Queens' 4 Clare/Fitz 3

Decent performance and result against a hard-working and committed Clare team, though we didn't have the right tactical shape to deal with danger posed by the opposition and the shape of the team was a little too individualistic. Basically, what i'm trying to say is that we played well as we had good players playing but we didn't play as a team and we'll get punished against better teams unless we can get organised.

We dominated for most of the game, but Clare were threatening on the counter with two very decent players with pace and skill (and thats not you Ed and Chris ;-). They were 2-0 up at half-time thanks to a Chris Andrews' mis-hit shot which trickled past Dan, and a Peter Mason special where he lobbed Dan from outside the box after Dan had called for the ball. We missed countless opportunities with Gustavo, Itzam, Gabriel and Adrien all cupuable (especially gustavo, as he came wearing trainers and constantly fell over for the first ten minutes, and then put boots on and missed a golden chance from 8 yards out!)

After half-time, we sorted things out with Herve dominating midfield defensively so we could provide a basis for attacking. We won a penatly, which I neatly dispatched for my first goal of the season! and then Herve scored directly from a free-kick, and then Herve scored again after a scramble in the box. So 3-2 and cruising, but then they scored again thanks to a very dodgy back-pass from Adrien to Dan. But at 3-3 with 5 to go, we managed to get the winner from a great lob from Gabriel (in the right net this time Pete!) and so it finished 4-3, although they will protest that the last goal was off-side, but there defence was pretty tired by then and were shouting off-side for everything anyway.

This saturday, we'll have a training session for freshers/returners at 12pm next to Queens' College to get some fitness and technique ready for the new season.
For some of the experienced players, we're playing in a 7-a-side tournament sponsored by Deloitte between the best MCR teams in the league, which should be interesting!