Match report

Season Date Round Venue
2022 U13 2nd July 9:00am League Round 9 MB Beatty Tce
Goals
N/A

Best
N/A
Goals
N/A

Best
N/A
Match report

Murray Bridge Blue Hosted Woodside Warriors U13 Red in the early game this week on a hard, dry and freezing Beatty Terrace pitch.

It is fair to say that Murray Bridge Blue is a young and inexperienced group of budding footballers. But they are coached by one of the best in the business and, because of their willingness and commitment, are rapidly learning the intricacies of this complex and nuanced sport. In an act of sportsmanship, Bridge agreed to play ten-a-side for the duration as Woodside had again found themselves ravaged by illness and injury. This set the scene for a fast and open match.

Woodside started the stronger, creating numerous opportunities to score, but were repeatedly denied by a keeper with impeccable hands and quick reflexes. And when playing out from the back, Bridge’s training showed. They were poised and deliberate, using short, accurate passes to advance the ball forward, where they looked perpetually likely to score. But the Woodside backs were also up to the challenge, denying every surge and linking neatly with their midfield to clear the area and counter at the other end. Although Woodside had an abundance of shots-on-goal in the first half, a dogged Bridge side only let one through, and gave themselves every chance of fighting back in the second term.

When play resumed, the Warriors lifted their tempo. Where they had previously looked slightly lethargic in their challenges, they were now committing wholly, and winning much more ball for it. With more ball came more chances, and better chances. Several 1 V 1s on the goalkeeper were created and converted, with the net stretched multiple times by both strikers. These were the result of committed running, clean passing and composed finishing. As a result, they established a commanding, if not insurmountable, lead midway through the second half.

Despite battling through a tough start to the season, and facing a challenging deficit, Bridge never stopped! By the end, most who saw this game would agree that Murray Bridge Blue is among the most well-coached sides in the league – And undoubtedly the most improved. Their short passing, structural awareness, ability to play out from the back, and general willingness to listen, learn and implement was exemplary. This group is going to be a force!

Woodside played well across the board in this match and deserved to take the choccies, but the true winner today was the game itself – The Beautiful Game.