K2000 V Westdyke BC

After more heavy rain during the week, KFC2000 were delighted to be able to play this home game (albeit on the larger pitch to which they weren't entirely suited).

A small, but skillful Westdyke greeted them in the opening period, and showed K2000 how it should be done, moving the ball from defence, through the midfield up to attack with some precise passing.  This tactic proved too much for the home side, who are more suited to the long ball game, and mixing it with tackles and effort!  Westdyke won this part of the game 3-0, though Duncan Mutch in goal did his best to keep the score down, with good hands, and strong kicking to keep the pressure off where he could.  Samuel Payne was asked to play upfront on his own in this period, but his action was curtailed after taking a ball full in the face, which will surely lead to a black eye!, but it didn't stop him returning bravely to the fray later on.

The second half was K2000's most fruitful spell of the game, where they managed to score 2 goals in reply to the 2 Westdyke scored.  The goals came from Callum Campbell, who scored from a neat pass from Nathan Sangster, and one from Nathan Sangster who scored from a Callum Campbell pass, after  a quick free throw in from Cameron Muirhead. Again, Duncan Mutch did his part in goals, with Ben Bell and Liam Clark particularly strong in defence.  Harrison Skinner took a hefty knock and was forced off during this half, but returned to play his part in the final third of the match.  With both Lewis K McDonald and Lewis 'Jim Bob' McDonald scrapping for everything they could in midfield, this proved to be the best the K2000 team could muster during this difficult match.

The third period really took it's toll on the home side.  Perhaps the late night previous at the Bowling Club Quiz started to catch up on (not only the coaches!), but the players as well.  Ben Bell was the unfortunate one chosen for target practice (sorry, goalkeeper) here, and with little help from those in front of him, he had the unenviable task of picking the ball out the net on numerous occasions.  The only highlight of this part of the game was a flowing move from defence, through midfield, into attack, where Nathan Sangster threaded a beautiful pass through to Courtney Gray, whose great right foot shot left the keeper stranded, but came back agonisingly off the post, perhaps it was just never going to be K2000's day!

In the end it was a lesson learned for the players, giving them something to aspire to, and also making them realise, they can pass and move when they want to, and how much easier it can make the game.

It's now up to the coaches to pick the team up for next week's trip away to Cove, in what we all hope will see some progress on this week's performance.