U12 Blacks 25/26 - Forza

Match Report: Forza 7 – 0 UFCA U12 Blacks

Location: Away

A true "game of two halves." Despite the scoreline, UFCA produced some of their best football of the season in the opening period, only for a mounting injury list and fatigue to take its toll against the league leaders.

First Half: The UFCA we know and love

The first 40 minutes saw the Blacks at their absolute best. Playing on an unusually wide pitch, the boys exploited the space brilliantly. We dominated the ball, showing immense confidence to play out from the back under pressure. Our two-touch passing and movement was fluid, and we carved out numerous opportunities that on another day would have seen us leading.

One of the biggest positives of the day was the return of Henry. After a long spell out with injury and only one training session under his belt, he stepped back onto the pitch looking like he’d never been away. His performance was positive. A massive boost for the squad to have him back in action.

Forza, showing why they are top of the table, were clinical with their limited chances, snatching a 1-0 lead just before the break. Despite the deficit, UFCA went into the huddle as the dominant side.

Second Half: A story of fatigue and injury

The second half proved to be a mountain too high to climb. Already missing Munib and Freddie through injury and illness before kick-off, the squad was further depleted during the match with several players suffering from either a knock or illness.

Forza capitalised on this. With our energy levels fading and Forza utilising their full bench to stay fresh, they added further 6 goals in the second half.

Coach’s View

"I want the boys to focus on those first 40 minutes. That was some of the best football I’ve seen us play all season! I was proud of how brave we were in tight areas and how we moved the ball.

It was also great to welcome Henry back into the fold; he performed brilliantly and due to injuries ended up playing more minutes than anticipated.

If we can bottle that first-half performance and combine it with the intensity we showed against Yorkshire RTC the week before, we are a match for any team in this league."

Standout Performances

• Joshua (Player of the Match): Looked bright all game. He was desperately unlucky not to score with a 20-yard "thunder-strike" that rattled the crossbar.

Next Up: Yorkshire RTC away.