Weekly 6's Report

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain

After a scorchio for most of the UK this week it seemed unlikely even as lunchtime passed yesterday and the JA players were starting to think less about their work and more about their upcoming match that it could possibly rain in the evening.

Hoops was quoted during the intense heat as saying “I hope it rains"

Well rain it did. It was torrential. It was incessant. It was glorious.

Welcome to this week’s round up of JA 6’s action.

This week saw the numbers stay high for us to continue on the 6’s pitch. Even with a host of big names out the quality on show was superb.

This week saw the SPR Phoenix take on CT Tornados.

Lining up for the SPR Phoenix were SPR, Hoops, Coisty, Murney, Mr Chopper and Wieg.

Against them for the CT Tornados were CT, NNH, Chopper 2, Lauders, Paddy and the long awaited return of Guyser.

The game started with both teams playing a high line pushing for an early goal with shots going narrowly wide, keepers making decent saves and a Murney long ranger pinging off the bar.

The breakthrough eventually came for the Phoenix after some tidy interlinking passes between the team. This goal opened the floodgates and within a few minutes the goals were flying in at both ends. With 15 minutes gone the scores were level. The pick of the bunch of the early goals were an NNH long range angled strike and a Murney header from close range.

By half time though the Phoenix has really upped their game and were a good 4/5 goals in front after a spell of intense pressure that the Tornados just couldn’t find a way out of. Coisty and Hoops were looking to make quick one-twos up and down the pitch to get in behind the Tornado defence with Wieg often the layoff man up front playing the quick return ball. Mr Chopper as always put himself about with an unfatigueable desire to win the ball in any situation anywhere on the pitch. The threat of another known as Chopper drove him on and on. SPR had what I felt was his best game yet at JA 6’s making some crucial tackles at crucial times and working hard to get up and down the park.

In fact during this incessant pressure NNH was quoted after the game as saying “I felt we were making it our business to actively give the ball away for a spell".

At this stage it looked like the game could get out of hand and the Phoenix could run away with it into silly figures. The Tornados got a few quick goals back after neat work between NNH, Chopper 2 and Paddy and then a calamitous own goal from Murney reminiscent of the goal that knocked England ladies out of the World Cup. Murney intercepted a Tornado through ball and chipped it safely back to Wieg in goals and on any other day would have been scooped up and game on. However on a wet pitch in the pouring rain the ball did its own thing by taking a slick bounce on the pitch and sliding under Wieg’s arms rather than bouncing into them.

This could be the moment for the Tornados; with only one goal in it again they were suddenly full of passion and determination again. The goals flowed back and forth with the score line staying steady at 1 or 2 in it. CT was finding space out on the flanks and making good use of it with an excellent goal to top it off. Even as Coisty warned the Phoenix “watch the shot" that was exactly what happened as CT sent a firebolt across the goal into the top corner. Paddy was roaming the pitch looking to take the ball and make a quick lay off or shot. Lauders continued to improve and impress never shying from the chance to get involved and bear down on goals while still getting back to help the defence. Guyser you could never tell had been away from 6’s for a while held a steady figure at the back at times, not diving in and allowing anyone to skip past, making some crucial tackles while getting forward to get a shot at goals.

NNH and Chopper 2 played some nice intricate passes between then at times really cutting through the Phoenix defence.

The SPR Phoenix withstood some constant pressure and with 15 minutes left on the clock turned their own play up a notch. A barrage of goals in a short period all but ended the match as a contest. The Tornados never let the Phoenix get completely out of sight but even when the Tornados got a goal back it was a sense of “whatever you can do......." for the Phoenix.

SPR came close a few times to getting a goal to cap off a good performance but the way the match went could be summed up near the end. Chopper 2 let fly with a shot at the Phoenix goal and it flew narrowly wide, however it bounced straight back off the boards behind and back up the pitch with Murney the quickest to respond and bore down one on one on the keeper to slot away. It was just typical of the Tornado game that they pressure the Phoenix goal but it was the Phoenix who got the goals.

In the end a 4/5 goal win for the Phoenix was fair in what was a very high scoring game.

Goal of the match is a real tough one to pick. NNH and CT both had great strikes for the Tornados, a whole host of good team goals from the Phoenix. In the end I think NNH’s goal edges it.

Save of the match is sometimes an unremarkable thing but this week there were a plethora of great saves. Guyser made a lot of great saves, Paddy blocking a Murney strike into the corner and Murney preventing a CT thunderbolt from flying into the top corner.

Nutmeg files – only one I can remember and I got an extreme close up view. Chopper 2 I don’t think had got past me all night but did so in the last few minutes with a delightful and delicate nutmeg

Man of the Match is one I am struggling to pick. Everyone in the winning team had a great game but I don’t feel anyone really ran the show. However I am giving my man of the match award to Paddy – despite being in the losing team I just felt that he was everywhere for the Tornados rarely putting a foot wrong.

This weekend sees a long awaited fortnight off for your favourite 6’s reporter. Someone else will fill the void in my absence as 5’s/6’s continues.

Until then from a wet night at Soccerworld I’ve been Murnetti reporting for your pleasure.

Nanoo nanoo.