FREDS EXERCISE PATTERNS AND PATIENCE

After bossing both Haddenham Youth and Abingdon United in November, only to surrender commanding positions, THE FREDS had been asked a question about their game management and resilience.

Cumnor Minors came to visit the green and white hoops at Alfredian Park the following week and, although challenged by player availability, Wantage recorded a comfortable 4-1 win. Not the clean sheet desired, but better control.

Training over the last month has focused on possession ( 8 v 8 ) on a half pitch, linking midfield with attack, stronger communication, and more recently 1 v 1 match-ups in a small-sided game to encourage defenders to offer more in attack, attackers to offer more in defence, and generally sharpen awareness of responsibilities in transition.

The visit of Cholsey Bluebirds in the Trophy afforded THE FREDS an opportunity to polish encouraged patterns, appreciate space on the pitch, and demonstrate patience in possession when opponents are defending in balance

( with compact numbers ).

However, the Cholsey starters were bright in the early exchanges and twice Matthew MacDonald had to sweep behind a sleepy core to thwart the visitors with timely challenges.

THE FREDS settled though, and started to play out confidently and through the thirds, soon opening the scoring. Jonny Hall stretched his legs on the right flank, fired a cross into the 'corridor of uncertainty' that scorched hands and fell kindly for Matthew Goodman to prod home from close range.

With Jonny Hall sin-binned for eight minutes, THE FREDS reshuffled the pack for a time but continued to pose a threat. Having invited Cholsey to the right side of the pitch, the ball was quickly switched to the left where Will Beynon travelled a distance quickly and split the defence with a nicely weighted pass into the path of Chris Marsh. Marsh accelerated away from his pursuer and slipped the ball under the advancing keeper. 2-0.

Ray Rwodzi combined nicely with James Hirst on the left before the creative midfielder astonishingly found the net with a whipped cross from an acute angle. 3-0.

Hirst then served Rwodzi, in turn. The speedy winger raced in from the left to meet a cross from the right, and cracked a volley into the net from two yards, beating the keeper to the delivery. 4-0.

Wantage introduced Alex Grimes, Joe George and Elliot Hayter at the interval, resting Jacob Haines, Chris Marsh and Ray Rwodzi for twenty minutes.

The second half was an opportunity to exercise game management.

THE FREDS confidently moved the ball from side to side, retaining possession and looking for opportunities to break lines and support.

Matthew Lambe ( the second wing-back to get forward and assist to good effect ) threaded for Jonny Hall. The Alfredian Assassin found a yard of space and rattled an effort against the upright which cannoned off the back of the keeper. 5-0.

Joe George hit a speculative shot that flashed narrowly wide from outside the box. And Alex Grimes was unfortunate not to add to the tally with a shot from eight yards and a header at the death, smartly saved.

Ray Rwodzi swapped places with Jonny Hall and hit his second of the match soon after. James Hirst ghosted past a few blues in the box and set up Rwodzi, who spanked the Mitre into the top right-hand corner from fifteen yards out. 6-0.

Chris Marsh and Jacob Haines swapped places with Roan Stillion and James Hirst.

Haines fizzed a shot just wide, and Marsh then gifted Rwodzi twelve yards from the target. Rwodzi quickly moved the ball out from under his feet before hitting the same postage stamp in the top right-hand corner with a delightful sweep of his right. 7-0.

With no sense of urgency or demand for numbers, Wantage looked after the ball well, recognised opportunities to switch the focus of attack, and played some tidy football with heads up.

Lewis Jordan, Matthew Lambe, Matthew MacDonald, Jacob Haines, Will Beynon, James Hirst, Roan Stillion, Matthew Goodman, Ray Rwodzi, Jonny Hall, Chris Marsh, Joe George, Alex Grimes, Elliot Hayter