MNJYSA game #8 (6th game played)
The Wildcats knew coming in that this was an important game... Flemington, even though they faultered last week, were still in second place in the standings only 2 points behind, and the Cyclones are the only team this season to deny the Wildcats a victory. The field in Flemington was a little bumpy, the grass was a little long, the wind was gusting pretty hard, and the temperature was dropping, but conditions were still better than our first encounter when we played in a mud-bath at Cobblestone early in the season.
We won the toss and elected to have the wind at our backs and go downhill in the first half. Flemington had the ball at kick-off, and looked to pressure early. Play was back and forth for the first seven minutes, then Jules made a nice run up the left wing, beating the RFB, and making a left footed cross that was handled by the keeper. A few minutes later the Wildcats had a flurry of runs at goal and shots, but without a finish.
After twenty minutes of mostly 18-to-18 action, Liz fed a ball to Reb in the center circle. Reb turned and pushed the ball through two middies and bulled her way in between them to push the ball forward again past the last defender and as the keeper and defender were closing on the ball, Reb took a lunging step and poked the ball under the keeper's right hand to find the bottom left hand corner of the net to put the Wildcats up 1-0.
Flemington kicked off, but lost the ball quickly to a hungry Wildcats midfield, and the ball was fed up the left wing to Amy, who took the defender to the edge of the box at full speed, then stopped on a dime, dragged back and left herself wide open for a strong right foot cross that eluded everyone and went out for a goal kick.
Reb has taken a knock earlier in the half and the referee was obviously adding injury time in the half, as (well into the 35th minute) Jules served a ball to Reb who turned and got off a soft shot that ended up going to Hannah who ran in at the far post, touched the ball down and hit the ball low far post beating the keeper and giving the Wildcats a 2-0 five seconds before the ref blew the half-time whistle at 36 minutes.
The Wildcats were praised at the half for their hustle to the ball, but were reminded that they couldn't let up, and that a 2-0 lead is the worst lead to have. Flemington must have been instructed to push hard at the whistle because they came up strong and pressured well, winning a corner kick 2 minutes in. The Wildcats cleared and pushed the ball up the left o Amy who fed Jules with a nice outside of her right foot lead pass that lead to a shot by Jules just inside their 18.
The Wildcats kept pressing an 5 minutes later Amy crossed from the left to an onrushing Siobhan who caught the ball in stride and blasted an effort that rattled off the far upright, and rebounded to Jules who leaned forward and toe-poked the ball into the back of the net to make it 3-0.
The Cyclones were pushing up to try to get some chances on goal, and their persistance was rewarded at the 13 minute mark, when we let one of their middies get a strong shot off from just outside the 18. It was a rocket at the near post the was too hot for Bre to handle, and unfortunately trickled just inside the post to give the Cyclones their opener and get them back in the game.
There was more good work by the WIldcats... Syd made a nice run up the left sideline, beating a few defenders; Amy fed Paige nicely, who shot just wide of the post; Reb hit a nice lead pass that put Paige open on a half-field breakaway; and Reb passed to Jules in the box for a nice left footed shot that took a nice save from the goalie to keep out.
Chelsea, Liz and Bri was solid again in the central defense; Andy, Rachel, Bre and Lin contained and defended well on the outside; Mattie, Syd and Bri worked well on both sides of the ball in the midfield; Amy, Hannah, and Siobhan worked well on the outside to stretch the defense and create chances; and Reb, Paige and Jules caused problems all day long for the Flemington defense and keeper, while Bre and Lin did well in goal to keep the Wildcats the lowest scored upon team in the flight.
This coming weekend could be a decisive one for the Wildcats as they travel to Parsippany on Friday, then to FC Copa on Sunday. Once they are played there will be a break over Memorial Day weekend and then two home games; the first against Parsippany on 6/1, and ending with Livingston on 6/4.
GO WILDCATS !!!