The Mojams

02.06.2011
St Mirren BC U13 vs. Mojams U14 (White)

After losing heavily to St Peters in the J Telford Cup last weekend, the boys got the chance to get things going again in a friendly against St Mirren BC Under 13’s, home of former Mojams players Kyle and Ryan Wilson.
St Mirren has had a strong season and were title challengers to the last and ending as runners-up and this is the second friendly the sides have played this season. On 18 October, a freezing cold night, the boys won 2-1 thanks to goals from Marc Walsh and Jordan Lilley.
Mojams were Captained by Marc Walsh, and the side were without Ewan Gilchrist and Lewis Doak, but were boosted by the Liam Gourlay’s return from injury. St Mirren wore there black and white stripes and had a squad of 16. The match was played behind Reid Kerr College in Paisley and on the sunniest evening of the year, the game kicked off at 6.30.

The squad-

Tommy Boyd, Dylan Brown, Josh Carmichael, Ross Chalmers, Erlend Frayling, Liam Gourlay, Johnathan Hydes, Jonny Lansdowne, Jordan Lilley, Kieran McAllister, Kieran McGuire, Daniel McLellan, Iain Sharp, Marc Walsh (Captain), Scott Warnock.

The match kicked off and both sides struggled to find any control and passes failed on both sides to meet their intended targets. The first meaningful break came in the 6 when St Mirren raced down the far wing and the ball was sent screaming across the face of goal, fortunately out of the reach of the striker. Seconds later Mojams made their first attack of the game when Dylan made a great pass to Josh who delivered a curling ball into St Mirren’s area, where Kieran McG and the keeper both went for it and Kieran connected first, heading the ball sideways for Jordan and Marc who had just arrived in the box. Jordan had a defender on him and managed to turn him splendidly but was brought down as he prepared to shoot, but the ref saw nothing wrong with this and Mojams penalty claims fell on deaf ears. In the 9 St Mirren rocketed a free-kick in from the wing, but Tommy made the save look so easy. In the 10 a long punt by St Mirren caught Mojams off guard and the player took the ball away from Tommy’s reach, turned around and tried to find his team-mate with his cross, but Tommy snatched it in style. A minute later a long dangerous cross blasted into Mojams area and Ross blocked well and when they came straight at them again, Jonny L was in hand with a determined tackle. In the 13, St Mirren were awarded a free-kick and the ball came across the Mojams box at speed and Kieran McA did well with an emphatic volleyed clearance. In the 16 a St Mirren shot from 22 yards appeared to come off Iain’s hand just inside the box. Everyone paused for a split second awaiting the ref to award a penalty, but it didn’t come and Ross was quickest to react and he drove out of the area but was closed down by two black and white shirts. The ball was sent back in and Jonny L this time blocked the ball, sending it screaming low and fast out of the box. But again St Mirren were in possession and the ball was rifled back in and this time Ross cleared it far up the field. Mojams then worked upfield and Ross sent a throw-in to Iain. He collected and dribbled confidently by two challenges before slipping the ball to Jordan who volleyed inches wide of the post! In the 19 the hard surface was too much for Ross’s heel and we was forced to come off. Dylan slipped to right-back while Liam joined the game, settling into the midfield. In the 20 Mojams made their way up the park and Jordan made great work when he fed the ball across to Josh and his angled smacker went just wide of the post. At the other end a swift 1-2 from St Mirren on the wing saw the cross fire in which Jonny L swept out of his area. In the 22 Daniel’s control on the front of St Mirren’s box allowed time for Josh to arrive. He took charge and moved across the edge of the box before turning and shooting for the top corner, and he was unlucky when it went narrowly wide. Seconds later and Josh was on hand when the St Mirren striker tore into the box when he made a timely tackle. In the 24 a St Mirren attack culminated in a shot from the wing which crashed off the post and as everyone tried to pounce on the loose ball it was Kieran McA who made the difference with his clearance. In the 25 Kieran McG’s long drive up the field saw his 20 yard shot crash off the back of the defender. The ball broke for Daniel and he eased by the defender on his way to the by-line and his great angled shot smacked the crossbar and dropped downwards for an eager Jordan but it went just out of his reach. In the 29 Mojams swept through the middle and Daniel sent a delightful through ball for Liam who had made the run and he sent a terrific ball under the keeper and into the back of the net! 0-1! St Mirren pushed to get back on level terms but Tommy plucked two successive crosses out of the striker’s reach. In the 32 Kieran McG came off and Johnny H joined the game. In the 33 a St Mirren corner was pushed back out for a second corner by Tommy. The ball flew across the box and Johnny H cleared powerfully. In the 35 Jonny L made an excellent intervention when he thwarted a great St Mirren cross. In the 36 Josh stopped a great drive from midfield just inside his own area and in the 37 Josh connected with a ball after good work by Iain and Liam and his 25 yard volley whistled by the post.

The half time score was- St Mirren 0 Mojams 1

For the restart Mojams made no changes and in the 36 they burst down the wing and Liam’s cross was poorly dealt with by the centre half and this made an opening for Johnny H who hit a sweet volley from 10 yards and the ball zoomed into the back of the net! 0-2! St Mirren tried to get one back when a player went on a determined long drive and sailed by three challenges. Josh and Jonny L forced him out wide, but still he held control and a gap opened and the angled bullet was brilliantly booted out by a diving Tommy. In the 38 Liam sent a lovely ball up for Jordan. He chased into the box with the defender and in the tussle, the defender went down too easily, and the ref decided that Jordan had caused an offence and awarded a free-kick against him. Twenty seconds later and Kieran McA’s crackling shot from the wing had the St Mirren keeper leaping to the top corner for all he was worth, but it went just over. In the 40 Iain came off for a break and Kieran McG rejoined the game. In the 43 Josh intercepted a long ball from St Mirren by chesting it down outside the box and was shocked to see a free-kick awarded against him for handball. The player struck the ball well from 20 yards, but Tommy made another clean save. In the 47 an attack by Mojams delivered lovely understanding between Johnny H and Liam but once inside the box Liam’s shot didn’t have enough purchase and the keeper held. A moment later and Josh flicked a St Mirren cross out for a corner which was played short but Johnny H read it well and intercepted to win control. In the 49 Tommy came off and Scott joined the game. In the 53 Josh took control on the wing and sailed by two players before firing a curving shot which went just by the far post. A minute later and Dylan’s good cross was hooked out for a corner. Kieran McA made the delivery and zapped the ball into the box. Josh rose unchallenged but he couldn’t get the direction on his header and the ball flew over the crossbar. Then Jordan came off and Iain rejoined the game. In the 58 Scott sent a very long goal-kick upfield and it caught the defender off-guard and we all laughed as his expletive rhymed with “duck”. The game went quite again, with Mojams looking comfortable and in the 62nd Johnny H and Liam again showed a good understanding and this saw Liam’s shot from the wing deflected skywards by the defender. The ball dropped very close to the keeper and he had to keep his concentration and in the end held well. In the 64 St Mirren soared down the far wing and the cross whistled over and Scott did well to push it around his post for a corner. The delivery sped across the box and Kieran McA collected well and cleared away. In the 66 St Mirren pushed down the far line and the player eased by everyone on his way into the box and as Scott came to meet him he sent the ball home from 12 yards! 1-2! In the 68 Kieran McA collected from Johnny H and he sent a 25 yard bullet at goal which unluckily cracked off the crossbar. In the 69 Josh came off and Jordan rejoined the game. In the final minute as St Mirren chased an equaliser a shot from the far wing was superbly pushed onto the bar by Scott but as the ball dropped down the everything went in slow motion and it was Iain who stepped in and cleared the ball out for a corner before the striker could get to it. The ball was delivered and Scott made an excellent punch far out of his box.

The final score was then- St Mirren 1 Mojams 2
Mojams scorers- Liam Gourlay (29), Johnathan Hydes (36).

Both sides took time to get going in this game and it was the introduction of Liam into the middle which seemed to see Mojams switch gears and it was Liam himself who opened the scoring when he converted Daniel’s great pass. Straight after the restart Johnny Hydes got his first Mojams goal with a terrific volley and from there Mojams looked very comfortable. St Mirren kept trying and Mojams had more chances to add to their tally. They did seem to take their foot off the pedal in the closing stages and St Mirren pulled one back in the 67, but Mojams held firmly to see the game out. Next Tuesday the boys play their last League game, away to Antonine.

Crowd - 38