Game Week 5 v CLEVELAND HALL YELLOWS

Rutherford were back in action today after a 6 week break due to Christmas and numerous storms against a familiar team in Cleveland Hall Yellows. A number of the players go school together, went to school together or know each other from other teams sports such as rugby, even Shaun and I know their coach, John, from our level 1 coaching course.

Games against Cleveland Hall are always close, never more than a goal or two in the game and they're always tough games, today proved to be no different.

Max Billingham was missing due to a stomach bug which was a great shame as he'd worked his way back to fitness following a long absence and he was desperate to play, luckily we have a game tomorrow and I'm sure he'll be raring to go. So it was pretty much the same team as we fielded in the last game, Joe coming in for Connor at RB and Jack in for Aodan in Goal and the objective was to implement the core passing moves we've been working so hard on in training.

The first half was an even affair, Rutherford probably just edging it without dominating, trying to use the passing combinations in all areas of the pitch and up to a point it was very neat and tidy. It's really pleasing to see players want to receive the ball and pick their heads up when passing. The final third was proving slightly more difficult to get some success and this was almost entirely due to the Cleveland central defender who was playing very impressively, winning tackles and covering well.

Rutherford defended well, Jack collecting through balls and distributing with hands and feet well, defending corners and long throws was good too, players marking, communicating and attacking the ball. The breakthrough came after a few substitutions, Penny, Connor and Aodan on for Elliott, Joe and Jacob and it was these three game changers who created the goal. Connor down the line to Penny who played the ball across to Aodan to score low into the corner. 1 nil.

Cleveland pushed on towards the second half and forced a few corners, one of which wasn't defended as stoutly as the previous ones and a Cleveland player scored from close range just on the stroke of half time. It was a tough blow to take

Into the second half and it was deja vu with Cleveland scoring from a corner which wasn't defended as well as we could've.

Both teams played the second half well, Cleveland probably edging it as Rutherford couldn't quite get the same level of success with the passing as in the first half and we just couldn't break through he Cleveland defence. 10 minutes or so from time, Cleveland scored a third from the edge of the box, it was a well taken goal and that pretty much sealed the game.

A very even game with a few players really standing out. Callum was brilliant again at left back, he really uses the "lending pass" core move well and puts in some crunching tackles. Aodan scored a good goal against his mates which is alway a bonus, Jack showed some real positive signs on improvement following his hard work outside of our Wednesday training, collecting the ball, distributing well and he made a great block in the first half even though the player had strayed offside. Man of the Match however goes to Taylor who impressed throughout. He's very quick and covers well, tries to get on the ball and pass forwards and he's not afraid to step in midfield and carry the ball forwards. A lot of talk was about the Cleveland centre back and rightly so, but our Taylor wasn't far behind. And this is only he's 8th competitive game!