Naunton Park was bathed in sunlight on a glorious afternoon. It was finally upon us, the season opener against Southside. It's still not clear how this team are now U16's as none of the parents looks old enough. Has it really been 10 years for many of these lads?
With a maximum permitted squad of 11 starters and 5 subs LRFC lined up in 4-2-3-1 formation. Will, the captain, in goal. The centre back pairing was Lewis and Ben. Ben given the instruction to attack the ball and Lewis to sweep behind. The starting full backs were Adam on the left and Sam on the right. The holding midfield pair were Freddie and Ryan. In front of them Jacob started in the number 10 role with Jorge ahead of him. On the right was Ollie and the left was Luca. LRFC had a super-strong bench in Tom, Max, Dan G, Dan A and Alf. Not a weak player amongst any of the 16 and that doesn't include Tommy who did make the selection today. Quality-quality-quality.
The games started and LRFC were quickly into possession. Freddie and Ryan destroying and the full backs joining play to support the midfield. The outlet was always the wingers and both Ollie and Luca started strongly. Early crosses from Ollie found their way into the box but an LRFC head could not make a connection count. On the left Luca was looking sharp and went very close with a shot from just inside the half way line that narrowly missed. The shot was on as the Southside keeper was playing the sweeper keeper role to the maximum flying out of his goal to support his defence.
For all their possession LRFC struggled to make the breakthrough. The final ball being just off or the shot scuffed. Southside were limited to rare forays into the LRFC half and when they did work space to get a shot away the strike was not clean and Will was able to save comfortably.
The breakthrough came from a free kick. Ollie was driving in off the wing and brought down just outside the box to the right of the 'd'. As the team looked for Tommy (following his cup final heroics) to realise he wasn't there Ollie took the kick himself. All the smart money was on the ball going over the bar; it flew into the bottom corner beating everyone. 1-0. Having got the first goal LRFC could be forgiven for thinking that this would lead to more following quickly. They didn't, half time and it was 1-0.
During the half LRFC made a number of changes rotating the squad to keep it fresh and also to acknowledge that this early in the season their fitness is not yet as it should be or will be after a few more matches.
The first changes were Max and Dan A replacing Jorge and Jacob.
Max would go on to be the MotM - as the play stretched and Southside tired he started to run the game. Picking up the ball deep and playing it into the channels. A languid footballer that looks like he's on the verge of falling down such is his style yet he is capable of playing a killer pass that few can see let alone execute.
The second half saw LRFC score five more goals. Dan A would score two and set-up a third that went in off the wrong footed defender. It was his goal that showed when he is about and what he will bring to this team. As the ball rolled towards the touchline and with everyone having given it up he burst through, controlled the ball and played it across the goal for the defender to fumble his clearance and put through his own net.
Jacob would add two, although was upstaged by his brother scoring four on the neighbouring pitch, from the left wing position. One was a special goal that came from a move where the ball was brought out of defence, played through the middle and then out to Sam wide right. Into the box where Jorge got on the end of it and laid it into Jacobs path. A special team goal.
The game played out and finished 6-0 with Southside defending ever deeper.
This was an impressive LRFC performance against an opposition that eventually ran out of steam. There were a number of changes made that had little impact on the pattern of play. Every outfield player was rotated for some period. As injuries crept in, Ollie coming off with a dead leg and Alf taking a heavy knock on his ankle that LRFC had a full squad was invaluable.
There is room for improvement, sharpness will come as will fitness and sterner tests of their credentials. It starts next Sunday with a home match against Painswick in a repeat of the U15's cup final. That Painswick won 6-1 against Bishops Cleeve shows that they have started strongly too.
Well done to Max for his MotM and the squad on an excellent victory.
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