Nunnery Wood Colts Thunder U11s vs Worcester City FC U11s

Worcester City FC U11s visited the Nunnery Wood Colts Thunder U11s team at The Pitchcroft, Worcester on Saturday 29th January 2022 for a league match.

Managers Laurence Helme and Luke Morris presided over the team.

Team Sheet
Goal Keeper – Tom
Defenders - Joel & Theo
Midfielders - Hayden (acting captain), Ethan, Arlo, Toby, Ewan & Luke
Forwards - Olly & Fraser

First Half
With an undulating pitch and a slope aiding the City team in the first half, both teams were battling for supremacy. The Thunder team were making good use of their physicality to out muscle some of the City players in those 50/50 challenges, albeit all confrontations were above board and the referee had no need to stop play for any of them.

In the 13th minute, City created a goal scoring chance. Olly picked up a through ball a few metres outside the Thunder penalty area; he was now one on one with the Thunder goal keeper. Sensing the danger, the keeper came rushing out from his goal to close down the angles for Olly to score. With the keeper now mid-way across the penalty area and Olly’s options to slide the ball past him into the net ever decreasing, Olly attempted to lob the ball over their head and almost pulled it off. Unfortunately for City, the keeper jumped and stretched up with a single hand and got a fingertip save on the ball which pushed it onto the far post and a Thunder defender got back to clear it from danger.

In the 15th minute, City opened their scoring account in the match. Hayden had the ball mid-way into the Thunder half and played a forward pass to Toby and Fraser who were both near the edge of the Thunder penalty area. Being in such close proximity to each other, Fraser took the lead and cushioned a short pass to Toby who struck the ball sweetly from the edge of the area and the ball nestled into the bottom left corner of the net as the Thunder keeper dived to try and save it (that was Toby’s sixth goal of the season and Fraser’s second assist).

In the 20th minute, Thunder opened their scoring account in the match. Following a short run down the left wing, a Thunder attacker took a strike from the corner of the City penalty area which flew like a bullet into the top left corner of the City goal, leaving Tom the City keeper with no time to react to the shot.

Second Half
In the 33rd minute, City scored another goal in the match. The Thunder team had a goal kick and the pass out from one of the defenders was intercepted by Olly, he now had the ball in his control and was on the right side of the penalty area. Olly attempted a shot from this tight angle but the Thunder keeper managed to get a hand to the ball but couldn’t keep it under control. As the ball fell loose, waiting on the edge of the 6 yard box was Ewan, who tapped the ball into the back of the net as the Thunder goal keeper attempted to make a follow up save (that was Ewan’s second goal of the season).

In the 35th minute, the City defence denied Thunder a goal scoring chance. Following a corner kick to Thunder, a short goalmouth scramble ensued from the resultant cross. The melee ended when a Thunder attacker got the ball on the edge of the 6 yard box and struck a shot at goal which was heading into the left side of the City goal until Tom, the City keeper lunged to his right with a strong hand to push the ball around the post and out for a corner.

In the 49th minute, City scored another goal in the match. Arlo had the ball mid-way into the Thunder half and played the ball forward into the penalty area where Olly was in space with only the Thunder keeper between him and the goal. Olly spun as the ball came to him a few metres out from the goal and smashed it into the roof of the net (that was Olly’s third goal of the season and Arlo’s third assist).

In the 59th minute, City scored another goal in the match. Following a corner to City, a goalmouth scramble ensued in the Thunder penalty area. After a short spell of ping ponging around the area, the ball was knocked out of danger by a Thunder defender. The ball made it as far as a few metres outside the D, where Joel had pushed up from a defensive position. Joel controlled the ball and took a pinpoint shot at goal that flew over all the players in the area, including the Thunder keeper and nestled into the top left corner of the goal (that was Joel’s fifth goal of the season).

Well played Thunder and good luck for the rest of the season. The match was watched by a couple of dozen respectful spectators who enjoyed a great game of football. All the City players put in great performances in the game but it was Hayden who was awarded man-of-the-match.

Thanks to all the City parents for their support on match day.