ByAnonymous, Anonymous
Watford Friendly League Under 12 Blue Division:
Brady Maccabi 3-3 Whetstone Wanderers Jags
Both teams stated the game brightly and there was nothing really to choose between the teams, Whetstone created the first chance of the game after 5mins when a good pass split the Brady defence only for the Brady keeper to rush out and clear the danger, Brady then went up the other end immediately and went close through Adam Ellis but his shot was saved by the Whetstone keeper. This is how the half progressed as both teams created chances but could not find the killer touch. Then Brady made the breakthrough when the Whetstone keeper cleared the ball it fell to Ben Winters who with a first time shot from fully 30 yards lobbed the ball back into the net.
This only spurred Whetstone and they came back strongly and scored a lucky equalizer when a good move down their right flank saw the ball pulled back to the back of the area, it was met by the on rushing midfielder whose shot was going wide before it took a wicked deflection and into the Brady net. Whetstone then went ahead with five minutes left of the half with a superb piece of individual skill by their right winger who weaved his way into the Brady area and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.
The second half started with Brady determined to force an equaliser and this came five minutes into the half when a corner from Winters went straight into the net, some will say Oli Marshall got the final touch but TV replay's showed the ball was already over the line.
Brady continued to pile on the pressure and they took a deserved lead when after some good work from Marshall and Davis saw the ball break to Dean Benzaken who rifled the ball into the net.
Brady continued to threaten but were caught on the break when Whetstone defence cleared a corner and the ball fell to their striker who ran from his own half only to be brought down as he was about to shoot, Brady's keeper Nathan stood no chance from the resulting penalty.
The game continued at a high tempo as both sides looked for a winner but nothing came and the game ended in a 3-3 draw.
Brady's manager Joel Nathan commented "Who need Premiership football when you can watch games like this as both teams contributed to a great end to end game? A draw was a fair result."
He also commented that "both teams had to adapt to playing on much larger pitch than normal and that both clubs should be proud of the way both teams played the game".
Brady: Zack Nathan, Justin Mullem, Aden Samuels, Jacob Leigh, Etai Page, Ben Winters, Harrison Baum, Oli Marshall, Dean Benzaken, Jack Davis, Adam Ellis, Toby Constad, Jack Myers, Jordan Harris