Second grade Guyra United took on TAS at TAS. You could easily see just by looking at our opposition, that they were going to be a stronger side than the previous time we met. They had a lot more younger players and a more diverse team. And since we only won 1-0 in the previous game, we knew we had to step up.
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TAS held more possession in the first half. Guyra’s midfield seemed to fall apart and I think this is why we weren’t the better side in that half.
Regular substitutions were needed as TAS was running the side around. We weren’t at all playing bad; it’s just that we gave the ball up too easily and it’s far too hard to just chase the ball and constantly try and win back possession in a game like this. I give Guyra’s defence a big wrap because they were able to hold this out all half.
The positives in Guyra’s attack game from a few plays. Justin McKay returned and was hanging a great game.
Newcomer Andy Cumming was having a brilliant game, especially in the air. Stevie Mac took a great corner which was dangerously headed towards the goal by Andy, only for it to hit the cross bar and go over. All in all, both sides managed to keep the goals out and it was nil-all at half time.
There were a few frustrations at half time. The calm of the storm was kept by Col Stanley who had some great advice on how to play the second half. You could see a lot of our players were struggling to keep up with the game. It was going to require a massive effort from the second grade side to go out and win in this second half.
We again started on the back foot with TAS having immediate opportunities to put Guyra behind. But the consistent pressure from our backs, especially Mark Evers and Mason Harman, was forcing TAS to shoot from a long way out, which were easy saves for our star keeper, Liam Surawski.
Liam was having another outstanding performance in between the posts. The score would not have been at nil-all if it wasn’t for his brilliant and gutsy saves. He really stepped up at a time when the side needed him to.
Structure for Guyra and TAS was starting to fall. We were just attacking and then defending. The ball was going up and down and up and down the field. Guyra found the better of this situation.
With 10 minutes to go, the man of the year so far, the person I give a wrap most weeks, young Brodie Harman made a blistering break down the left hand side of the field. Again, combined with his pace and skills, he was able to beat several defenders to the bottom corner for the field and then giving a brilliant cross.
Justin McKay missed the opportunity to score but as the ball rolled over the top of his foot it left it in a nice position for Andy Cumming to finish a brilliant goal. This left Guyra up 1-0. We played the half out and were victorious. A gutsy effort from the side and I couldn’t have been any happier at the end of the 90 minutes.
Since the restructure of the draw, which made a much stronger competition, Guyra have not lost a game. We are sitting equal first with North Armidale who also have not lost. We have been beating competition with similar score lines.
We take on Norths this weekend at home in a top of the table clash, and the winner will be sitting nicely on top of that table. It’s going to be our hardest game of the year so all players please make it this Thursday! Again, a side for Saturday will be chosen on Thursday night training performance.
Points this week went to Liam Surawski 3, Brodie Harman 2 and Andy Cumming 1.
Tyrone Clough
