sinfinsharks

St Georges were the visitors to Moorways for Sinfin Sharks latest league encounter, the teams last met on the first day of the season when Sinfin won 6-0, today on a chilly morning with team manager Adam ill, many thanks go to Eric and Haydn who took hold of the reins.

Sinfin got the match underway and both teams cancelled each other out until the 7th minute when a swift Sharks break moved the ball to Jordan, he worked an opening for a shot and forced the St Georges keeper to make a good save diving away to his left hand side.

The Sharks were not playing well at this stage with the visitors starting to dominate possession and it was no surprise when St Georges gained a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute, they worked the ball down the right flank before cutting in towards goal and an excellent low finish nestled just inside Jake’s right upright as the keeper just failed to get his gloves to the shot.

This goal gave St Georges just the boost they were looking for and three minutes later they were back attacking, this time from the left wing a dangerous ball was played across the Sinfin box and Jordan did well on the back post to clear it away for a throw in.

In the 16th minute St Georges were most unfortunate as a quality strike hit the underside of Sinfin’s bar and bounced away to safety, then a minute later with the Sharks continuing to struggle Jake made a good save by his right hand side upright as a back post St Georges shot threatened to increase their advantage.

Half way through the 1st half Sinfin had another lucky escape when Jake could only watch as this time the St Georges effort at goal struck his right hand side post.

At last Sinfin started to get into the match and in the 22nd minute a through ball sent Richard clear of the St Georges back line, he played the ball around the keeper but a defender clipped his legs from behind to save a certain goal, Adam took the resulting free kick but the ball went two yards wide of the target.

On 26 minutes the Sharks were back as Richard’s pace got him clear of the St Georges defence again, his shot was well saved by the keeper and the rebound fell to Aston but he scuffed his attempted follow up strike and the chance to equalise had gone.

The game was now being evenly contested and the next chance fell to St Georges in the 31st minute, the ball fell nicely to one of their players 12 yards out and although his lob cleared all the defenders blocking the goal it also just cleared the Sinfin crossbar.

Two minutes later Sinfin forced a corner, Adam put the ball over and Thomas did well to get his head to the ball eight yards from goal, but he could not keep the ball low enough and unfortunately for the Sharks it just cleared the crossbar.

In the 36th minute Richard used his lightening pace again to sprint clear of the St Georges defence but just as he was taking his shot a defender got back to make an excellent block to keep the visitors lead intact.

The last chance of the half came in the final minute, St Georges shot at goal from the edge of Sinfin’s box but the strike was straight at Jake and he made a comfortable save.

Half Time: Sinfin Sharks 0 St Georges 1

The Sharks needed to start the 2nd half better but in the first few minutes they were still playing well below their best and in the 45th minute a lovely St Georges through ball sent their striker in on goal but Adam made an excellent saving tackle.

On 51 minutes Sinfin forced a corner and as Adam bent the ball towards goal the keeper was relieved as he just got his gloves to it to concede another corner which St Georges cleared comfortably.

Two minutes later Richard chased a Sinfin through ball, he reached the ball at the same time as the St Georges keeper and it came off the keeper and out for another Sharks corner, from this corner kick Oliver bent the ball over the keeper and St Georges were most fortunate as somehow it slid past the far post and out for a goalkick.

Although the game was being evenly contested, all the chances were now being created by Sinfin as the visitors were desperately trying to keep hold of their slim advantage and in the 57th minute Aston broke clear of the St Georges defence, as the keeper rushed out Aston chipped the ball over him and agonisingly for the Sharks it went just wide of goal.

There were no further chances created by either side until the 71st minute when an excellent Sinfin move ended with Thomas clear of the St Georges back line but his early shot lacked power and was easily saved, then three minutes later Adam played an excellent long diagonal ball which sent Thomas clear on goal again, again his early shot lacked power and was comfortably saved.

On 76 minutes another Sharks through ball found Richard who was level with the last defender, he held off the defensive challenge and as the goalkeeper advanced kept his nerve to roll the ball past him and just inside the upright to level the game at 1-1.

Both sides went in search of a winner in the final few minutes but both defences held firm and the teams had to settle for one point each.

Full Time: Sinfin Sharks 1 St Georges 1

This was a strange performance from Sinfin with the visitors dominating possession at times, but Sinfin were much better in the 2nd half and they kept plugging away until they got their equaliser.

For his good performance in the Sinfin central defence, Ranveer was named the Sharks man of the match.

On a beautiful sunny morning Sinfin Sharks entertained GAD Khalsa at Moorways, this was the first meeting between the teams in a season when they will lock horns three times.

The first chance of the game fell to Sinfin in the 3rd minute when Makhan played an excellent long ball which put Richard clear on goal, his shot from eight yards out was well blocked by the GAD keeper.

Sinfin had started the game excellently in their 5-4-1 formation and the away side were struggling to get into the match, in the 14th minute the Sharks were on the front foot again when Richard just failed to reach Jake’s brilliant through ball.

The Sharks defence were coping admirably and it took until the 18th minute for GAD to have their first shot of the game, the strike was badly sliced and went out for a Sinfin throw-in by the corner flag.

On 22 minutes Sinfin attacked down the left flank before putting over a lovely cross which found Thomas in an inviting position centrally, unfortunately he snatched at the ball and the chance had gone.

Two minutes later and GAD were on a rare attack, their player cut in from the right wing but Adam closed him down well and forced him to shoot well wide of the Sinfin goal.

Sinfin were playing some lovely fluent football at this stage and another attack in the 28th minute ended when the ball fell to Richard on the edge of the GAD box, he struck the ball really well and the GAD keeper scrambled across to his left hand side as the shot went inches wide of his upright.

A minute later it was GAD on the attack when their shot from distance was comfortably saved by the well positioned Jake, then in the 34th minute GAD tried their luck from distance again, Jake again was in a perfect position and could watch as the ball went harmlessly wide.

Disaster struck for Sinfin in the last minute of the 1st half when they conceded the first goal of the match, GAD played a ball in from the right flank and unfortunately Jake at right back played them onside, GAD’s first shot was excellently cleared off the line by Thomas but the rebound fell kindly for GAD and this time a low finish hit the back of the net.

In first half injury time Sinfin almost struck straight back, from the right hand side of the GAD area Richard’s terrific strike forced the keeper into a magnificent save, the resulting corner was floated into a dangerous area but a defensive head was first to reach the ball and clear the danger.

Half Time: Sinfin Sharks 0 GAD Khalsa 1

It was the away team who started the 2nd half the better and they would have doubled their advantage if Adam had not made an outstanding goal line clearance in the 42nd minute.

Three minutes later though GAD did move 2-0 ahead, the Sharks were caught out by a through ball down the centre, GAD’s striker was suddenly clear on goal and the exposed Jake had no chance as the low finish was rolled underneath him.

On 47 minutes Adam played an excellent long ball which put Richard clear of the GAD defence, with the goalkeeper advancing he decided to take his shot early and from twenty five yards out his strike beat the keeper but also went three yards wide of the target.

GAD then had a period of pressure on the Sharks goal, in the 50th minute their free kick from 25 yards out was just too high, then a minute later their strike at Sinfin’s goal went three yards wide of Jake’s left side upright.

In the 56th minute Sinfin were again caught out by a ball played through their central defence, their striker controlled the ball before striking it low past the exposed Jake to make it 3-0 to GAD.

On 62 minutes Sinfin conceded a really poor goal to fall 4-0 behind, from the centre circle GAD were able to walk the ball straight down the middle of the pitch without a decent challenge being made and the Sharks paid the full price as the ball hit the back of their net.

It was not all GAD however and from one of Sinfin’s attacks in the 64th minute they pulled the game back to 4-1, George sent Aston clear with a brilliant pass and as the keeper advanced Aston’s chip was sublime as it found the roof of the net.

A minute later Aston was pushed to the ground 25 yards from the GAD goal, Adam took the resulting free kick which GAD’s keeper just reached as the ball threatened to sneak in just underneath the crossbar.

The Sharks were playing well now and were asking questions of GAD’s defence again in the 72nd minute, Jordan and Aston combined excellently down the left flank, eventually Aston played the ball across the area to Richard but unfortunately he lost his footing as he was about to shoot.

Sinfin’s good play was rewarded when they scored again in the 75th minute, Richard did really well down the right hand side of the area before rolling the ball across to Aston who was free on the back post three yards out, although GAD’s keeper got his gloves to Aston’s shot it was too powerful and gave the Sharks hope at 4-2 down.

Straight from the restart GAD were allowed to walk the ball through the middle of Sinfin’s defence again and only a poor shot at goal which went well wide prevented GAD scoring again.

On 79 minutes Sinfin won a free kick half way inside the GAD half, Oliver floated it excellently over the top of GAD’s defensive line, the ball fell to Thomas who was on his own at the back post with a great chance to score, unfortunately he didn’t realise how much time he had and screwed his shot wide of the target.

In the last minute of the match Oliver picked up the ball for Sinfin and shot at goal from 45 yards out, the strike was brilliantly hit and forced GAD’s keeper to back pedal and make a fine save.

In injury time Jake made a mistake by carrying the ball outside of his area, the resulting free kick was well struck but drifted just wide of Sinfin’s goal.

Full Time: Sinfin Sharks 2 GAD Khalsa 4

The first half was evenly contested and the Sharks were most unfortunate to come in one goal behind, then GAD dominated the first twenty minutes of the second half when they moved comfortably clear, but it was the Sharks who dominated the last twenty minutes and had they scored one more goal GAD would have been wobbling.

For two excellent finishes Aston was named the Sinfin man of the match.

Piczo