An interesting and very positive week for the team and the club. With our women’s first team in action on Wednesday night, they were given a much deserved night off from training, giving the opportunity for the Development Team to train alongside the excellent Open Access Squad. Feedback from the session was very positive, and it was insightful to see not only the next level on a pathway but the talent we have pushing through the club.
We took the momentum forward on to Saturday coming away from Clapham Common with a richly deserved victory against Tooting Bec A, courtesy of a coolly taken goal from newcomer Alegra Giercke on 74 minutes.
While many 1-0 games are generally tight affairs or ‘smash and grab’ affairs CCFC were on top throughout on a bumpy surface at one of London’s iconic venues. Amid the outdoor chess players, the runners, fitness fanatics and casual strollers we produced a performance full of purpose, determination and goal scoring opportunities that perhaps we could have made more of. But that’s the irony of football as ultimately the clean sheet set up the win, we are learning to ‘manage matches’ nowadays as shown by 3 wins out of 4 compared to last season’s record.
Although this was a friendly it was definitely one with a competitive edge and that is something this group seem to thrive on, even with a few newcomers and with the playing surface making playing from the back a little more challenging than normal.
It’s always nice to have the honour of picking the player of the match and for me it was a no brainer to give it to Sin Cheung who has continued to develop through the season and is the epitome of the ‘team player’ definition. Here it was a ‘Busquets’ type performance which took the accolade and the eye, protecting the back four, keeping the supply of balls into forward players and nearly producing the goal of the season from a brilliantly worked set piece routine.
From a personal perspective I couldn’t even walk a little more than a year ago so to just be among the throng of humanity was great, leaving home at 8 and not getting back until 5 (due to traffic) doesn’t sound like fun but coaching this team make every moment worthwhile.
Onto the next game as we take on high flying Camden Eagles in what should be an absolute thriller next weekend.
Regards, Neil