when he
scored a great volley from a ball running away from goal 5-3.

The team pushed on Jon Higton missed a sitter on the goal
line, Danny Hornigold almost scored when one on one with the keeper.  We then failed to score from a 3 on 1
situation, 2 on 1’s, 3on 1’s just have to be taken.

My half time team talk had been the same as when we lost a
first half lead to Hull, that we should sit back and frustrate the opposition,
we did not half to push on recklessly.  The
opposition team talk is obviously the reverse. 
Perhaps we should play second halves as if the score was 0-3 and we need
to chase a result.  As a team we play
better offensively.

It takes time to gel as a futsal team and Grimsby had 3
players playing their first FA League games. 
The opposition has a squad that trains twice weekly to play futsal in
the National League.  Once we get player continuity
we shall start overtaking these teams.  Player for player we had the better players;
it was the sum of those players that needs to elevate to a new level.  A big result is just around the corner.

Squad and match statistics www.thefa.com/FULLTIME (Search futsal
and select FA League North)

2008_misc_futsal_004.jpg