M4 vs Royston 28th Feb 2010

[Cass Khan]

Captain Khan Rallies the Troops

Welwyn team {Roger Smith, Ian CatchPole, Mike Parsons, Terry Dakin, Rob Goss, Chris Bagley, Garth Eggle, Tariq Hassain, Faraz Khan, Cass Khan, Tom Fellas, James Dakin, Alex Bagley, Harrison Forsyth, Eric Watts}

Welwyn IVs won their first ‘Key People’ game in 2010, 2-1 against Royston IVs.

Welwyn started the game with another changed side welcoming back Rob Goss and Harrison Forsyth from injury. The multitalented Harrison converting from goalkeeper (in his last game) to right wing in today’s game.

Welwyn started the game well with Alex worrying the Royston defence with his speed. However, Welwyn’s play deteriorated through the rest of the first half, poor basic skills and inaccurate passing contributing.
Royston charged down a Welwyn hit, broke away and the free left winger slotted the ball away.

After the push back, Faraz dribbled down Welwyn’s right side and found Garth free in the D but he failed to convert. Another Royston attack followed and defender Mike Parsons showed Garth how to score by deflecting the ball into the Welwyn goal. Fortunately the original shot originated outside the D and this resulted in a long corner for Royston. Next season’s rule changes would have resulted in this being a goal.

The score was finally levelled when Cass Khan received the ball in midfield, found Faraz who passed the ball to Garth in the D. Garth hesitated and then spun round, as Welwyn have seen him do before, to flick the ball low into the right corner of the Royston goal.

Back at the other end Royston won a short corner. A smart push out was followed by a flurry of 4 shots which the Welwyn keeper Smith saved well. This was at an important period of the game and allowed Welwyn to turn into the break at 1-1.

At half time Khan gathered his team in the goal mouth and “threw the boot”. After declaiming the first half performance, he asked for much more effort and accuracy from his team in the second half.

This seemed to work and Welwyn started off the second half with some fine forward play by Watts, Cass Khan and Alex Bagley which resulted in several Welwyn attacks. A Welwyn short corner followed and some intricate stick work by Hassain freed Faraz who blasted the ball against the Royston post.

It was beginning to look like “one of those games” until Faraz dribbled through and took a shot. An unlucky Royston defender deflected the ball into the Royston goal.

In the final 10 minutes, Cass used his substitutes and Harrison and James Dakin came on to refresh the tiring legs of Chris and Alex Bagley.

A narrow but deserved victory leaves Welwyn firmly mid-table with no prospect of promotion but no danger of relegation. This should allow Welwyn to relax and experiment for the rest of the season.

**Posted on behalf of cass**