There were two important games in the TW11 Area on Saturday 3rd November; England v South Africa and the Lions Vs Rovers and there is only one game you should have watched.
As a cup game Rovers needed to win this.
Rovers started the game and kept possession with some nice one touch passing; in fact the Lions struggled to get a touch.
Finally the Lions managed to get hold of the ball and push the Rovers back but then Jake M made a clearance in the 7thminute. Finch then pushed the game back in the 15thminute and Harrison B rose to head the ball which went just past the keeper just going to the wrong side of the post. Harrison took one for the team getting an elbow and in the face in the process. Finch showed determination and kept up the attack with 2 consecutive corners, but couldn’t get a shot on target.
21 minutes gone and the Lions came back into the game pushing Finch back. A poor clearance from Finch enabled the Lions to attack and score a goal…but it was off side’.
Finch started to play their passing game again, Cam went down the right wing and passed to Nathaniel who then crossed the ball across the 6yrd box, but Harrison couldn’t quite get to the ball.
Harrison then put the ball through to Nathaniel who had just got the keeper to beat, but unfortunately the ball just went past the post. Lucas C then did an overhead kick to give Jake a powerful shot on goal, but the ball again went past the post .
Half time
Second half and Finch started as they left off in the first half pushing the Lions back. 45 minutes gone and Finch got a throw just over the half way line, Sam T took a long throw and put Nathaniel through again but the Lions keeper got down to the low shot .
The Lions came back again and put the ball through, with 3 strikers and Luke L chasing the ball. Luke then stepped up a gear overtaking the strikers to push the ball back to Luke C in goal.
A long corner was taken by the Lions and the ball bounced around Finch’s penalty box. One of the Lions then launched a shot that was heading into the top corner of the Finch goal! Luke C stretched out his right hand and pushed the ball past the post, a DEFINITE save of the season.
90 minutes of great football and it was 0-0, so we were on to the dreaded penalties.
The Lions score with their first penalty and go 1 up, then Ajay stepped up for Finch and levels the score.
The Lions stepped up and scored again, this time it was Jake M who levelled the score with a powerful penalty shot.
The Lions took their next penalty and scored again! The pressure was now on for Lucas C – but that didn’t worry him as he evened the score making it 3 all.
The Lions next penalty took them 4-3 up, it was now up to Sam F to level the score; and despite a great shot the keeper made a good save.
The Lions only needed to put the last penalty away to go through to the next round, and despite Luke C’s best effort they managed to score. The best team definitely did not win. So it was a long drive home but on a positive note Finch played the best football this season.
Well done Finch Rovers you should all be proud of yourselves.