Last week I was told another FAW academy day was taken play but thankfully it was moved to tomorrow! Just as well as injuries have taken their toll on the Eagles squad with Ross and Owen out for a while. If the FAW lads had been unavailable it would have been very doubtful if we could have fielded a side this morning! The lads performed superbly last week in defeating Lisvane and we all look forward to another morning's entertainment with relish. The last visit to Pontprennau proved very fruitful with the lads emerging victorious in all games and with the larger goals in place Hassan looked rearing to go! With the lack of serious rain this week we were all expecting good firm conditions in the windless if dark morning. Did I say firm? Well we'll ask Jonathan's opinion on that!  Nine  players to pick from this week! Well that's 3 more than last week so it looks like a strong Eagles line up!  As we arrived at the pitch our eyes were drawn to the industrious men working hard with forks and brushes in the goal area! You should have seen the "grass"!  Best of luck this morning Jonathan!

Jonathan surveys the mud in his goalmouth!

He needed a complete change of kit for game 3!
Click to Enlarge!

Our squad this morning is
(From the left):  Mike, Hassan, Declan, Jonathan, Aaron, Niall, James, Sion, Leo
Get into that mud!

Results round up
Marlboro Eagles 6 Pentwyn Dyn. B 1
Marlboro Eagles 1 Pentwyn Dyn  A 1
Marlboro Eagles 3 Marlboro C 1

What a pitch! Or rather, what goalmouths! The rest of the pitch was in reasonable condition but the one goalmouth was just awful! Take a look at the photo above! The first game was against Pentwyn B and they put up stiff resistance for most of the first half. However once the lads scored the opposition let their heads drop and the Eagles were allowed to take complete control and finished  up with a 6-1 demolition job!

Game 2 was against Pentwyn A and this was an entirely different affair. The lads had defeated this team  the same venue by only 1-0 earlier in  the season and the game was contested robustly but fairly in all areas of the field. At  half time it remained 0-0 but midway through the second half a poorly cleared ball left Pentwyn with a gift of chance which was duly taken. Try as they might, the lads couldn't get the equalising goal and the last minute approached. It looked like the first defeat of the year for our heroes but in the last seconds a headed cross glanced a Pentwyn defenders head to wrong foot the goalkeeper and the Eagles were spared! There was barely time to kick off and so the game finished 1-1. Both sides should be congratulated for producing such an exciting match in difficult conditions. A word to for a fine refereeing  performance from the Pentwyn official. The gentleman was scrupulously fair and blew his whistle early and left the lads in no doubt about his decisions. Well done sir! A  pleasure to see a job so well done!

The final game of the morning saw the lads pitted against club colleagues Marlboro C. The C lads put up extremely stiff resistance in the first half and went close with a few chances. At half time the score remained 0-0 and the lads were in for a real contest.
However, in the second half the lads gradually took control and 3 goals went in with the run of play. However, the C lads did not give up and deservedly pulled one back in off the  post right at the death!

Home to hot baths lads!  Lets hope for firmer underfoot conditions at Trolley next week!

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