Bays United - upwards and onwards boys

The last couple of weeks have been a roller coaster ride for all the boys.

GAME AGAINST SAANICH FUSION

There is no question that on this day we had a phenomenal game against Saanich Fusion during which the boys level of play was simply magnificent. We saw them move the ball with great precision and rapidity. It was a great display of skill by all the boys.

As the game progressed, we could see the boys settling into their own rhythm. Our back line and wingers were very effective in swinging the ball from one side to the other with lots of determination and know how. It was good to see the boys (Gabriel and Mathew especially) widen the field and thus create more options for your midfielders and back line to move into. Our strikers finished when they had to and were a threatening force throughout the entire game. Thomas in particular was impressive in his battling for the ball. I also have to give a big congrats to Brandon who got two great goals towards the end of the game. All of us were so happy to see him score two wonderful goals. A great achievement indeed.

We felt strong and ready to face Gorge for the League Championship.

That game proved to be incredibly tough for all of us.

GAME AGAINST GORGE FC 

~FIRST HALF~

Although we had come from a very good win the weekend before, we started off a bit slow. Communication woes and decisions made under pressure broke our ability to settle into our game. Although well-covered at the back, Gorge was taking the game to us and this put us on the defensive even though our goal was to attack. We were struggling to create the types of chances we have created against Gorge in the past. However, we began to see them come through. First, Koby took a great free kick that the Gorge keeper had to push out for a corner. Later on, Gabriel took on the right back from Gorge, beat him and with a nice touch found Robbie who one timed it looking for the bottom far post, only to see the ball miss the net entirely. Close call, but no net. Then, after a turn over, the Gorge winger sent a ball into the box. Gorge's striker controlled the ball and with a few moves created some space between him and our defender and managed to get off a nice high shot that, despite Aaron playing well, he could not save. We were down 1 -0 and we could all feel that this would be a tough obstacle to overcome. Yet, we kept at it. We kept pushing and the Gorge defenders several times had to simply kick the ball out as they were under pressure from us.

Half time: at half time Darcy gave the boys a firm talk about how we were struggling and how we needed to regain our composure. We told them that this was the game that all of them have dreamt about at one time or another, the one where they needed to pull together and work hard. We asked them to focus more and to move the ball faster. We asked them to avoid turn overs as this was causing us serious issues. The boys agreed and I could see that they were pumped for the second half.

~SECOND HALF~

As we got going on the second half, Gorge continue to pressure us, not leave us a lot of space to play. However, our biggest issue was the number of turn overs we kept giving. Gabriel continued to be a threat down the wing but the amount of passes he received began to dwindle as the second half moved on. In an effort to use his speed, we moved him into the middle. Unfortunately, although he tried, he could not get on the end of a pass, mostly because there weren't many coming through. Our wingers had to play more defensively and this took away from our attacks. Our strikers struggled against a very solid defence. We did not get very clear chances in the second half. The boys were having a hard time clicking.

When there were about 7 minutes left, the game seemed settled. Yet, we tried one more thing: we pushed the boys up on our last couple of corner and free kicks; however we could not break Gorge down.  

In the end, I ask that all of us give credit to the boys from Gorge who did their best to be successful. I cannot deny that part of their success was due to our inability to reduce the amount of turn overs we kept giving and also our difficulty in making precise passes into space. 

One thing should be said though: although we did not play our best, I do not doubt that the boys did what they could under the circumstances. Everyone has bad games, it happens. But let's not judge an entire season on one game. I know that each and all of them wanted to win that game. It did not happen. It was indeed our toughest loss yet but we can learn from it. I am sure all the boys will remember this game forever. My goal is to use it as a lesson that will help us improve.

~CONCLUSION~

Yes, Gorge deserved the win. Yet, I ask you to keep in mind all the work and excellent games the boys have played during the entire season. I believe that, but for this and the other game that we lost 3-0, whenever we played Gorge we were the better team: we created more chances, we passed the ball better, we were more precise and we made them work hard to keep us out. I truly believe that technically, we are on better ground.

So what now? Well, now it's off to finish up the season this Saturday and then it is District Cup. Let's go hard and win this fellas!

Last, I want to formally express my apology if I made any parent feel like their voice should be silenced during games. That is not at all what I was thinking about. All I wanted to ensure was that the boys got good support during this tough game. But please, do not silence yourself when supporting the boys. I want you to encourage them and make them feel like they have great support. They need that. And if you have any suggestions or thoughts, send them my way. I love hearing them.

Ok, see you Saturday!

Roberto

BIG GAME, TOUGH LOSS: 

BAYS UNITED 0 - GORGE FC 0 after full time

Gorge FC 4 - Bays United 3 after Penalties

Mathew skips away during the second half of our tough game while Ben begins to break free to attack

Although this game was not a final, no one can deny that it sure felt like one. This game was to determine who, out of these two quality teams (both at the top of the division), would go to play in the final to be Southern Vancouver Island's representative for the Provincial B Cup. It promised to be a great game. And no matter what side you are on, this game showed why soccer is such a great sport.

Tyler, phenomenal as always, stops a pass directed to Gorge's tough opponent

FIRST HALF: As the game started, we could all sense the nerves. Erratic passes and hesitation gave us some scary moments at first. However, as the minutes rolled on the momentum began to change. Slowly, we began to settle ~ this was due to the boys hard work and effort. But it was hard. Gorge has to be given a lot of credit for their tenacity, their never ending pressure and their capacity to use their tools to their advantage.

Gabriel fights hard to maintain possession while Thomas begins his run and Robbie begins his

However, as the half went on, our boys began to take control and soon enough the game was back and forth with Bays creating the clearer chances. Our runs on the wings were good, but our defence was even better. I thought that Brandon, Pierce, Jonathan and Tyler were excellent in the first half (and for that matter for the whole game).

A sight to see: Jonathan taking control of the ball while under pressure by Gorge's tough attacker

Koby and Justin ran their bags off. Up front, Mathew showed his skill and Finn, Gabriel and Marcel also worked hard to produce openings.

Koby fights hard for the ball in the midfield

The first half saw us make some shots on goal but they lacked power and confidence. At the back though, were great in the air and stymied Gorge's attacks quite well. Indeed, the first half was battle in the middle of the field for the most part, with some breakaways here and there.

HALF TIME: At half time, we asked the boys to keep their work rate up but to reduce the amount of turn-overs. This has been a difficulty during some games for us. Our turn-overs were taking their toll on us. Making runs and fighting hard to create space is hard enough. Losing the ball because of inaccurate passes makes it even more difficult for the boys making the runs to recuperate. We also asked the boys to continue the pressure and to ensure that their defending was well executed. Last, we asked them to believe in themselves and to be confident that they could win this game.

Half time talk with the boys

SECOND HALF: During the second half, our team took a stronger hold of the game. Our movement of the ball was better, especially at the back. Possession increased. Composure on the ball was better. Our defending continued to be strong and well executed. I particularly liked how we would stop attacks and get ourselves out of tough situations by passing and NOT by just kicking the ball with no purpose. Yes, we did panic at times but for the most part, we maintained control. It was sad to see Justin get hurt and have to come off for the rest of the game - we lost a very influential player. But then Ben stepped in and showed how much he has improved his work rate, his determination and his desire to win.Well done Benny! I must also make mention of Thomas. My boy, you showed a lot of heart in this game. It was unfortunate that as time went by we had to change our strategy but coming off the bench, you demonstrated a lot of character and desire ~ well done Thomas. 

Thomas mounts an attack despite being under pressure from Gorge's center mid

I cannot forget to mention Hamish who once again displayed a good understanding of the game. A hard worker who aims to do what is right for the team, Hamish never complains about how much time he plays and never requests accolades. He simply works hard. Well done Hamish, my respect to you.

Tyler shows how it is done and takes the space with speed

Our team created one excellent chance in the second half. Mathew and Brandon combined well, the ball was crossed in and Robbie managed to control it, turn the defender and take a low shot with his left. However, the shot was too close to the keeper and it was saved. A chance that would haunt us as the game went on. Yet, we kept going. I have to say that the level of positive energy in the team was outstanding today. From the back to the front, none of the boys got down with each other - a wonderful thing to see.

Despite our work, Gorge did not stop coming at us. This is where Aaron shone. He got control of shots, near and far, over and over again. It is important that all of us understand how hard that position is and how fantastic this young man, who has so much responsibility, did today.

Aaron sends the ball up field to set up another attack while Pierce protects the back

After a tough 70 minutes, the game came to an end.

EXTRA TIME: we again told the boys: Keep going. Keep working hard. Keep the pressure. Keep the effort up. We also reminded them to continue to believe in themselves and to help each other.

In the extra time, our team once again kept control of the play but tired legs began to show. The turn-overs began to take an even greater toll. However, the one thing that I loved was how even when they lost the ball, they fought hard to get it back. All of us should be proud of that.

Marcel, surrounded, manages to skip away without losing the ball and kicking it out in panic

The best chance came when after receiving the ball from Mathew, Robbie took a one time shot and directed it to the bottom of the right post of the net. Miraculously, the new goalie for Gorge got down far into the right bottom corner and made a miraculous save. It was an amazing shot, but an even more amazing save. Our team was producing chances and this was good to see.

Mathew cuts away from Gorge's defender while Robbie prepares to join the attack

For his part, our goalie was not to be outdone. Aaron made three fantastic saves, the best one coming in the second half of extra time when the Gorge forward tried to chip him after he had one initial save. Aaron made two saves in a row to keep the ball out. A great display of skill.

The turning point came at the last minute of the game. Mathew received a pass from Robbie after Mathew had broken free from a flat defensive line. Mathew controlled the ball with his left foot and with his right hammered an amazing shot to the top corner. However, it was called offside. So, the question is: was it offside? My answer is simple: whether it was offside or not is irrelevant now. It was called off and we had to keep going.

Soon after, the final whistle came. It was penalties.

PENALTIES: Shoot outs have been called unfair and most people see them as a bad way to decide a game. They are seen as a way to decide a winner which often does not reward the team that had the better game. However, they exist and we had to deal with them.

Our penalty takers, Koby, Jonathan, Mathew, Finn and Robbie (in that order) did what they could. Koby was unlucky on his first - the ball did not go far enough to the corner and Gorge's goalie saved it. But then Aaron made an amazing save on Cole from Gorge. It was tied. Then our boys continued scoring ~ Jonathan took a great one. Gorge then scored too. Mathew also scored to keep us in the game but unfortunately Finn's shot sailed over the top even though he properly aimed to the top corner. It was a hard blow for this young talented player.

In the end, Gorge's goalie scored the last goal and won the game for them. It was indeed a tough lost.

You know, watching Koby and Finn break down after their kicks made me realize how hard this was on ALL the boys. It showed that they care and that they did all they could to come on top. I feel proud of them and I hope all of us recognize their efforts.

FINAL THOUGHTS: this loss was a tough pill to swallow. Our team is amazing. We have quality from the very back to the very top. Our team has improved from where they were at the beginning of the season, has become strong and our boys have all become better players.

I also urge you to recognize the good things. The way they played on Saturday was fantastic. The boys fought hard. We did not rely on kick and run. We worked hard to pass the ball. The boys supported each other and even when we lost possession they did their best to gain possession back. They maintained a positive attitude with each other and were complimentary of one another.

Brandon takes off from two defenders showing prowess and determination

There is lots more to write but I will end with just a couple of things:

1. This game was big. It is in these games where players learn the most and what it takes to win. No matter what happened, all of us must think of this as a learning experience ~ in the end, what we want is better players, and based on what I saw today, I truly believe we are going the right way.

2. Let's not get lost on specific actions by any of the boys. In the end, I take responsibility for the decisions we made and will accept any slack that comes from this game. Bottom line: we should be proud of our players. 

So with that we end our Cup Run. Don't worry ~ our boys are only 14! They got many years of soccer playing to come so please do not see this one game as the end.

I thank all of you for all your support. We got other things to worry about now: more league games and yes, District Cup.

My commitment is unwavering ~ I hope your support is the same.

Have a great long weekend and see you at practice.

Roberto

BAYS UNITED FURY 8 - LAKEHILL FC 0

Jonathan skips away from his forecheck - a sign of things to come during the game

What a great day in Victoria to play soccer today. Grass field, no rain, no wind and sunny out. What else could a coach ask for? Well, how about a great display of skill and team work like the one the boys gave today. Despite missing two of our two strong defenders and having one of our strikers have to sit due to injury and another not feeling very well, the team responded well and gave it their all. Lakehill gave us a lot of trouble last time. We knew we had to play hard to be successful today.

The first half saw us have most of the possession and the rhythm of the game. At times we did run into some issues (our finishing can still improve and we have to reduce the amount of turn overs). Yet, the movement of the ball and the runs the boys were making were incisive. Mistakes happen but they can be a great source of knowledge if we learn from them.

The first goal came after Finn took a pass from the outside, dribbled into the box and after taking the Lakehill defender to the end line placed a nice pass along the ground to Mathew who one-timed it into the bottom left corner of the net. Well produced, well executed.

Finn looking to see how to breakdown the Lakehill defence

The second goal came from a very good exchange of passes between Koby and Justin. Koby received the ball from Justin and immediately gave a pass back to Justin who settled and then instinctively took a low long range shot that easily beat the goalie who was not expecting it to come at him so fast. Two nothing and we were only 15 minutes into the game. Not long after, our two center mids combined well again. After a cross into the box from the left hand side, Koby gave a one touch pass to Justin who sidefooted the ball into the opposite corner of the net. Three nothing. Those two goals were important because they gave us breathing room but also because it showed that Justin and Koby CAN and SHOULD combine the way they did all the time. Well done fellas!

Before the half ended, Koby once again turned provider and this time found Gabriel who without hesitation used his speed and applied a nice touch to score our fourth goal.

Gabriel receiving the ball during an attack

Half time. We took the boys and gave them some further direction. We asked that they keep an eye on the positioning, especially at the back and the wings. We also asked the forwards to make more diagonal runs so that the midfield had more options available to them. Last, we asked them to be more composed in front of the net. It is great that they get it on target but we asked them to be more confident when in front of the net and to attack every ball that came across the goal.

The second half started out well again. We made some changes to adjust to some of our players suffering some minor problems (Robbie had a strained knee, Marcel's wrist was bugging him, Finn was not feeling well). Up front Thomas was proving to not only be effective but also a handful for the Lakehill defenders. Ben took the stopper position and worked extremely well with Jonathan. Aaron also made some good saves that proved to be important to maintain the confidence of the team.

Aaron sends the ball up field to mount an attack

Hamish began to flow up front with more ease and Koby and Justin maintained control in the middle.

Hamish is off the races ~ despite his injury, Hamish was fantastic yet again

Our next goal came courtesy of a jewel of a free kick by our captain. From about 40 feet out, Koby looked poised to score. His instructions were to keep calm, pick a spot and hit it well. And boy did he ever! Koby struck the ball well with his laces and the ball sailed fast over the wall and the goalie to find the back of the net. Five nothing.

Koby, running the show and setting the example

From then on, it was the Mathew show. Mathew followed our advice and after missing a virtual open net, he became more clinical with his finishing. First it was after he again received a well timed pass from Finn. Mathew found himself free in front of the net and with a very composed touch, scored his second goal. Not long after, Mathew again made a smart run into the net and then found himself with the ball at his feet after Gabriel made an incisive run on the wing and sent the ball back only for Mathew to receive and get his third goal - Hat Trick! Last, towards the end of the game, Hamish and Mathew worked a wonderful 1-2 in the corner of the field, and after receiving a great return pass from Hamish, Mathew drove into the net and hammered a wonderful shot to the top of the corner. An unstoppable goal by a player who was having an unstoppable second half.

In yet another attack, Mathew dribbles through two defenders while maintaining close control of the ball ~ a memorable day for our talented player

In the end, everyone deserves credit. Robbie played very well as a stopper in the first half, distributing the ball very well, not giving it away and pushing forward whenever needed. I was quite impressed with his precision on the ball and the fact that he had no turn overs at the back.

Robbie controls the back and dictates our next attack from the back

Ben also was impressive at the back. In particular, I loved his tenacity as a center back and his calmness on the ball even when he was under pressure. In my view, both of these boys deserve credit for playing so well in positions they do not regularly play in.

Ben blocks yet another pass ~ a great display of determination and hard work ~ well done Benny!

Thomas was always a threat and unlucky not to be rewarded for his efforts; Marcel played through pain and anguish and as usual gave his all for the team; Finn, despite feeling sick, provided two wonderful assists; Brandon's return to his old stumping grounds was also a success. I could go on but I won't ~ I think it is clear that it was a very good game from which we can learn a lot and use as preparation for next week's game.

Brandon maintains his cool even while the looming big forward gets ready to pounce on the ball

So who do we play next week? We play Gorge my friends. So, let's not miss practice this week ~ we gotta prepare for a very important game. If you are hurt, let me know and you can rest though.

Alright, let's keep going boys - the season is just about to get more interesting.

Cheers,

Roberto