Herons hold firm at Widbrook

With Widbrook Hurricanes also sporting red a red shirt, the bright green bibs were adorned by the Heron's players for this one. A closely contested affair, opening up with both teams attempting sus each other out and gain some control. Only a few chances in the opening 12 minutes, which saw the Herons appear to be gaining control before Widbrook opened the scoring with a quick counter-attack that caught the Herons Midfield napping. Not letting their heads drop the Herons continued to battle and their persistence paid off when the defence was turned into attack as Noah managed a pass out of the defence, which was latched onto by Olly 08 who played another good pass through to Olly 13, he took the ball in his stride and finished with a well placed shot past the keeper and into the empty net. Thanks to a brave save from Herons GK Taylor, taking the ball from the feet of the striker, as Widbrook broke down the right and crossed into the box for the advancing striker who had lost his marker, the scores at half-time stayed level.

The second half started with Widbrook making a solid start, taking control and creating a good few chances, It wasn't long before they made the pressure count as a defended corner saw the ball cleared away, but only back to the Widbrook right midfielder, indecision by the Herons and a failure to close down the player allowed him the space and time needed to pick his spot from the edge of the box, with a curling shot which easily beat the Herons' keeper and flew into the far top corner of the goal for what was, the goal of the day. This seemed to kick start the Herons back into action though and from the kick-off they got themselves more organised and more determined. Starting with a great chance for Olly as his determination won him the ball at the halfway line, he broke free of his defender and was bearing down on the keeper only to lift his early shot just over the crossbar and out for a goal kick. The Herons finally levelled the match when a Gethin free-kick landed for Jack in the area whos' strike at goal was well blocked, the rebound fell for Adam who calmly sent it back into the net too high for the flailing keeper to reach.

The Herons pressed on looking for a winner, but some great counter-attacking football by Widbrook meant the Herons GK had to show his class. A failure of the Herons Midfield to get back and defend, allowed Widbrook to create a chance with 3 attackers on 1 defender. Noah managed to force the ball carrier wide, but couldn't prevent the square pass across goal which fell to the Widbrook striker to finish in, what appeared to be an empty net. He took his shot aimed towards the middle of the goal, and somehow Taylor's cat-like reactions to dive down to his right, were enough for him to get a hand to the ball and stop it going in. Then being quickest to react he managed to get back up and pounce on the ball, smothering what would have been a certain goal by one of the two Widbrook forwards advancing on the rebound. Widbrook had another chance to win the match with another 3 on 1 counter-attack, this time the ball carrier took his own shot which hit the back of the legs of the advancing Widbrook striker allowing Taylor to smother the ball again. The Herons also had a couple of opportunities to take the win with their best chance falling to Jack who powerful shot just skimmed past the wrong side of the post. The game finished all square, but another good result as far as the Herons are concerned.