Two brilliant results from our 1st XI Football team this week, as they took on the Reading School and Magdalen College in the final games of the season.
Shiplake College 1st XI vs Reading School
A slow start from Shiplake and some loose early defence gave the Reading School striker room to shoot and make the score 1-0. Shortly after, a corner was whipped in and tucked away by Reading School making the score 2-0 very early on. Shiplake woke up and began to play, knocking the ball around pulling Reading out of place. This gave M Fitzgerald room up top to volley one past the keeper from outside the box, which kept Shiplake in the game. This positive play by Shiplake continued and from a corner, the ball reached B Atkin on the edge of the box who struck a tidy volley into the bottom corner for the equaliser.
However, a series of corners for Reading allowed them to regain the lead. A much needed equaliser came just minutes later, as B Atkin made the score 3-3. As legs began to tire and the game started to open up, an unfortunate mistake gave the lead back to Reading for the third time. Time was running out for Shiplake. Wise to this, L Theodorou saved the day, cut in, lost two defenders and struck the ball well, which flew past the keeper into the bottom corner, ending the game 4-4.
MOTM - L Theodorou
Shiplake College 1st XI vs Magdalen College
On a hot day, and for many of the 1st XI, the last Saturday football fixture for the College, Shiplake took on a strong Magdalen College team.
Within the first few minutes, a quick counter and another slow start gave Magdalen a 1-0 lead. The response from Shiplake was again positive, who fought back and equalised through C Theodorou. The first half continued and Shiplake settled down. They passed the ball around nicely and drew Magdalen College out, exposing their weakness at the back which M Fitzgerald and C Theodorou were able to exploit. The second goal followed from a good ball in, after a passage of nice interplay and some great strengths and composure by M Fitzgerald. Shiplake were on the up and shortly before halftime, a pullback was calmly finished by E Lee, who made the score 3-1.
At halftime, not much needed to be changed and the team went back out to continue dominating a very good team in Magdalen College. Unfortunately, a lapse in concentration let Magdalen back in the game after a counter attack turned in their favour.
Shiplake were not dissuaded by this and with a confidence boost from J Walne, the team pushed on to get their fourth goal in the form of a cross, controlled by C Theodorou, and a slide into the path of S Farrell, who comfortably finished it under the keeper. Magdalen threw everything they had at Shiplake and the result was frustration for them as a lovely ball in behind ended with C Theodorou slamming it into the top corner from a tight angle ending the game 5-2.
MOTM - E Lee
