With a lot of the ‘older’ Mustangs (that’s the 15/16yr olds for the older club members) moving up the team ladder this season there is a fresh crop of youngsters in the 13/14 yr age bracket so the average age has come down apart from when Orr Snr. made a brief appearance to test out the body parts.
Following on from a well fought victory the week before the Mustangs continued their winning start to the season with a win over Croydon Whits (CW) 3rd XI. On a sunny beach at Blenheim the Mustangs prepared well with the coach asking for more of the same spirit and quality play that was displayed the previous week.
The Mustangs dominated the first half applying constant pressure to the CW goal but with little reward as all the experience of the CW players meant they were happy to defend deep and hope for a breakaway goal. An experienced packed defence did its job and frustrated the Mustang attacks as they tried to find a way through a wall of white shirts and CW did have a couple of dangerous break outs but nothing that troubled the Mustangs keeper.
The only goal of the first half came from Adam Kerven, who following another sustained period of pressure, found himself a few seconds to turn and send the ball into the net.
At half time the team were urged to step up the pace of the passing and speed of any free hits. This would not allow the defence to set itself and would hopefully give more space with the CW defence and midfield chasing back to defend rather than standing and waiting for the onslaught.
The result was that in the second half the Mustangs found themselves far more space to drive at CWs and in many attacks outnumbered the oppo. Craig Millar and Dan Kerven kept driving forward at a retreating CW defence and Alex Scott and Chris Dendy on the wings were a constant threat. Goals from Orr Snr. and another for Adam and one for Dan put the Mustangs 4 up before CWs late well taken flicked goal towards the end.
Colts MOM: Craig Millar
A deserved victory that means 2 wins from 2 in the league. Next week the Mustangs play Cheam Clarets who are currently sitting at the bottom with 2 loses.