Right then, let’s talk about the Somerset tournament last weekend. Bit of a mad one, honestly, but learned tons.
Started way too early Saturday. Alarm went off at 4AM – pure murder. Stumbled around the kitchen, brewed the strongest coffee I could manage, nearly poured it on my lucky socks instead of into the mug. Packed the car like it was a military operation. Bags, sticks, tape, water bottles, more energy bars than a squirrel hoarding nuts, team medical kit… forgot my own shin pads first time round. Classic. Had to sprint back inside.
Hit the road still half-asleep. Pitch black outside. Got to Somerset just as the sun was coming up, mist hanging over the pitches. Found our pitch, number three. Pitch was rock solid, like concrete. Knew it’d be fast and bouncy. Did a quick walk with Adam, our skip. Pointed out the dodgy patches near the far baseline where the ball loves to take off like a rocket.
Team rocked up looking rough but ready. Pre-game chat was simple. “Stick to the plan, yeah? Short, sharp passes. They’ve got those two massive lads at the back – don’t try to run through ’em. Move it quick. Find the gaps. And for Pete’s sake, mark number seven tight. He’s their playmaker.” Gave the keeper, young Jamie, a proper gee-up. “Eyes on the ball, Jamie. Nothing fancy, just big clears.”
First half was brutal. Legs were burning after ten minutes. They came out flying. We were hanging on, clearing balls anywhere we could. Jamie pulled off three saves that shouldn’t be possible. Proper magic. We soaked up the pressure, slowly finding our feet. Started stringing a few passes together near the end of the half. Managed a scrappy short corner goal – pure relief! Huddle after that was all about sticking together. “We’ve weathered the storm. Now we push.”
Second Half Shuffle & The Turning Point
Told everyone at halftime to push higher up. “Squeeze ’em! Don’t let them breathe out there!” Pushed Chloe up front with Mike, told Ellie to sit deeper, almost a third back. Felt risky. But guess what? It clicked.
We pressed like demons. Could see the other team panicking. Forced a turnover near their circle. Quick ball out to Sarah on the wing – she absolutely roasted her marker. Cut inside, cracked a shot. Saved, rebound fell messy, and Mike bundled it in. Absolute scenes! Arms everywhere.
Last ten minutes? Pure chaos. They threw everything forward. Whole team turned into defenders. Blocking shots, throwing bodies. My stick probably saved one off the line – felt like a solid brick hitting it. Defence organised itself like pros. Just kept shouting “Clear the zones! Out! Out!”. Whistle went. Utterly knackered but buzzing.
Big things we nailed:
- Jamie keeping us alive early doors. Made himself massive.
- Shifting formation when plan A wasn’t working. Changed the whole game.
- Talking! Constantly! Screaming positions, warnings about open players. Saved our bacon.
- Team spirit through the roof. When we scored, everyone lost it. Felt that energy.
- Managing the clock near the end. Kept heads. Didn’t just hoof it anywhere, tried to keep it in their half.
Stuff we nearly messed up:
- Starting slow. Nearly killed us. Need faster first steps.
- Short corners were rubbish. Only scored one from like eight? Need practice.
- Hydration. Few lads looked proper cooked late on. Hot day. Must drink more.
- Pre-game routine. Mine was a shambles. Won’t forget gear next time.
Honestly? Best feeling walking off that pitch. Legs like jelly, throat raw from shouting, but that proper team buzz. Proof that sticking to basics, adapting when needed, and just grafting your socks off together really works. Next tournament? Bring it on. Just maybe starting a bit later, yeah?
