The Year 5 football team were yesterday involved in an exciting encounter against Hymers College. Played on home soil, Victoria Dock did not make home advantage count early on and looked sluggish in the opening periods. Hymers however, started at a blistering pace and came close to opening the scoring twice in the first five minutes, only to see well struck efforts pass the post or clear the crossbar.
It seemed only a matter of time before Hymers would take the lead which proved to be the case as on the 8 minute mark, Victoria Dock goalkeeper, Harry White, was beaten from close range. This came after a failed clearance from a corner. The visitors soon extended their lead after a ball was given away from the Victoria Dock defence. The Hymers attack capitalised and took their chance well firing in a well placed shot into the roof of the net, nearly breaking it too!
Towards the end of the first half Victoria Dock finally showed some signs of getting back into the game with Joshua Shode marginally over the crossbar after seeing the Hymer’s keeper off his line. Victoria Dock could not however pull a goal back, resulting in a 0 – 2 deficit at the break.
After what must have been a motivating half time team talk by Head Coach Mr Kite, the Victoria Dock team started the second half in splendid fashion. Within minutes of the re-start Joshua Shode was unlucky not to claw a goal back, seeing his effort sail agonisingly over the Hymer’s crossbar once again.
This did not deter the boys however as better was yet to come. After some good build up play from their own defence, the ball eventually found its way into the path of midfielder Jack Haslope who fired in a ferocious shot from outside the area to beat the Hymers keeper. The scores now looked more respectable at 1 – 2. This clearly seemed to spur the team on who now looked hungry for goals and were rewarded with another one only moments later. An excellent through ball was played through for Nathan Smith who was quicker that the Hymer’s keeper and was able to dink one over him to level the scores!
By now the game was being controlled by Victoria Dock, and not content with the scores level, the boys pushed on to look for the lead for the first time. With only three minutes left on the clock their excellent second half display saw Victoria Dock take the lead. Liam Williamson had caused the Hymers defence problems during the whole second half. He took a chance that fell to him firing in from 8 yards into the top left hand corner.
After such an excellent second half display it was nothing less than the boys deserved. With only one minute left on the clock however, Hymers pressed well and managed to level the scores up once more. A Hymer’s player reacted the quickest during a scramble in the area to beat Harry White from 6 yards out. With only seconds left on the clock Nathan Smith appeared through on goal but was taken down by a last gasp lunge by a defender just outside the box. The resulting free kick was well palmed away by the keeper with the game eventually ending 3 – 3.
A fair result with both teams each dominating a half each.
