CT v Rebel Razors 16/07/11 "Cheadle Cut Down to Size"

First half:
The match started badly when RR's #40 drove into the Cheadle defence, was awarded a penalty and scored a point. At first it looked as if this might have just been a lucky play as CT held off a fast, co-ordinated attack from the younger players, but four minutes later #40 made another 2 easy penalty shots.... then a basket .... then another!

And #40 wasn't the only RR player who could score. Though Cheadle got back into the game after time-out, and even scored a few baskets, they didn't seem to have an answer to the RR very simple game plan "get the ball, and attack".

Half-time score: 19-6 to Rebel Razors.


Second Half
Although CT shaped up defensively at the beginning of the half, RR #40 could still find his way through - usually by a direct route.

5 minutes in, Dan took a fall and for a while it looked as if CT would be playing with 4 men. Though he limped back on the Cheadle defence was weakened; without substitutes the players were tiring and demoralised.  Meanwhile RR made a lot of substitutions from their large squad giving all their players a chance to score until Josh scored the consolation-prize of final basket in the last few seconds of the game.

Final Score: 40 -8  to Rebel Razors.

Stats: 
CT: Josh - 4; Karl, Tom 2 each
RR: #40 - 19; #0 (unmarked player, plumpish fair -haired lad) - 6; #42 - 5; #24 - 3; #45, #35, #32 - 2 each; #41 - 1.


Pros and Cons:

First, well done to Josh, Karl, Harry, Dan and Tom for lasting the time against a horde of RR players (and especially to Dan for coming back after injury). But then we've dealt it out to other teams so we can't complain.

Having said that, I don't think these 5 players gelled too well as a team, particularly in attack. When they got the ball they soon lost it. RR were particularly good at intercepting passes, and CT were passing too much and driving too little.

It was going to be a hard game for Cheadle from the beginning with half the squad away, and RR were a better team than expected. But RR do look beatable if you take #40 out of the picture. As they may well be in the final we need to think of ways to keep #40 out of the game!