Nothing beats being on the pitch! The lads played their first game back since lockdown against the Albion foundation’s EFL C team. It started off as a game that showed 2 teams that had missed competitive football and both sides struggled to get any sort of flow to the game. The EFL C team showed a bit more composure and looked to threaten the Etone lads early on. However, after 15 minutes Etone edged in front through D King with a well-placed strike. After this the lads really put the pressure on the EFL C team and worked hard to make the EFL C team uncomfortable on their own pitch. A couple of good chances go wanting as the Etone lads see out the 2nd half with a small advantage. 2nd half gets underway and shortly after winning the ball from the kick off the Etone lads double their lead with an excellent well worked team goal finished off by L Watts After this the lads didn’t look back as they controlled the tempo throughout. Another good display of pressing in the opposition half leads to an intercept and D King gets his 2nd of the game. J Thompson takes advantage of a GK mistake scoring a volley from 40 yards out and Watts gets his second from the penalty spot kick minutes after having a goal disallowed for offside. After that the Etone lads controlled the game and could have increased their lead by several more goals from C Rowley, King and Watts, but it wasn’t to be this time. A solid display of football from the young lads, creating plenty of opportunities in the opposition box and a fantastic attitude from the players to get a clean sheet.

5/5 vs Future Pro

A dominating start from the Academy team as they set out the intensity of the game early, suffocating the visitors with a well worked press, moving the ball with purpose and tempo. The game was a well fought one, in the middle of the pitch and with both teams testing each others defending abilities. 

However the equality was not to last, it was the home side that created better chances with some good combinations and through balls for L Watts and C. Unfortunately there was a little need for more composure in the box to convert their chances. This didn’t deter the lads though as they continued to probe and dictate the tempo of the game in a first half of many missed chances. The team finally converted a goal just before the half time whistle on the 43rd minute from C Rowley after some patient build up to finish on a clever through ball, from J Thompson, to pick out a well timed run from C Rowley. Who showed far more composure this time with a low drive into the far corner. 1-0 into the break with a brilliant first half from the Academy players but the score should be more considering how many chances have been missed, lets hope the lads don’t pay for their missed chances. The 2nd half and the visitors make wholesale changes to counter the Academy lads changing formation and personal. This seems to spur the home side though with some more good chances missed from D King after closing his opposite number down and robs him of the ball and hits a well placed shot into the nearest corner but the goalkeeper pulls off a great save. The Academy double their lead after S Wilson cuts inside and reverses the ball into C Rowley who hits it first time and converts brilliantly just after the hour mark. After the 2nd goal Future pro makes further changes to change the outcome of the game and again this seems to have made an impact as the visitors enjoy the lions share of possession. They create some good efforts from free kicks with a couple efforts on the back post and number 10 cuts inside to hit a shot narrowly wide. Other than a few well defended corner the Home side never looked worried as they managed the game well, defending as a team and denying the visitors any clear cut chances. Final score 2-0 from the Academy and an excellent performance that they will be looking to replicate into next week’s fixture.