Visage away @ Coney Hall

Visage once again showed their resilience in overcoming a strong Coney Hall team, who mounted a fierce second half comeback that only just fell short.

In the first half, Visage played some of their best football of the season, Charlie impregnable in goal, Joe and Anthony assured at the back and Jude, Lucas and Freddie running riot up front. Only once in the first 20 minutes did Coney Hall have sight of goal, Charlie bravely clinging on to a rocket shot that all but took his head off. Visage have added some bite to their obvious skills and time and time again they managed to break through Coney’s defenses, finally going one up when Freddie waltzed around the oncoming keeper before nonchalantly passing into an empty net. Another was added soon after as Joe’s perceptive pass from the back released Jude, whose well saved shot fell to Lucas to finish off. The highlight of the half came next, with Anthony invoking the spirit of Michael Owen against Argentina in ’98, weaving through Coney’s entire defense before whacking it into the top left hand corner.

At this stage it looked as though there was no coming back for Coney, but in the second half an early goal robbed Visage of their shape and confidence and they found themselves under siege and barely able to escape their own penalty area. A fantastic strike from Coney’s skillful number 8 pulled another goal back and it was difficult at this stage to see how Foresters might hold on. Nerves of dads and coaches were almost completely shredded when a looping deflected shot that would have tied things up was caught by the wind, forcing it to shave the outside of the post when it looked a certainty to go in. With time running out, Visage suddenly regained their composure and Lucas settled the game with a firm strike in the far corner after something of a scramble in Coney’s area. Coney, with some justification, probably felt they deserved more for their incredible second half efforts.

Playing tough teams every week is beginning to add fight to Visage’s armory, and aside from the second half wobble, this was another great performance from a team who are loving their football and really enjoying their success. Well done boys!