Marlborough Black 2 V 1 Pentyrch Rangers 5 April 2014

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Marlborough Black 2  V 1 Pentyrch Rangers Following the first five minutes of settling into the game, it was Harrison who got off the first real shot on goal, a terrific volley, which brought out an equally good save by the Marlborough goalkeeper.  But within the minute Marlborough counter attacked and won a penalty, which they duly converted.  Marlboro Black 1 – 0 Pentyrch Rangers Buoyed by their goal Marlborough continued to apply the pressure with long balls out to the wings.  In the early stages of the game Marlborough adapted more quickly to the condition of the pitch, which made playing decent football all but impossible.  Given what a good footballing team Marlborough are it can only have been extremely frustrating season for them having to play their home games on this pitch.   And Pentyrch were to get a sense of this frustration. With 10 minutes gone another defensive misjudgement on a quagmire of a pitch and another penalty conceded.  Marlborough Black 2 – 0 Pentyrch Rangers. Stung into action, Pentyrch began to adapt and to apply pressure. On 12 minutes a great attack down the left started by Nick and carried through by Callum before pushing the ball on to Nat ends with the Marlborough goalie making a good save.  For the next fifteen minutes the game is more balanced as both teams look to create opportunities. On 23 minutes Nat wins a ball on the left hand side and feeds Leigh with a great through ball. But Leigh is just off-balance and his shot is always rising over the bar. Three minutes later and Dana launches an attack for Marlborough putting in a great cross to Joel who knocks the ball back into the box for Ollie.  A great save by George denies Marlborough a third goal. Marlborough are beginning to regain the ascendancy.  On 30 minutes, just as Dana is about to release Joel with an open path to goal, Tom A puts in a great cover tackle to snuff out the threat. With 36 minutes gone it is Pentyrch who now start to take control of the game. Nick wins the ball before feeding through to Harrison. He turns the Marlborough defender before releasing a great through ball to Leigh. He puts in a first time cross to Liam but his header is just over the bar. On 38 minutes Tyrone claims the ball to break up a Marlborough attack before driving forwards and launching a cross field ball to Callum. He ships the ball down the line to Leigh who puts in another  great cross. It forces Marlborough into conceding a corner, which they go on to scramble clear. Half-time: Marlboro Black 2 – 0 Pentyrch Rangers Pentyrch settle quickly into the second half, begin to gain the ascendancy and ratchet up the pressure on the Marlborough defence. With 52 minutes gone, Callum receives the ball from a throw-in, beats his man down the left before sending a great ball into the box.  The Marlborough goalie is just able to tip it over the bar.  From the resulting corner Leigh sends the ball into the box. Lucas gets off a shot on target, but the Marlborough goalie gathers safely. Two minutes later and a great run by Callum done the right to reach the goal line ends with him crossing the ball into the box. Tom A  receives the ball and gets in a shot; the ball ricochets out, landing at the feet of Lucas. He puts in a strike on goal but Marlborough again scramble clear.  With the pressure Pentyrch have been applying it would now seem only a matter of time before the Marlborough goal is breached. But when playing Marlborough it is impossible to relax for a second.  In spite of all the Pentyrch pressure, on 56 minutes Marlborough launch a counter attack.  It is only quick thinking by Matt whose pace carries him across the pitch to cut out the threat. On 62 minutes George is quickly off his line to claim the ball and thwart a Marlborough attack. Then with one of his trademark long kicks he finds a gap in the Marlborough defence. Leigh is quickly onto the ball and seeing the Marlborough goalkeeper off his line he lobs him from some 30 yards out to score.  Pentyrch Rangers 1 – 2 Marlborough Black For the next five minutes Pentyrch apply intense pressure on the Marlborough goal. Callum, Tom A, and Sam all get off good shots on goal, but each time the Marlborough defence scramble the ball away. On 68 minutes Tom E receives the ball from a throw-in. He drives down the line sending the ball past one side of the defender while he goes the other before cutting inside  to unleash a terrific shot.  Without knowing too much about it, a Marlborough defender deflects the ball for corner. With 70 minutes gone, a long speculative shot from Matt out on the left almost catches the goalkeeper off guard. Yet again the excellent  Marlborough goalie just manages to tip the ball over the bar to concede a corner. Leigh takes the corner but Marlborough clear.  A minute later and Callum wins another corner on the right hand side. The ball is again launched into the box.  This time Marlborough lay claim to the ball and bring it away but then concede a free kick some 30 yards out. Leigh lines up the ball and puts in a great shot, only to be denied yet again by the Marlborough goalie tipping the ball over the bar. The ball is again sent into the box and Pentyrch win yet another corner.  Again heroic, last-ditch defending by Marlborough clears the danger. With so many of Pentyrch’s players pressing forward Marlborough's clearance quickly turns into a counter attacking threat, but a thundering tackle from Ethan cuts out the danger. With a minute to go Pentyrch win a free kick just on the half way line. George comes forward to launch the ball into the Marlboro box. But in what has been the story of the day, Marlborough scramble the ball clear yet again to take the game and all three points. Full-time: Marlborough Black 2  V 1 Pentyrch Rangers For the rest of the Saturday's Results click on http://cardifffourfiveone.blogspot.co.uk/

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