We turned in a tremendous team performance to come back from a goal down and win a crucial game in the MPS Newton - Kel Kau derby. Some goalkeeping heroics from Mike O when we were a goal down kept us in the game, and we gradually asserted ourselves before dominating in the second half.
Under the lights we started slowly, but Kel Kau were energetic from the get-go. They hit us immediately with quick balls into the corners and dangerous crosses. We were pinned back for the first 20 minutes with little time or room to move the ball, resorting to long balls from the back - the midfield was all helping out in defence. That said, the first genuine chance of the night came when Kirk took a pop from 25 yards and clipped the top of the crossbar. Kel Kau kept coming and only some last-ditch defending and some inaccurate shooting kept the scores level. Mike O made a crucial save from a low shot and Mike A cleared the danger for a corner.
Kel Kau eventually broke the deadlock when a swift move down their left flank drew the defence, only for a flat cross to be played into the box, allowing the free player time to shoot and score from 12 yards. They could easily have been two goals ahead when a low cross from the right winger was met in the middle, but Mike O somehow managed to steer the shot from point blank range over the bar.
In the last part of the first half we began to get into the game. Some good pressure by Andy on the left forced a defender to play a hasty pass back to his 'keeper, who ran from his goal to clear the ball. The ball dropped to Abdullah, thirty yards out, and he calmly took a touch before hammering a shot into the top of the net. The goal settled us and we began to put together some passes and slow the game a little.
In the second half we started creating some concrete chances with good movement off the ball and great passing. Chris caught the DiStefano express with a pass between two defenders, and Joe's cross was only half blocked by a defender, before being smothered by the keeper. Then Abdullah collected the ball on the right, ran for the end line a played an inviting low pass across the face of the goal; Tony, (at the risk of overdoing the locomotive metphor) steamed in at the back post but couldn't quite make enough of a contact to turn the ball into the net.
We took the lead when Abdullah split the defence with a pass to Karsten who ran in from the left and beat the keeper from 10 yards. And it only got better as Karsten turned provider, getting past a defender on the right and laying the ball back to leave Steve S with a simple tap in.
Kel Kau were reeling at this point, and when they advanced into our half the central defensive trio were solid and getting plenty of help from the midfield. They had a couple of chances, but Mike in goal dived at the feet of a player coming in from the right side, and blocked a powerful shot that came in from a narrow angle on the left.
Other chances came and went: Karsten hit a fine volley from a corner that grazed the crossbar; Abdullah ran into the box and hit his shot across the goal onto the post; and Karsten, fed by Ivan's back-heel, found himself in acres of space twenty yards out but hit his shot well over the bar.
A fine team performance with a huge work rate from everyone, only slightly sullied by Peter's yellow card for kicking the ball away after Kel Kau were awarded a free kick - the impetuosity of youth.
Squad: Mike O, Mike A, Schec, Tom, Bruno, Andy, Karsten, Peter, Steve S, Chris, Ivan, Joe, Abdullah, Kirk, Tony.
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