On Wednesday 17th April, the Year 10 football team travelled to Wednesfield Academy for their first football fixture of the year. On an evening that was plagued by strong winds, the lads did extremely well to manage the conditions and come away with a 2-2 draw. It was always going to be a game of who can cope with the wind the best and use it to their advantage when with the wind. Smestow managed to do this early on where we took an early lead through YR9 H Davies who used his pace down the left hand side to get onto a great throw ball from K Crosdale, take it round the on rushing goalkeeper and slot it into the bottom corner. By scoring so early it meant the lads took their foot off the gas and did not capitalise on Wednesfield mistakes and the wind being with them, Smestow had lots of the play but didn’t make the possession or territory count and with some good defending from Wednesfield the score remained 1-0 up until half time.
Mr Webb prepped the lads at half time that it was going to be a different half for them and that they are going to have to defend well and keep the ball on the floor. The lads did use this to their advantage and took it on board but some things like strong winds you cannot control. Wednesfield were very direct and got the ball forward early and used the strength of having a pacey powerful striker in their ranks. This was the cause of the first goal where he latched onto a throw ball and slotted it beyond our goalkeeper and the second goal wasn’t much different which found Smestow 2-1 down with not long of the half left to play. Credit to the boys they kept going and trying to play football the right way with getting the ball on the floor and working chances but it just wasn’t happening for them, until the last minute of the game. Some composed play by D Jonkam on the left hand side meant that he realised S Toora down the left knowing he had the pace to get on the end of a through ball and played a fantastic cross into the box which was held up in the wind and there appeared centre back R Roberts to volley in the cross at the back post to spark wild celebrations from the Smestow lads. They did fantastically well to stay in the game and gain a draw from the fixture, with conditions as they were the lads should be proud of how they played and did not stop working for one another.
Big shout out to H Davies and C Omorowa who are both in YR9 and were fantastic on the day, more than held their own. C Omorowa a rock at the back getting man of the match and H Davies grabbing our first goal!
