So it was yet another home game and are second cup semi final in as many weeks, after losing 1-0 to Eastleigh in the Hampshire Cup Semi it was time to get things right this time around and keep up are impressive Pompey Cup run and make our 4th cup final in 4years.
We were up against a Fleur De Lys team who were flying high in the B League only losing one out of 11 games winning 10 so they were coming into the game high in confidence with nothing to lose.
We had to try starting the game quick and to put the pressure on from the start, but as it has been the story of our season so far we started very slowly, Fleurs came out fast and furious from the whistle, playing with no fear and putting us quickly under pressure closing down well, it was on 3mins that they got the breakthrough, winning a free kick just inside our half the defence switched off a long ball over the top and direct into our box court every defender napping it was just left to there defender who broke clear to stay on side to just simply lift the ball over Billys head to put Fleurs into a shock 1-0 lead.
It was a wake up call to the lads, it was to say if you think this will be easy then ud better think again, they came here to win and we had to regroup and change are attitude towards the game.
We started to get the ball flowing making some great one touch passing, how ever it was off the ball where we were still struggling, losing out to every header and losing out on the second balls, it was like the hunger and desire had gone in some of there eyes, but we kept trying and it didnt take us long to get right back into the game, on 6mins Alfie won the ball in midfield and managed to slip through Max who calmly slotted home to make it 1-1 and settle a few nerves then in the 7th min the game turned on its head Zack picked up on a great through ball from Alfie going one on one with the keeper to calmly lift the ball over his head to put us 2-1 infront just 4mins after going behind.
We started to grow in confidence and pinned Fleurs in there own half for long periods creating plently of chances, first Alfie shot just over from 12yards, Zack slipped a shot just wide from a good Kieron cross and then Smithy headered inches wide from a good Alfie corner, but just when it looked like we were never going to get that goal to stretch our lead Zack picked up on a mistake by there keeper failing to get any distance on his goal kick where he put it high over the stranded keeper to make it 3-1 on 24mins.
Kieron nearly made it 4-1 just before the break but saw his shot bounce off the cross bar and out for a goal kick after a great corner by Alfie, we ended the half 3-1 ahead but it was defenatly far from over as Fleurs were coursing our defence problems with the high ball over the top they had some pace down the wings that court Sammy and Josh out at times but they didnt really test Billy much due to BK and Jack holiding the center of defence like a brick wall and Smithy chasing everything down in midfield.
We made two changes at HT Alfie was replaced by Ollie and Ryan replaced Josh that then left Jack to push himself into midfield and Ollie filling in at center half.
We started the second half very strongly you could see the fitness show and the Fleurs heads slowly drop as we made them chace shadows at times, they never gave up but were let down by one or twos attitudes and we smelt blood, we started to power forward but found ourselves again wasting chance after chance, first Max pulled his shot wide, Zack had his first time effort tipped round the post when he had more time and then from the resulting corner Kieron had his shot saved.
But we didnt let it frustrate us we just started again from the back pushing forward pinning Fleurs into there own half and in the 43rd min we finaly got the goal that our second half performance deserved, Kieron and Zack played a great one two down the left which opened up a gap in there defence which Zack found slipping the ball through to Max who powered through the on rushing keeper to tap home a well worked goal to make it 4-1.
We made a couple more changes with Sammy and Zack beining replaced by Charlie and Joel.
We soon found a little mini goal spree which put an end to the game catching Fleurs out cold first Smithy latched onto a miss hit clearence smashing the ball into the bottom corner from 20yards to make it 5-1 on 47mins, then in the 50th min Smithy became provider putting an inch perfect ball through to Max who slipped the ball home to make it 6-1 and clam his hatrick, Joel then had a one on one effort sail just wide of the post but made up for that miss just mins later Alfie had replaced Kieron and got himself straight back into the game chasing down the defence and then with a flick of his right foot put Joel through one on one for the second time but this time he found the back of the net to make it 7-1 on 56mins and finishing it off in style with a cartwheel and backflip.
Jake had replaced Cam and with time ticking out Fleurs had one more final push forward, Ollie looked like he had done the hard work breaking up an attack but failed to clear his lines, leaving them to put a cross into the box finding an unmarked winger to simply head home to make it 7-2 on 58mins, its hard to take when we create are own problems with 90% of goals we conced coming from our own laps in consentration and mistakes.
We ended the game 7-2 winners and heading into our 4th cup final in 4 years where we are to yet again face WPTs for the 3rd time in a row after the edged past Purbrook Ath 3-0.
Man of the Match went to Max who not just grabbed a hatrick but coursed there defence so many problems down the left with his pace.
Well done lads keep it up one more league game to go and the double is still in sight COYH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
