Saturday 31st January 2015 @ Heartlands Academy

South Birmingham 0 – 9 Erdington and Saltley

Team: Harvey, Sam, Brandon, Kane, Troy, Kruize, Tyrese, Shilo, Cameron, Shaun, Teon and Jermaine

Goals: Shilo x 4 Kruize x 2 Cameron x 2 and Troy

After the game was switched earlier in the week from Yardley Wood to Heartlands, I thought any fears around the weather effecting the game would have been eradicated. However, then it decided to snow during the night! When I first looked out of the bedroom window this morning I feared the worse but I’m so glad to have been proven wrong! Imagine if this morning had been postponed! Perish the thought!

Before the game we spent very little time dwelling on last week’s performance and result, more than happily writing it off as a one off. Instead we discussed how hard work and teamwork had to be the main objective today, built around the need to pass the ball more readily. It’s safe to say that the lads listened to this message as both of these areas of their game were perfect! We were first to every ball and applied pressure in all areas of the pitch. It was great to see and the lads should be incredibly proud of themselves. In terms of the football, we played out from the back, working our way up through the thirds and looked to pepper the South Birmingham goal at every opportunity. The goals came at regular intervals during the first thirty minutes, with Kruise, Shilo and Cameron bagging four goals between them. The best of which came directly from a swinging Kruize corner. My word can that lad cross a ball!

At half time we asked the lads if they were happy to settle for four or if they wanted to push on and score more. The response was unanimous and the aim quickly achieved, with three goals scored in the first five minutes of the second half, to leave the score at 7-0. Cameron’s goal was particularly classy, as the Walsall striker rifled home from the right hand side of the box. The lads hadn’t finished there and Shilo wanted to ensure that he had the last laugh. The Villa striker picked up the ball near the corner flag, following some great work from Kane to keep the ball in when it had looked destined to go out for a goal kick, before weaving his way through a pack of defenders and tucking the ball away for his hat trick.

With the final whistle blown and the score 9-0 to The Ton, the lads gathered to receive some well deserved praise from The Ton Army! This was without doubt our best performance of the year, although now the challenge is to replicate it in our next game. I have no doubt whatsoever that we’re more than capable of this. Nevertheless today is a day to savour the moment and be proud of what we achieved this morning. What a team! What an amazing bunch of lads!

Man of the Match: Shilo

Up The Ton!