Royals Match Report 2003-04

Church Stretton 6-3 Coreley
(Case 3, Holtz 2, Adams) (Friendly - 28-03-04)

The Magpies started this game brimming with confidence, additionally benefiting from playing downhill. One attack followed another with some good passing movements and various shots on goal, a number of them narrowly missing. A string of corners were won by the Magpies.

After ten minutes a hard shot on goal by Holtz beat the keeper and opened the Magpies' account. Within a minute another one followed. It was after one of Magpies' corners that a scramble in front of the Coreley goal ended with Case chesting the ball into the net.

Magpies continued piling on the pressure and there were a number of further shots on goal. A truly remarkable goal came in the final minutes of the first half. Adams from just inside his own half let fly with a furious shot which, to the great surprise of all, and to the joy and admiration of the Magpies and their supporters, flew straight into the net!

Though 3-0 ahead at half time, the Magpies could have had even more if they had passed more often.

Was it that the Magpies' complete domination of the first half had bred complacency, or was it just a lack of concentration, or sloppy defending? Or a bit of all three? Now playing downhill, Coreley in the first fifteen minutes of the second half drew level with their superb no 9 scoring all three goals.

To their credit the Magpies responded magnificently in the final stage of the game, scoring three more goals. The first from Holtz was followed by two memorable shots by Case. The first came from a short corner when Case's long range shot sailed over everybody's head and into the top right corner of the net. The second came when Case rounded a defender and, taking his time and carefully picking his spot, stroked the ball past the keeper and into the right hand corner of the goal.

Overall a good performance by the Magpies, admittedly against a weaker team. Passing improved but only in parts. Had the passing been consistently good the Magpies could readily have scored twice as often.

The game will above all be remembered by Adams' extraordinary goal and an excellent hat trick by Case.

Team: Jordan Wells, Hugo Jervis, Kieran Adams, Freddie van Doesburg, Jack Case, Jake Watts, Cameron Holtz.