Confidence boosting win for Goodwick (From Western Telegraph)

Confidence boosting win for Goodwick

Goodwick UTD 2 Merlins Bridge 0

Goodwicks season hasnt gone to plan so far. Before the league programme began, the North Pembrokeshire outfit were tipped as being one of the few teams that could challenge the might of Hakin for honours in both the league and cup competitions.

Yet, after six completed matches they find themselves in a mid-table position having won only two games while drawing and losing the rest. After watching them play on Saturday it is easy to see why they arent setting the First Division on fire. Put succinctly, they are low on confidence.

Individually, they have players that can walk into any team in the division, yet for some reason they just havent found the zip and energy that portrayed their play last season.

In this game against Merlins Bridge, they had most of the possession, most of the territory and most of the chances yet they just couldnt find the back of the net which led manager Sean OConnor to say after the game that:

The boys are afraid of missing.

Hopefully for him this victory will have restored some of that lost confidence, as they are one side that should be up there in the top three in the county.

This was not a pretty match to watch. Although the game wasnt littered with mistakes and the level of control on show was pretty high, neither side seemed eager enough to express themselves.

The visitors went into the game as one of the only sides in the county not to lose a game. Considering they had a mass exodus of players in the pre-season, this was no mean feat but from the start you could sense that they were about to finish second best.

In truth, Goodwick were sharper, stronger and fitter and although Peter Jones was a colossus in the air and Ben Field showed his class upfront, they created very few chances, while Goodwick created many.

The first of these fell to Steve Jenkins who almost got the ball rolling with a spectacular effort when he attempted an overhead kick at goal.

Unfortunately for him and the spectators it went over the bar. The home side were playing with a lot more control and were running the visitors ragged and minutes later, skilful defender John Bailey saw his header sail over the bar.

With all of this pressure a goal had to come from somewhere and it eventually came from a neat Dai Hayes header who soared high above everyone else to connect with a John Bailey header.

Goodwick still created their chances through Mike A Hearne and James Dean but the game failed to light up as a spectacle and it was a relief that the whistle blew for half time.

The second half started in brighter fashion with Kevin Bowen going close for the home side almost straight away and they suddenly looked a revitalised outfit, playing sharp attractive football. Ryan Thomas began to come into things on the left wing to show his doggedness and willingness to fight and he created a few chances, the best of which fell to Barry Hayes but instead of shooting first time he tried to control things and fluffed the chance.

While Bridge keeper Steve James was a busy man at the opposite end James Gwilt had virtually nothing to do although Ben Field did go close with one attempt.

With the game coming to a close and nothing really happening, Goodwick finally got their second when Kevin Bowen latched onto a loose ball in the box and headed the ball home.

It was a scrappy if deserved goal for the home side that pretty well sums up the game really, but as OConnor added afterwards:

Any win will do.

Goodwick Utd: James Gwilt, Wayne OSullivan, John Bailey, Steve Blackford, Steve Jenkins, Ryan Thomas, Mike AHearne, James Dean, Kevin Bowen, Barry Hayes, Dai Hayes; Subs: Gareth Phillips, Sean OConnor.

Merlins Bridge: Steve James, Chris Ormond, Steve Thompson, Sean Jones, Peter Thomas, Nathan Thomas, Peter Jones, Carl Mason, Mark Parry, Ben Field, Simon Thomas; Subs: Darren Dalton, Richard Davies

PICTURE: Steve Jenkins and Ben Field jossle for aerial supremacy