Badgers Denied Victory by Avengers

WCFC U14s The Badgers were denied victory by a later equaliser from Devizes Town Avengers in a hard fought derby game at a cloudy Green Lane today. The game started at a frantic pace with both teams trying to take control. The first chance of the game fell to the Badgers when handball led to a free kick just outside the box which Bailey fired just over the bar. A long goal kick from Badger's keeper William played in Archie route one but his shot also fizzed over. The Badger's had kicked off with a 3-5-2 formation, which had looked effective at periods last week and employed Ashton, Toby and William D in a central midfield triangle. However, 15 minutes in it wasn't working, leading to more confusion in the Badger's team than the Avengers, so the WCFC Coaches swiftly reverted to a 3-4-3, pushing Teddy upfront alongside Jack and Archie. The change almost paid off immediately, with a exquisite through ball from Eddie, playing on the right side of midfield, led to Jack, Archie and Teddy all having efforts before the Avengers defence hacked it away. Ashton was next to put in a precise cross from the left which Jack met with a powerful header which went just over the bar. Toby was next to go close with a precise low shot from just outside the box which the Devizes keeper saved excellently with his left foot. It was the Avengers however who almost took the lead going into the break. Indecision in the Badgers' defence led to a thumping shot by the Avengers midfielder which cannoned back of the Badgers' cross bar and down into the arms of a relieved William G, leaving the game scoreless at halftime.

The second half followed the same helter-skelter frenetic style of the first with battles being fought all over the pitch. The game was now end-to-end with both defences under pressure and resorting to last ditch tackling. It was absorbing stuff but the final pass or run of the ball was just lacking to turn pressure into chances. On 50 mins Jack thought he'd opened the scoring when he rounded the keeper only for his shot to go agonisingly just past the far post. Lewis was now on the right, joining up well with Theo at right wing back to neutralise the threat from the Avengers' winger. Both goalkeepers were on top of their game, both functioning as sweepers effectively, coming out to decisively clear dangerous through balls. It was going to take something special to break the deadlock and so it proved. In the 57th minute, the ball broke to Toby who looked up and from 30 yards thumped a wonder shot over the top of the advanced Devizes keeper into the net. A candidate for goal of the season already. The Badgers fought hard to hold onto the lead, with Harvey introduced to add height, pace and strength to the defence. A fantastic full-length block in the six yard box from Bailey seemed to have done enough but following a restart after Bailey had been fouled, the ball broke in the centre of the field and the Avengers produced their best passing move of the game which ended up with the striker sweeping the ball into the net past a helpless William G. So pulsating derby ended 1-1, a fair result in a game between two well matched teams who gave their all.