Goalkeeper on fire...

LRFC Cougars (3) v (3) Cinderford Town

That this game finished 3-3 owes much to the Cinderford keeper as much
as it does the strikers on display.

Cinderford played a strong direct style that we struggled to contain.
Rather than use the width, where there was space, we tried to play
their game. After an initial storm we began to come into the game more
and started to link passes. There were glimpses of last weeks form
starting to emerge.

We went a goal down where indecision at the back cost us and left
Cinderford with a tap in. As much as we were showing lack of decision
at the back up front we were equally profligate and failing to strike
with conviction when faced with the goal. To the lads credit the
equaliser after the opener came within a minute. Jacob scoring with
his swede from a corner.

We took the lead with Taylor finishing very well after good work from
Jacob and Luca. Before the half was out we would go behind again
conceding two goals to robust direct play. The half finishing 3-2.

Second half and we scored early, Jacob slotting past the keeper to make it 3-3.

From here on in we dominated the play, Freddie saw a header hit the
post. Tom, late on, saw a shot crash off the crossbar. Louis drew the
save of the game from the keeper who deflected his ferocious shot over
the cross bar. Luca, playing up front, saw shot after shot saved by
the keeper. It was commented by our resident GK experts, the Fenleys,
that his was the best goal keeping performance that they have seen
against us. Finn got in on the act seeing a well struck shot saved.

It wasn't all one way traffic though and Cinderford had a couple of
chances late on, that would have won the game.

The game finished 3-3 with Freddie the MotM. He was dominant, winning
header after header and showing neat touches on the floor. There was
an incident where the referee needed to get involved but that was over
as quickly as it began.

As much as we missed a number of chances they were largely on target
and well struck, we just met a keeper on electric form who stopped
everything.

We have a fortnight off now for Christmas, hopefully the lads will
have stopped playing with their Star Wars Lego and action man toys and
be ready for the game on 4th January away to Lakeside.

Surely we will never have that many shots saved again....