For the second time in 3 weeks Old Trinity allowed the opposition to kick big, and winning, scores, before an improved second half showed supporters a glimpse of their ability. In a frustrating display it seemed (and not for the first time) as if the side was waiting for all to appear lost before throwing caution to the wind and playing the fast running linking football which they have shown they can play.

Is this what is meant by fear of failure? Was the good form shown in the practice matches contingent on the result being irrelevant? And in Rd 1, against Haileybury, when they were widely tipped to lose, was the risky, but exhilarating, show they put on that day the result of a less worried attitude to the game?

One thing is indisputable: for a team that has shown it can play so delightfully, there is a lot of head scratching going on.

For more observations from the game – Read On:

First Half

• Game started evenly for first 10 minutes, tight contests all over ground, 1 on 1 football;
• Pressure in midfield dropped as the quarter continued, while St Bernard’s forwards were finding plenty of space inside the arc;
• Floodgates then opened, with St B’s piling on the goals
• The backline not tight enough on direct opponents
• When OT’s actually got the ball there was no run from behind, resulting in stagnant ball movement, and leading to turnovers.
• St B’s harder in the contests all over the ground, OT’s looked down on confidence and scared to take risks.

Positives from first half:

• Mason Cole started to find some form in the second quarter, timing his leaps and reading the play well through the backline;
• Jack Healy slowed the tide of St B clearances when moved into the middle, providing physicality;
• Matt Jessop worked hard from contest to contest;
• Nick Howell, moved back in the 2nd quarter, immediately established his dominance over the full forward;
• Tim Howell showed class in the backline, settling the defence;
• Tom Healy, moved to CHF in the second quarter, provided a viable option;
• Sam Leetham kept getting involved, using his exquisite skill;
• The younger players, including Sam Leetham, Matt Jessop, Nick Howell and Luke Picione, were consistently amongst the better players.

2nd half

• OTs, embarrassed by their first half performance, were noticeably harder at the ball all over the ground, and started to win clearances;
• Jack Healy used his body well to break tackles, dishing out handballs to teammates running through;
• Brendan Iezzi started winning clearances out of the contests;
• The ball movement improved, with harder running evident all over the ground when OTs had possession;
• Nick Howell continued to shut down the full forward;
• Rambo was solid at FF kicking 4 goals, outsizing and outclassing his opponent;
• Tom Healy (3 goals), worked hard at CHF and also up and down the ground;

Standout differences between the halves:

• OTs harder at the ball, pressure on opponent when not in possession increased 10 fold, looked like a different team;
• However, by this stage the game was probably beyond reach, therefore not under the same pressure;
• Still OTs were prepared to take risks when they had the ball, to share and give to the first option;