Buckhurst Hill Royals U12 10-0 Petts Wood FC
London Cup last 16
Most Hill fans, players and staff were expecting a tricky game against Pettswood as we remembered them from a friendly last season where they acquitted themselves very well and held Hill to a draw.
However, within the first few minutes of the game the result looked sealed as a strongly set up and well organised Hill performance all round, coupled with a burst of clinical finishing, took the wind out of the visitors sails.
After 1 minute on the clock a defensive lapse from Pettswood put in Swan through the middle…once he got ahead of the defenders and his body in front there was only one outcome and a calm finish in the bottom corner put Hill into a very early lead.
Then on 5 minutes a super through ball from G. Johnson played in Brookes who once also showed great composure to finish neatly from 18 yards…2-0.
Hill fans were delighted to have got off to such a fast start and we were controlling the game very well. However at this point we still knew the outcome was not certain as Pettswood possess a number of decent players and were trying hard to play a passing game…it was only Hills strength and organisation that barely let them out of their own half. On 8 mins the result was effectively sealed as Swan got in behind their defence once again, got his back in and held off both their centre halves to slot in for 3-0.
On 11 minutes Hill scored again after Brookes made a characteristic run down the left, cut the ball back to Emerson who headed in from 6 yards, only to be given offside. On a normal day the Hill fans would have had something to say, but on this occasion remained calm…they knew another was on it way. Sure enough 1 minute later they were right. Redhead straight from the corner….Georgie Best style, dipped in at the far post….4-0.
On 14 minutes after some god work from King down the right who played a cute lob into the box and Emerson was perfectly placed to make it 5-0.
The crowd were completely relaxed now as were the Hill players. Despite the manager playing a shrewd game of sun angle calculation and planning to play downhill with the sun in the Pettswood keepers eyes in the second half, such tactics were not required as Hill made it 6-0 another minute later with one of the moves of the game. The Stevie Gerard-esque (His dad may well claim more Diarme-esque!) G. Johnson won the ball well in the middle, turned to the right ran at a penetrating cross field angle and played a great ball in behind the defence for Ewing to run onto …the ball sat up lovely and Ewing smashed it across goal at half height in at the far post. 6-0.
On 20 mintes Swan made a strong run down the left and stood a lovely ball up at the far post for Brookes to calmly slot home for 7-0.
Then the final act of the first half on about 22 mins saw Emerson make a god run into the box and was brought down by two Pettswood defenders. Ewing took and struck it very well to he keepers right, but somehow the keeper got across and made a stunning save to prevent it being 8-0 at half time. At their point it is only right to mention the Pettswood keeper, who made 4 or 5 fabulous saves throughout the game and looks a fine player.
Thankfully the ref blew up for half time…not literally…just his whistle!!
The second half started, not surprisingly, in a somewhat more relaxed frame than the first and for the first 10 minutes there was barely a chance created, though some nice play from both sides.
10 minutes in however and a good run from Swan saw Redhead played in who struck a good shot, only to see the keeper once again make a super save. After that the game went quiet again until the last 10 minutes.
On 23 mins, a quick breakaway after some Pettswood pressure saw a great bit of interplay as G.Johnson played in Redhead who played in Emerson…. Dackombe joined in on the overlap down the right and played a super cross to Swan who's powerful header just rose over the bar….pro football.
On 25 mins and Hill had their appetite back again Brookes played in Harrison who lifted a good left foot lob, which just went over.
The eighth however was not long in coming. On 27 mins, G. Johnson played a lovely through ball into the game running of Harrison who found a neat finish to make it 8-0.
On 29 minutes a ball down the left was diverted back inside and across the box and Dackombe, from right back, somehow showed up on the left edge of the box, opened his body up nicely and lifted it over the keeper from 20 yards to make it 9-0.
It was at this point the Hill formation was disappearing out the window as players in all positions were keen to get involved in the scoring act. Only the discipline of Eave and H. Barrett remained as they had all game, marshalling the Hill defence superbly in the middle and mopping up everything thrown at them. Basi, who played a fine passing game at left back was also seen pushing forward in the second half, keen to add to his seasons tally, though the opportunity didn't come his way.
The final nail came in the last minute after a 20 yard shot from G. Johnson was not held by the keeper his one minor error all day, and Harrison was on hand to clean up neatly to take the score into double figures.
So the game finished 10-0…Hill progressed into the quarter finals and can sit back proudly going into year end and ahead of Santa's visit having finished the last couple of games very strongly and nicely set up for a big cup and league push in 2013.
Well done to Pettswood for not letting their heads go down and best wishes to them and their very sporting coaches and parents for the rest of the season.
