UITC follow up the last rounds victory at Tottenham with huge win at Cobham
Yesterday saw us take a huge step in what we are trying to achieve here at UITC but I think also raised a couple of points that need nailing down. We play in a competition called PLFL, which comprises of three leagues made up of league clubs. These are not the clubs youth teams, they are loosely described as 'development and education' teams. What this enables the clubs to do is allow the players that didn't quite make the grade for their Youth Team Academy, another chance in football. They train and do education everyday as we do and it gives the players another shot in football,and gives the clubs a chance to keep tabs on players. For instance, 3 of Watfords side from last season signed professional contracts at league clubs, Chesterfield gave a pro contract to their goalkeeper this season so in effect it can be huge for players.
Chelsea have 3 teams entered in the competition to maximise their potential to find players that have slipped through the net, the one we played yesterday was their A team who operate at Chelsea's impressive Cobham training ground everyday, so we knew it would be a tough game. They had lost only once this season and were unbeaten in 6 but we felt we could beat them.
We started brightly, maybe they underestimated us, but for the first 15 minutes they couldn't handle our players. Tom Gameson had his best game to date, finally fully using his big powerful frame and opened the scoring on 12 minutes. James Obern laid the ball back and he struck a low left footed volley from 20 yards to give us a deserved lead. It should of been 2 six minutes later when Matty James had two opportunities to score, one was cleared off the line and Matt Owen smashed the rebound off the bar. It was then I turned to Steve Brotherwood my assistant and said 'they are going to put us under pressure soon, and we will struggle'. It's something that always happens in a game, especially when you don't get the crucial second goal. Chelsea started to use their physical dominance over us and it told on 32 minutes when we conceded from a free-kick. We didn't deal with the first ball and it was bundled home by their lively striker. The game was balanced until half time but I was delighted with our first 45 minutes.
The second half was a mirror of the first. We started well again and on 52 minutes the lead was restored when Chelsea's keeper failed to deal with a Carlos Moreira free-kick and Matty James was on hand to poke home. A good period again from us didn't bring a goal and Chelsea came back stronger than they did in the first half. They scored again through the striker and had another chance which Benn Pugh did well to hold. Our defending was strong again and it needed to be. Our substitutes came at the right time and we did well in the last 10 minutes, Will Lawley could of won it for us but shot wide with injury time looming.
I told the lads before extra time not to sit on the fact that we had taken them past 90 minutes and that we go for the win, and we sure did. We came out strong and after good work from Moreira down the left the ball came back to Lawley who made no mistake from 12 yards 7minutes into the first period. My instructions were simple before the restart, I told the boys to keep going at Chelsea. Many managers would of said keep it tight for the rest of extra time, don't give them anything but I believe in the players and thought we could finish the game off. We were on top for the remainder of the half and I think that surprised them.
A quick chat before the second period, I said Chelsea would come at us and there would be times we would have to be strong and defend, but I also said we go for that next goal and not sit in. What happened in the next 15 minutes surprised even me. We pressed them, out fought them and out played them. Tom Gameson scored from a corner with a good header before Moreira grabbed a deserved goal, dinking over the advancing keeper. Finally Moreira won a penalty and gave the ball to Gameson to complete his 'perfect' hatrick. If I am honest, another 5-10 minutes would of seen us score another 3/4 goals. Chelsea had gone, and it was because of how we played.
It is a massive achievement to beat any Chelsea team, especially for where we are at the moment. It also shows how many good players in and around Hereford get over looked because of our geological location. Jarod Bowen, Ben Miller, Billy Murphy and others have come through the age groups here at UITC and gone on to better things, I hope some of these boys we have now do the same and they are going in the right direction. We are starting something good here and these boys could be the future. We are holding trials in February for next season so if you are 16-18 and want a chance to play against good teams, at venues like Cobham and Birmingham City's training ground alongside a BTec education programme which will give the equivalent of 3 A-levels then get in touch on our UITC website or Twitter via @HUFCCommunity.
Finally a mention to all of our players yesterday, including two U16's we hope to have with us next season in Jay Richmond and Lewis Clarke. Whether mentioned in the report or not everybody played well yesterday and I hope they take that form into next weeks game against top of the table Burton Albion. A big thanks also goes to everyone who tweeted HUFCCommunity, myself and the players yesterday, they were all read and appreciated.
Team: Benn Pugh, Liam Taylor, Simon Morgan, Matty James, Chris May, Tom Jenkins, Robbie Trumper, Carlos Moreira, Matty Owen, James Obern, Tom Gameson
Subs: Will Lawley, Lewis Fletcher, Lewis Clarke, Jay Richmond