Conversation before the game was ‘just how good will Lincoln University be?’  My response was I don’t know, I had coached the Uni’ team a couple of times 2 years past but things change yearly at Uni’s, every year you lose one third of your players as they move on after their degree courses finish.  Inside I expect a far lower level of play than the one that set foot on court, to tell the players such would have really not helped their preparation for a tough encounter.

No sooner had play commenced than a Dan Powers cross field pas ricochet of a Lincoln player into the Valiant net.  The scorer could have had no idea where the ball was going to end up.  What’s that football cliché, ‘never pass across your own goal?

Matters immediately worsened when on their next attack a Lincoln player hit a rasping shot through a crowded Valiant defence.  With teams not using ‘time outs’ problems had to be resolved on court, sit deep press?  It was puzzle solving time and it had to be done quickly, Lincoln looked as they might score every time they came forward.

Small indoor courts are massively different to play on the full size outdoor court at Second Avenue, it’s not just the size of the court, and players have to contend with rapid dehydration as well.

To their credit Valiant got hold of the game, scored to ease the pressure.  Now Lincoln was starting to have problems, Grimsby was not a push over.  The team most likely to score next looked being Grimsby as they had adjusted to the court and was starting to create more chances than Lincoln.  Lincoln had other ideas and countered to again open a two goal gap. Valiant then had their most important phase of the game scoring two goals and giving them half time respite to restore order.

Listening to the Grimsby players at half time it was good to hear players input was tactical, none of the ‘let’s get at them,’ stuff.  This game was a test of character, technique and tactics.

Lincoln grabbed a fourth, Valiant replied to level 4-4.  My thoughts at this juncture was Lincoln was about to take control, they looked fitter and was now the team creating more chances.  Valiant used all their experience, staying calm when others might have panicked, littered amongst Lincoln’s half chances, superlative saves from Karl in goal and a post that was rattled twice'  Valiant got Danny North into a one situations with Lincoln keeper.  He dropped his shoulder, waited - looked to have taken to long, and fired past the keeper. Matt Payne added a sixth to take Valiant over the finishing line.

University futsal is on the move, with its own National Championship and World Cup the squads are getting bigger and the standards higher.

Finally a thank you to our hosts for a high class game, cannot wait for next game, both teams now know what to prepare for.

To read Lincoln’s match report click here.