Casuals and Pelham bounced back from last weeks disappointing defeat with a 3-0 home win over Hatfield Heath. Both teams turned up with 9 men initially before Hatfiedl Heath then managed to add another three just before kick off. Pelham then knew with Hatfield Heath in 4th place just behind the home side and having a good season themselves that it was going to be a difficult afternoon with a two man deficit. Pelham spoke in depth about their tactics before the game and needed everyone to put an absolute shift in. When Pelham didnt have the ball they made sure they got everyone behind the ball with Dan Arran slotting in to midfield making two banks of four, and when they did have possession Dan Arran would push on up top and try to hold the ball up as much as possible with the rest of the team playing off him. Pelham stuck to those tactics and it worked well, with the home side having the first few chances at goal through Dan Arran and Steve Callan. Hatfield Heath were becoming frustrated and they then tried to play a long diagonal ball forwards after they realised they were struggling to get past Pelhams 8 man defence. That played perfectly into Pelhams hands with Ant Hamilton-Pilot and Steve Willett dominating in the air and mopping up easily. Pelham were working their socks off and covering every blade of grass on the pitch. The organisation and communication was top drawer and as discussed at the start of the game, the tactics and game plan was working as expected. The deadlock between the two sides was broken on the 25 minute mark and suprisingly it went to the nine men of Pelham. George Wappett picked up the ball in the centre of the park and seeing space infront of him decdided to take the ball on himself. Dribbling the ball past three defenders and advanicing to the Hatfield Heath area, he then took the ball round the goalkeeper and faked to shoot forcing the defender on the line to go to ground with Wapett then squaring to Steve Callan at the back post to tap it in to the net. Pelham then knew Hatfield Heath would come out firing after conceding that goal and for the next 5 minutes Dan Arran was pulled back into midfield just again to get men behind the ball and weather the storm. Hatfield Heath did nearly equalise on the 35 minute mark as a goalmouth scramble occured in the Pelham area. Tired Pelham legs at the end of the half started to set in understandably and for the first time in the game Hatfield Heath got in behind. However a good inital Save from Dan Monk parried the ball away which unfortunately landed at the feet of a Heath player. His shot was blocked and deflected in the air which again unfortunately landed on the head of a second Heath player, his header hit the bar and every Pelham player from then on threw their bodies on the line at players and the ball to block any goal bound shot. The atttack was eventually snuffed out with Dan Monk throwing himself on the ball and relieving the pressure. That would turn out to be Hatfield Heaths only real chance on goal and that was 100% down to Pelhams work rate frustrating the away side. Pelhams hard work in the first half was rewarded once again at the end of the half with George Wappett picking up the ball in midfield and being put under pressure from Hatfield Heath midfielders. Rather than lose the ball in his own half he lobbed the ball long over the Heath defence. However Dan Arran had already put his head down and made a run from midfeild and past the Heath defence, latchiing on to Wappetts ball and looping it over the keeper and in to the net. With a few minutes left Pelham once again put everyone behind the ball and shut up shop going in 2-0 in front at the break. Pelham knew the second half was going to be a tough ask as they had already done so much running in the first half and were waiting for it to take its toll on everyone. They continued with their tactics which again seemed to work well and kept Heath at bay. Pelham coould have gone three up and taken the pressure off with Wappett oncer again playing Arran in but he could only drag his shot wide. Pelham were a lot less attacking in this half as they had run themselves ragged and just decided to keep their shape and defend well. They did counter attack everyone now and then but once again it was on a very rare occassion. However their defending and organisation was ultimately what would win them the game along with their ridiculous work rate. Every time a Hatfield Heath player had the ball in Pelhams half they would have a Pelham played in their face shutting them down. Heath rarely tested the Pelham goal in the second half which again was down to Pelhams defending and organisation as well as Dan Monk dominating in the air claiming every long ball and cross. Pelham finally relieved the pressure and wrapped the game up just as they started to really feel the pace of the game. Poor touches and poor passing from tired legs had set in but Jamie Richards from left back decided to make a run down the left hand side. Steve Callan linked up with George Wappett who once again played the final ball in to Jamie Richards who managed to loop the ball up above the keeper. The keeper probably should have saved it but the ball bounced off his finger tips and over his head in to the net on the 89th minute. That goal was much to the relief of Pelham and once again they parked everyone behind the ball for the last couple of minutes. The final whistle went and much to everyones surprise from the start of the game. Pelham won it 3-0 despite the 2 man deficit. Unreal effort from everyone today and although the report doesnt do much to big up Hatfield Heath, they genuinely had limited opportunites due to the work rate of the home side. In 5 seasons of playing for the club i've not seen the team work as hard and run as much as they did today. The win was fully deserved and Pelham got out of it what they put in. Mick couldn't name one man of the match today as all nine men had a fantastic game and each deserves individual praise for their efforts. That win should secure Pelham a top half finish and with one game left it is now dependant on other reaults how high we can finish. Last game of the season next week so if we could manage to get more than 9 together that would be lovely :-) .
