Football without Borders
Gloucester started their first official away day match with a visit across the border to Afan Nedd - the first time both these associations had met.
Passports at the ready, the boys set off nice and early from Longlevens in search of one of the things that will be remembered most for this season ......a service station.
[As a sub-paragraph, Coach Harris was at a family’s house for the evening this week, where the son had played for the B team 3 years ago. In the middle of dinner, the boy suddenly come out with, “I wish I could play for GPSFA again, just to hang out at the Services!”]
Indeed a Services was found and the boys (including the coaches) were disappointed that KFC and Burger King didn’t open until 11am and that we may have to gorge on ‘normal food’. However, the boys didn’t let us down and preceded to buy crisps, chocolate, some lollipops from the Wizard of Oz and even an inflatable ball was bought - although thankfully not eaten.
Back on the road, we arrived very early for the game and blew off some steam in a nearby park. This warned the coaches even further what they may have to deal with this season. Jones gets himself stuck in the kiddie swing, which Ball then tries to do himself, Boakes does a Superman impression trying to hold on to the spinning roundabout and Bee is fascinated by.....well, anything really.
Anyway, onto the game. With the warm-ups completed and the group photo taken, the boys line-up on the big pitch for their first Anglo-Saxon meet.
Gloucester start the slower of the teams (for the second week running) and Afan Nedd started to find themselves in the Gloucester half more often than not. Ball and Mason were far stronger this week and Mulraney at the back made some superb tackles to thwart any dangerous chances being created.
Although Gloucester were slightly under the cosh, they did manage to battle well enough to keep the hosts to long range efforts. The balls being played up to Fisher were being held up long enough to start mounting attacks, but no conviction in the final third often led to the home team regaining possession. Mulraney, however, did try and test the Welsh keeper with a half-volley effort from outside the box, but the ball went over the bar.
The most dangerous attack came from Afan Nedd, when a Gloucester corner was dealt with swiftly and a counter-attack ensued. Some new quick passing led to Thomas being played in for a one on one with Boakes. Standing his ground well, Boakes closed down the angle and parried the goalward shot away to keep the visitors level going into the break.
Some stern words again at half time prompted a response. Bee was the first to step up and win the first tackle and ‘meant it’. The rest then followed.
Again chances were few and far between, but Mulraney tried a cheeky shot from the halfway line that [for a second] looked to be bouncing over the keeper, but he saved. Fisher, Kennedy and Mulraney again had efforts at goal, but the keeper was in no danger. Kennedy in particular was instrumental in breaking up attacks and getting the Yellows into the opposition’s half.
Likewise at the other end, Afan Nedd finished the game pressurising the Gloucester goal with a few efforts outside the box. However, as with many chances, they didn’t look too dangerous in the final moments.
Overall, it was a game with limited shots, but both teams battled incredibly well in all areas of the pitch. A draw was definitely a fair outcome.
The fun didn’t end there.
Jason [the Afan Nedd coach] showed us down to the beachfront, where the boys played in yet another busy park and got to taste Rissoles [we didn’t know what they were either] from the beachfront chippy - courtesy of Jason.
I think the best tactics of the day were to the seagulls, who formed their formation around the boys looking for any chip they could get their beaks into [a uncanny similarity to the B team coaches]. Although the seagulls’ efforts in being fed were quickly nullified, the boys, screaming at every moving wing, allowed the beasts [the seagulls, not children] to be proud of their efforts.
As far as away days go, this was an incredibly pleasant trip. Rubbish bought and eaten at the services, fun in the park, a well-battled game of football, more fun in a park, eating chips on the beach with the sun glaring upon us and fun had with friends. What more could you ask for?
Gloucester: Boakes; Mason [Bambi], Ball, Werner; Villiers, Kennedy, Mulraney [Mullers], Jones; Bee [Balalala]; Taylor, Fisher.
Passports at the ready, the boys set off nice and early from Longlevens in search of one of the things that will be remembered most for this season ......a service station.
[As a sub-paragraph, Coach Harris was at a family’s house for the evening this week, where the son had played for the B team 3 years ago. In the middle of dinner, the boy suddenly come out with, “I wish I could play for GPSFA again, just to hang out at the Services!”]
Indeed a Services was found and the boys (including the coaches) were disappointed that KFC and Burger King didn’t open until 11am and that we may have to gorge on ‘normal food’. However, the boys didn’t let us down and preceded to buy crisps, chocolate, some lollipops from the Wizard of Oz and even an inflatable ball was bought - although thankfully not eaten.
Back on the road, we arrived very early for the game and blew off some steam in a nearby park. This warned the coaches even further what they may have to deal with this season. Jones gets himself stuck in the kiddie swing, which Ball then tries to do himself, Boakes does a Superman impression trying to hold on to the spinning roundabout and Bee is fascinated by.....well, anything really.
Anyway, onto the game. With the warm-ups completed and the group photo taken, the boys line-up on the big pitch for their first Anglo-Saxon meet.
Gloucester start the slower of the teams (for the second week running) and Afan Nedd started to find themselves in the Gloucester half more often than not. Ball and Mason were far stronger this week and Mulraney at the back made some superb tackles to thwart any dangerous chances being created.
Although Gloucester were slightly under the cosh, they did manage to battle well enough to keep the hosts to long range efforts. The balls being played up to Fisher were being held up long enough to start mounting attacks, but no conviction in the final third often led to the home team regaining possession. Mulraney, however, did try and test the Welsh keeper with a half-volley effort from outside the box, but the ball went over the bar.
The most dangerous attack came from Afan Nedd, when a Gloucester corner was dealt with swiftly and a counter-attack ensued. Some new quick passing led to Thomas being played in for a one on one with Boakes. Standing his ground well, Boakes closed down the angle and parried the goalward shot away to keep the visitors level going into the break.
Some stern words again at half time prompted a response. Bee was the first to step up and win the first tackle and ‘meant it’. The rest then followed.
Again chances were few and far between, but Mulraney tried a cheeky shot from the halfway line that [for a second] looked to be bouncing over the keeper, but he saved. Fisher, Kennedy and Mulraney again had efforts at goal, but the keeper was in no danger. Kennedy in particular was instrumental in breaking up attacks and getting the Yellows into the opposition’s half.
Likewise at the other end, Afan Nedd finished the game pressurising the Gloucester goal with a few efforts outside the box. However, as with many chances, they didn’t look too dangerous in the final moments.
Overall, it was a game with limited shots, but both teams battled incredibly well in all areas of the pitch. A draw was definitely a fair outcome.
The fun didn’t end there.
Jason [the Afan Nedd coach] showed us down to the beachfront, where the boys played in yet another busy park and got to taste Rissoles [we didn’t know what they were either] from the beachfront chippy - courtesy of Jason.
I think the best tactics of the day were to the seagulls, who formed their formation around the boys looking for any chip they could get their beaks into [a uncanny similarity to the B team coaches]. Although the seagulls’ efforts in being fed were quickly nullified, the boys, screaming at every moving wing, allowed the beasts [the seagulls, not children] to be proud of their efforts.
As far as away days go, this was an incredibly pleasant trip. Rubbish bought and eaten at the services, fun in the park, a well-battled game of football, more fun in a park, eating chips on the beach with the sun glaring upon us and fun had with friends. What more could you ask for?
Gloucester: Boakes; Mason [Bambi], Ball, Werner; Villiers, Kennedy, Mulraney [Mullers], Jones; Bee [Balalala]; Taylor, Fisher.
