GAME DATE: 20th August, 2005
Planetcricket FC play another home game but this time against promotion favourites; Bristol City. Injuries are keeeping Gold 639, Cheseney Lewis and Justin Allison out of this game but they are expected to be back in training soon.
Even with PC's recent form they are expected to be knocked off 1st place.
Match Odds:
PC Win: 13-8
Bristol City Win: 6-4
Draw: 2-1
There were no changes to the side for PC. Just a bit of shuffeling around with the starting line-up.
Line-Ups:
Bristol City weren't intimidated by the PC Dome's firery crowd, and they controlled the tempo for the first half an hour. Choking PC's attacks and forcing them to come inside. This gave Jack Teague and Steve O little chance to create anything. The thing this did do was give Andrew Symonds lot of the ball. As he usually does, Symonds didn't waste his opportunities. He saw a run by Hassan Tahir, flicked the ball over 2 defenders and Tahir was free to slot it past the keeper. 1-0 to PC
Bristol City continued to muff good chances and to their own disbelief were down at half-time.
The PC half time talk was quite neutral, Mr Radaga asked for much of the same from the boys as he was fairly pleased with how things were going.
The talk in the Bristol City rooms must have been a massive stir up as a different side emerged from the rooms. City wrecked havoc in PC's half for the rest of the game. 2 goals, both from crosses were scored. Bristol would have been feeling hard done by as they had been paying brilliantly and deserved to win by more.
Positives: Kept it to a 1 goal loss
Negatives: The second half effort was shocking, all player dropped a level.
Stats:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
GAME DATE: 24th August, 2005
Justin Allison, Gold 639 and Chesney Lewis all resumed training in the last few days, but will most likely not be fully fit for another week or so. They will be eased back in to matches by starting in the reserves.
Cameron White picked up a back strain while lifting weights at training and will be out for 3-4 weeks.
Usman Ghaff has also been selected for the Scottish under 19's.
PC's next challenge was Hull City in the League Cup first round. It is expected to be their toughest match yet.
Match Odds:
Hull City Win: Evens
PC Win: 9-4
Draw: 9-4
There are no player changes to the PC side, but the manager has gone in with a slightly more defensive/counter attacking formation for the match against higher rated opposition.
Line-Ups:
Planetcricket's defensive style closed down a number of Hull's attacks early on. Hull continued to press but PC's defence stood strong. Gupta's return to the starting team was impressive and the usual culprits down back were playing well too; Willliams, Macdonald and Pringle. Teague started at wingback to give the defence some more drive when going forward and to help the counter-attacking tactics.
Hull eventually began to tire and PC's long range passes began finding their targets. Hassan Tahir was full of energy and continued to run hard. He was rewarded for his runs in the 45th minute. A 50yard pass from Macdonald pretty much landed right on Tahir's head and he was good enough to get it past the keeper. 1-0 to PC.
PC continued their counter-attacking style of play, and Hull had no answers. Hassan Tahir again got his name on the scoresheet in the 78th minute when he ran hard to intercept a backpass, then rounded the keeper and walked in for an easy goal.
Hull stole a goal back in the 95th minute against the run of play, but it was too late. A good win for PC.
Positives: Hassan Tahir's workrate and the defence's ability to shut down the other team.
Negatives: Shaun Briggs was disapointing after being given a good run on the flank.
Stats:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
PC have been drawn against Coventry City in the 2nd round of the league cup. It is too be played at Coventry on the 21st of September,2005.
Don't have enough time to do an interview or anything because my dinner is ready, sorry. Im pretty sure the next game is against Watford away.
:
