Post by Dave on Aug 29, 2020 17:40:36 GMT
As many of you will know due to a change in jobs around four years ago, I was no longer able to cover matches on Saturdays and it was something I greatly missed. As a result I have lost track of all the changes made to our local leagues and at some point will have to study them. Due to now giving up working I hope to be able to cover a good number of local games this season and thought I would watch a pre-season game to brush up on my photographic skills.
I had planned to get to the match ten minutes before kick-off which was just as well as the game started at 2.20pm and not 2.30pm, as there were no team sheets done, I can only use the players numbers all accept one. Today for me was more about getting back into practice taking match photos and not so much an actual match report.
I was not sure what to expect really, would the game be played any differently than the last game I watched pre covid -19. I soon got the answer when the first crouching tackle went it. This was a game of plenty of effort but a lack of very much goal mouth action.
The first half was very much an even affair, neither side were able to create many good goal scoring opportunities, Upton’s biggest problem was their front two players struggled to stay on side. Yeoman’s problem was weak shots at goal when they did create one or two very good chances to take the lead.
Yeoman’s best player their number 7 could have had a hat trick if he had his shooting boots on, good approach play to get into the Upton box let down by his week finishing. I really could not see where a goal was going to come from as even Upton’s number 7 also had a good chance after being played into the left hand side of the Yeoman box, only to fire well wide of the target.
Towards the end of the first half Upton’s number ten did hit a good shot from just outside of the Yeoman box that was not that far over the crossbar. The players stayed out for the halftime break; in fact I do not think they used the changing rooms at the park at all.
The second half got underway and the legend Darren Bastow came on for Upton and took up a central defensive position. He was soon spraying the ball around from the back, the class still there to see.
Yeoman should have taken an early second half lead when star player number seven did everything right to get into the Upton box, beating with ease all who stood in his way, only to once again fire off a very weak shot.
But very soon afterwards Yeoman did take the lead when their number 8 went on the same sort of run, firstly beating Daren Bastow with ease, shrugging off two further challenges before firing home close in.
But Upton were back on level terms within two minutes, a corner fired in low from the right hand side straight to the feet of number 14 who had his back to goal, he turned completely unchallenged and fired a powerful shot past the keeper into the right hand side of the goal. Yeoman’s number seven had a few more weak efforts on goal before the match referee blew up for full time.
It was good to watch a game of football again after such a long time I need to sharpen up my photography skills ready for the next game I cover
