Home vs Fleetdown Black 24Mar24

Match report by Steve Larkin.

Parkwood played their 1st game in 3-weeks and it was also their 1st match in the Blue Shield, vs Fleetdown Black who were competing at the top of the league with us.

The match started and Parkwood quickly asserted themselves into the game, winning crucial tackles in the centre and looking to spread the game using their wingers. It was a cagey affair for 30-minutes as Fleetdown also started to take some control, until Jude found some space on the left hand side, beat 2 defenders and struck a great shot into the bottom right hand corner to give Parkwood a 1-0 lead, which we kept heading into half-time.

Both sides started the second half very lively, with chances at both ends and Romeo and the Fleetdown keeper needing to make good saves to keep the score at 1-0. However, with 15-minutes played, Parkwood scored their second as Ciaran’s corner to the near post was fired in by Harley and some breathing space for the home side.

With 25-minutes remaining, Parkwood looked to be heading for an impressive 2 points in their 1st Shield game, but Fleetdown hit back and scored 2 goals to equalise in quick succession. Their first came from a quick throw-in on the right hand side which caught Parkwood sleeping and their left winger broke free to score. Their second came after a mistake from Parkwood playing out from the back which was intercepted by the Fleetdown midfield, who played in their left winger for the equaliser.

And with 10-minutes remaining, Parkwood attempted to keep the ball in play from a right-sided corner, but inadvertently gave the ball straight to Fleetdown, who broke away down our right-hand side, and after some clever inter play, scored their 3rd to lead the match 3-2 from 0-2 down some 15-minutes ago.

Parkwood pushed for their own equaliser but couldn’t make the breakthrough and Fleetdown closed the match out and earned their 2nd win in the group.

A disappointing finish to the game after a very bright start. Well done to Charlie who had a storming performance at right back and was energetic up and down the line for the full 90 minutes.

Parkwood can’t afford any more dropped points if we want to finish the season with another Shield Final.