Match Review: Hotspurs FC vs Gaelic Lions FC

• GK Michael Rhodes
• DF Tom Hine
• DF Oliver Roberts
• DF Aaron Jones
• DF Simon Hearn
• MD Kieran McLaughlin
• MD Tom Ruffles
• MD Lionel Kong
• MD Ross Lando
• ST Jack Skinner
• ST Nick Kouvaritakis

• DF Oliver Harbord
• DF James Keane
• MD Ali Roseburgh

• Will Sexton DF
• Liam McGinley DF
• Louis Platt DF
• Chris Leighton MD
• Stephen Swords MD
• Adam Smith MD
• Dom Marwood MD
• Kazuki Sato-Brennan ST
• Daire Flanagan ST
• Shailer Thomas --
• Allan O'Donahue --

• Sean Flanagan ST
• Angus Logan --

3 is the Magic Number

Felt like an age since we had a 3pm Kick off and it was good to be back at turf for the early afternoon KO in perfect drizzly dreary conditions. It also felt like an age since we picked up all 3 points and we were delighted to get back in the winner's circle just doing enough to be on the right side of a 3 goal battle with Hotspurs. Similar to the mid-week game, lions got about our business from the off and looked well on top. Chris Leightion rattling the cross bar. However also similar to the mid-week game Hotspurs worked their way back into it and almost took the lead with their first real attack. Shailer pushed one onto the post and the rebound came straight back to the Spurs striker but thankfullyit pinged off him and just wide. A let off for the Lions and it woke us up. Smithy then with a brilliant ball outwide inviting Kaz to run onto it, he cut inside and a brilliant finish gave lions the lead. Lions had their tales up now and forced a corner not long after. Brilliant ball from Chris Leighton and Dom Marwood with his signature Header into the roof of the net. 2-0 lions at the half and a deserved lead. The message at the half was to continue to push on and get that 3rd goal, Hotspurs however had a few tricks up their sleeve yet and started the second half very well, playing most of that quarter before the water break in our half. Lions of course had our moments with the quality we have in the side but never really managed to wrestle back the strangle hold we had in the first half. It was similar in the final quarter, Hotspurs did finally breach our lines and got deserved goal late to keep meself and Churchie sweating for the last few minutes. In the last-minute Hotspurs looking very dangerous and had a good move on the go that got whistled back for a dangerous direct free kick. Hotspurs where definitely annoyed advantage wasn't given but there was still plenty to do and Shailer was in top form all day. It did leave Spurs with a very Dangerous free and I was annoyed we allowed it to happen at all. The free kick just cleared our cross bar and so with it came the final whistle, Very good competitive game, cheers to Ali and the Hotspurs lads. Really good game and they will be disappointed not to have taken a point at the death. Think overall Lions just edged it. Quentin and officials' top class and as much as we appreciate them, I am sure they appreciated the spirit in which the game was played by both teams.