exc 3 - 0 CPS (67946452)

Weather conditions were pretty good for football, and the lads were happy to see 234 people gathered to see their game at weeling. The boys of exc started the game in a 5-3-2 formation. The lucky starting players: Aucouturier - Bidault, Lataste, Thomas, Poinot, Msallem - Beal, Guillemot, Robard - Duboc, Coulet.

CPS had been instructed to play in a 4-4-2 formation by their coach this week. The boys who got to play today were: Degrange - Crespin, Codet, Lacroix, Dupouy - Lelu, Tessier, Basquin, Bellegarde - Blondel, Navarro.

exc decided to play creatively. exc pushed through the central midfield, lead by A. Bidault who also had a fine chance to give his team the go-ahead goal after 4 minutes. However, the shot hit the crossbar. The spectators saw a great chance for exc to take the lead after 12 minutes as a good cross from the right found N. Poinot alone with the keeper, but he showed his nerves as his chip flew past the wrong side of the post. A foul after 15 minutes urged the referee to give a small lecture regarding the sportsmanship of the younger generation. S. Robard flipped the ensuing free kick straight in, giving the home team the lead 1 to 0. O. Thomas showed his nerves and inexperience when he needlessly tripped an opponent just outside the penalty area. However the free kick that followed didn't succeed. After 26 minutes, exc were awarded a free kick. Rather than shooting straight at goal, the kicker went for an indirect variant which seemed to take the team mates a bit by surprise. N. Poinot did manage a finish, but from an awkward position, sending the ball out of bounds. 1 - 0 was the score after 45 minutes. exc, bringing their ball possession to 54 percent, seemed most ambitious today.

D. Lelu of CPS received a yellow card after 55 minutes for arguing with the referee. After 82 minutes, B. Coulet found the key to the opposing defence and worked himself into position for a shot. exc nearly increased their lead there, but in the end the strike was denied by C. Degrange between the posts. Advancing up the left wing proved worthwhile for exc, who increased their lead to 2 - 0 when W. Msallem broke away from his marker and finished from an acute angle. At this point, exc's players started holding back in order to defend their goal, just as they'd seen the big guys do on telly. exc's S. Robard's early cross took everyone by surprise except for B. Coulet, who pleased his coach with a simple but effective shot to make the score 3 - 0. This half the exc boys hung on to the ball, with 54 percent of possession.

exc's S. Robard had a great game and was congratulated by his team mates. This lad could be going places! The coach took V. Aucouturier aside after the game, telling him it is okay to have a bad day on the pitch as long as you keep trying. J. Blondel performed especially well for CPS - this one could be a candidate for the senior squad one day. On the other hand, C. Degrange's performance hadn't been very good at all. The match ends 3 - 0.