The Sharks have not tasted defeat in almost 12 months. That is quite some achievement. That unbeaten run continued against Hook United Blues in a match that tested the Sharks but resulted in plenty of positives.

Firstly, it is worth noting that the Sharks did not have a goalkeeper today, and it was the heroic Ali Jennis who rose to the occasion and bravely donned the gloves. Tasked with protecting the goal from shots, the defence started magnificently, with Gabe Fitzgerald and Greg Walker making some fantastic blocks, reading the game so well. Greg in particular shone today in his centre back role, not just defensively, but when in possession as well, confidently and calmly getting the ball forward.

Daniel McGraw, Ben Gregory and Daniel Stovald were lively in the midfield, and moved the ball around nicely, although there was a tendency to play the ball through the middle of the pitch, rather than spreading the play out wide. The Hook defenders, to their credit, were strong and positionally intelligent, making it tricky to break through them. Nevertheless, Daniel Stovald used his immense pace to reach a through ball and ping it across the box, giving Josh Smith a chance at the back post. Daniel had a good chance himself soon after, only to see his shot superbly saved by the goalkeeper.

The game looked comfortable at this point, however a bit of misfortune knocked a it of stuffing out of the boys, as Greg Walker picked up a freak injury which forced him off the pitch. At this point, the atmosphere became a bit flat, and the energy levels dropped slightly, though the defence resettled excellently with Harvey Rush joining Gabe at Centre back, and Harry Connelly and Ivan Iduriaga doing an excellent job at full back.

Half-time
Sharks 0-0 Hook

Another huge shout out to Daniel Egbe who took one for the team and went in goal for the second half. It is so great to have a group of lads who will put the team above their own preferences and we really are grateful for that!
The Second half started brightly with Josh Smith moving to the striker role, immediately putting the Hook defence under pressure with intelligent and energetic pressing, while Luciano Gouveia used his impressive footballing intelligence to move the ball forward quickly. Unfortunately, a bit of confusion at the back led to a free kick for Hook right on the edge of the box, which they managed to convert via a deflection. For the second time in two weeks, the Sharks found themselves behind, undeservedly.

This is where mentality is keey. Last week, when they went behind, the Sharks responded calmly and positively, whereas today, they appeared to be quite stressed and irritated. The stubborn Hook defence were proving difficult to break down, and the bobbly St Peter's pitch made getting the ball under control difficult. A free kick from Luciano Gouveia almost made it through while Daniel Stovald had a long range shot target. Nevertheless, the Sharks were struggling to get the ball into shooting positions. A speculative effort from Monty Byre from almost the half way line was the only save the keeper had to make until a quick passing move almost released Josh Smith, only for the goalkeeper to just about get there first.

With frustration kicking in, we could sense the seconds ebbing away. The atmosphere was very flat, Hook seemed resolved to battle their way to victory, and in fairness to them they did the basics really well. They were first to the ball a lot today, and moved the ball quickly and intelligently.
With a first defeat all season a very real possibility, Harry Connelly reentered the pitch, seemingly determined to do something about the result. Swapping with Harvey Rush, who pushed further forward, Albury suddenly had a spring in their step. A clever ball from Noah Davies set Harvey away, outmuscling his man before gaining composure and firing the ball into the bottom corner. An excellent finish that sparked passionate celebrations from the players, reigniting a spark in them. Clearly buoyed, Josh Smith almost pounced immediately from the restart and was then bundled over cynically by a defender, as were a few other Albury players as Hook tried to kill the Shark's momentum. Harry Connelly released Harvey Rush on another powerful run with his shot saved by the keeper, and excellent work from Noah Davies gave Harvey the opportunity to cross, only for the defenders to get the ball away with Albury players lurking.

The final whistle blew too early for the Sharks to get a winner, or maybe the Sharks started knocking on the door slightly too late?

Final Score
Sharks 1-1 Hook

Goal: Harvey Rush

Paul's POTM: Harvey Rush
Harry's POTM: Harry Connelly

Coaches reflections:
1. Hook were by far and away the best team we have played against this season, and a draw with them is not a bad result at all. Looking for the positives, the boys can be proud of the way that they salvaged a draw against a good team, without our usual goalkeeper.

2. For much of the game the sharks dominated possession and played good football, but for a time they allowed the intensity to drop, and maybe weren't as determined as usual to complete the "non-negotiables" and were often second to the ball. If we are first to the ball we control the game, something we didn't do as well today.

3. I wonder if there is a mental fatigue in the Sharks. They have played at such a high intensity all season, and they are beginning to run out of steam. How we manage this for the remainder of the season will be crucial, particularly with cup fixtures to come. I, for one, feel like I'm running on fumes, and I think I may not be the only one. I am so proud of them for maintaining their level for so long and handling the mental side of the game so well this season. Seeing the passion come bubbling out when Harvey scored was great to see, proof that there is still fight yet to come and I look forward to seeing it again next week!

4. Thank you Ali Jennis and Daniel Egbe for doing such a brilliant job filling in for Dexter. You did a fantastic job today!

We are so proud of our boys: the reward for your hard work is so close. Let's have a large, raucous crowd of parents at St Peter's next week to watch them hopefully seal the title!