Stamford Under 10s vs. Thurlby Tigers, 12th Feb 2012
Date: Sunday 12th February 2012
Kick-off: 10.30am
Score: 3 - 1
Match Report
Following Stamfords' early season narrow 3-2 win at Thurlby and a post Christmas consecutive 3 game losing streak, a mauling from Tigers was a possibility but the weather induced break seemed to have blunted their usual admirably aggressive style unable to get into their stride thwarted by a positive Stamford team holding the whip hand to tame the Tigers' tenacity with incessant attacking play in an almost one sided first half. Early on, Eddie Wurr's pinpoint ball from defence found Sam Jordan who struck wide giving an indication of what was to follow. Quick, incisive interplay involving Jack Darby, Ethan Burgess and Jordan had Tigers anxiously on the back foot with Luke Toomey and Aaron Altham pushing up to augment the attacks.
From a left side near corner throw in, Darby skilfully moved the ball along the goal line cleverly beating a defender before smashing a stunning narrow angled shot across into the far corner for a 1-0 lead. An Altham belter sailed just over before a Jordan angled strike went wide. Jordan then cut in from the right to smack a thumping shot just over, hitting the top of the net. Burgess got in on the act when his great strike skimmed a post. Stamford rued their near misses when an excellent Tigers move from defence ended with a fine cross finding Jacob Westley who earned his stripes thumping home for his side to claw their way back to 1-1 with the excellent keeper, James Tyers having no chance. Warning bells were soon silenced when a great run and searching cross by Jordan went in off a defender to restore the lead but Tigers snarled back with two unrewarded corners before Darby found Jordan whose shot was well saved for a corner before the break.
The second half saw the emergence of outfield players Dan Kettleborough and Caius Headley with Alex Brompton taking over in goal with the dynamic Kettleborough making an instant impact winning and taking a corner finding Altham who hammered wide soon followed by a Darby free kick from the left edge of the box veering just past the far post. To their credit, Tigers' gained some momentum making worrying inroads into Stamfords' box creating opportunities and looking likely to snatch the equaliser but, the indomitable Luke Toomey, Altham and Wurr held them off to withstand their threats with Headley always available in front of his defence. Kettleborough and Jordan combined for Kettleborough to fire wide before the same combination sealed Tigers' fate when, from half way, Kettleborough used his inimitable speed down the left flank on a brilliant solo run leaving four defenders in his wake before cutting in to deliver a perfect pass to Jordan running toward the box who took a touch, sidestepped his marker before smashing in number 3 and his 15th goal of the season giving Stamford their first win of 2012 and completing the double over their opponents. A good victory but, having had the Lions' share of possession, it could have been an even more convincing result against a Tigers side who seemed slightly under par.
Man of the Match: Eddie Wurr