Academy
- Monday February 26th, 2007 @ 11:17
TWELVES SPIRITED COMEBACK
OUR UNDER 12's RECORDED a sensational 3-2 win over Leicester Celtic in their league game on Saturday. The previous games between the 2 sides were both close and tight affairs, so when Leicester took a deserved 2-0 lead it looked like the Saints were dead & buried.
For the 1st half the Saints were in disarray & arguing with each other. Manager Ben Smithers explained, “We couldn't wait for halftime & point out to the lads that the fighting spirit they were using against each other needed to be channelled towards the opposition. We told them that they needed to be calm and do what they do on the training pitch week in week out.”
With these calming words a different Saints team took to the pitch & from the 1st whistle they began to impose their passing game. Almost from the re-start the Saints pulled a goal back, a Glen Carroll cross to the near post and Gregory Moorhouse reacted quickest, 2-1. The Saints were buzzing now. Leicester found it difficult to break out as the pressure began to build. A long rang effort from Carroll restored parity in the 38th minute and the Saints were in total command.
The impetus was still with the Saints and in the 45th minute Stephen Murphy expertly picked his spot through a group of players - his low and hard shot made it 3-2 to the Saints.
However Leicester were always likely to have a chance and that fell to their excellent number 9, but Saints keeper Anthony Brogan diving to his left denied Leicester.
“It was great that the lads won, but more importantly they learned that by being calm & composed under pressure or when things are not going your way is the 1st step to battling back. By fighting and arguing with each other the opposition are always going to win,” were Smithers' final words.
