Goalkeeper Cut-Back Drills: 8 Drills to Defend Low Crosses and Pull-Backs

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Many goals do not come from long shots or high crosses. They come from a winger who reaches the byline and pulls the ball back across the six-yard box, or a low, driven cross that skids past everyone at the near post. These moments happen fast, the keeper is often pinned to the near post, and one wrong step leaves the whole goal open.

In this guide we share eight goalkeeper cut-back drills that help keepers deal with low crosses and pull-backs. They cover the starting position at the near post, the decision to step and collect or stay home, recovery footwork, low saves and communication with defenders. Each drill has coaching points, a regression and a progression, so you can use them with young keepers and with senior keepers alike.

Why cut-backs are so hard for goalkeepers

When the ball is wide and close to the byline, the keeper must protect the near post first. That is the right decision, but it means the keeper is standing at one side of the goal. If the ball is then pulled back to the penalty spot or the edge of the six-yard box, the keeper has to move across the goal and get set in a very short time. Many keepers either stay stuck at the post or rush across and are still moving when the shot arrives.

Low crosses bring a second problem: should the keeper try to cut the ball out or stay set for the finish? Going for a ball you cannot reach leaves an empty net, while staying home when you could have collected gives the attacker a free chance. Good cut-back defending is about clear starting positions, quick recovery steps and confident decisions. These drills fit well next to our goalkeeper near-post drills and our goalkeeper crossing drills, which focus on high balls.

Safety first

• Warm up well before any diving or fast footwork, including the hips, groin, shoulders and wrists.
• Train low saves and collapse dives on soft grass or a padded surface, and land on the side of the body.
• Never go head-first towards the feet of an attacker. Lead with the hands and keep the head behind the ball.
• In live drills, tell attackers to finish with the side of the foot and to avoid sliding into the keeper.
• Start with rolled balls and soft passes, then build up the speed step by step.
• With children, use lighter balls, shorter distances and fewer players, and keep plenty of rest between turns.

8 goalkeeper cut-back drills

1. Near-post recovery and set

Coach 1 stands on the byline to the side of the goal with a ball. Coach 2 stands near the penalty spot. The keeper starts in a good near-post position, close to the post and slightly off the line. Coach 1 cuts the ball back to Coach 2, and as soon as the pass is played the keeper side-steps across the goal and gets set. Coach 2 shoots first time. The aim is to be balanced and still when the shot is struck, not perfectly central.

• Coaching points: short, quick side steps without crossing the feet, keep the hands up and in front, get set with the weight on the front of the feet as the shooter’s foot comes back, save first and then worry about the rebound.
• Regression: Coach 2 takes one touch before shooting, giving the keeper more time to recover.
• Progression: Coach 2 moves closer to the six-yard box, or Coach 1 can choose to shoot at the near post instead of cutting back.

2. Intercept or recover

The server stands near the byline and drives a low cross across the six-yard box. An attacker starts outside the box and runs in to meet the ball. The keeper starts at the near post and must decide: if the ball is within reach, step across and collect or smother it; if not, stay on the feet, recover and get set for the attacker’s finish. After each rep the coach asks the keeper why they went or stayed.

• Coaching points: decide early, commit fully when you go, collect with the body behind the ball, and if you stay, recover to a set position between the ball and the goal.
• Regression: the server plays slower, rolled crosses and the attacker walks in, so the keeper has time to think.
• Progression: add a second attacker at the back post, or let the server choose between a near-post cross and a cut-back.

3. Low near-post collapse save

The coach stands on the edge of the box at an angle and drives low balls just inside the near post. The keeper starts in a near-post position and uses a collapse save to get down quickly, with the hands leading and the body behind the ball. This is the save that stops the low, hard cross or shot that skids in at the near post before a cut-back can even happen.

• Coaching points: hands lead, both hands to the ball, collapse sideways onto the hip and shoulder, keep the ball in front of the body and pull it in on landing.
• Regression: start on the knees and roll the ball to each side so the keeper learns the shape of the save.
• Progression: increase the pace, mix ground balls with bouncing balls, or add a follow-up cut-back after the first save.

4. Read the winger

A wide player dribbles from the side of the box towards the byline. The keeper adjusts their position with each touch: a little forward and central when the winger is far from goal, tight to the near post as the winger gets close to the byline. The wide player can shoot, drive a low cross or cut the ball back. The keeper must react to what they see, not guess.

• Coaching points: move every time the ball moves, watch the hips and the head of the winger, stay set as the ball is struck, and protect the near post first.
• Regression: the winger walks with the ball and tells the keeper what they will do.
• Progression: add a defender who can block the cross, or a second attacker arriving at the edge of the box.

5. Cut-back reaction rebound

Two coaches serve from the edge of the six-yard box and the penalty spot. The keeper starts at the near post. Coach 1 shoots from close range, the keeper saves, and as the keeper gets back up Coach 2 shoots straight away. This copies the scramble that often follows a cut-back in a crowded box. For more ideas on second saves, see our goalkeeper rebound drills.

• Coaching points: get up quickly through the knees, find the ball before moving, set again before the second shot, and push any parry away from the middle of the goal.
• Regression: allow a two-second pause between shots, or use throws instead of kicks.
• Progression: add a third ball from a different angle, or let an attacker follow in on the first save.

6. Talk the cut-back

A defender and an attacker start on the edge of the box while the coach dribbles down the side. The defender’s job is to track the attacker, and the keeper’s job is to tell the defender where the danger is: ‘Cut-back!’, ‘Track your runner!’, ‘Away!’ or ‘Keeper!’. The coach then crosses or cuts back, and the keeper and defender deal with the ball together.

• Coaching points: short, loud and early calls, use the defender’s name, tell them about the space behind them, and make your own call clear when you come for the ball.
• Regression: walk through the movement first, with the coach stopping after each call.
• Progression: add a second attacker so the keeper must organise two defenders.

7. Byline 2v1

Set up a channel on each side of the box. A wide attacker attacks a defender in the channel and tries to reach the byline. Two attackers arrive in the box for the cross or cut-back, marked by one defender. The keeper defends the goal and organises. Restart quickly so the keeper faces many situations in a few minutes.

• Coaching points: near-post position first, adjust with every touch, decide early on low crosses, and get set before the finish.
• Regression: the defender in the channel is passive, or only one attacker arrives in the box.
• Progression: add a limit of three touches for the attackers, or let the wide attacker choose a shot.

8. Cut-back small-sided game

Play a small game, such as 4v4 plus two neutral wide players, on a pitch about the size of a penalty box and a half. Goals scored from a cut-back or low cross count double. The keepers will face many low balls across the box in real game moments, which is the best test of everything above.

• Coaching points: near-post first, quick recovery steps, clear decisions and plenty of talk.
• Regression: play 3v3 with one neutral wide player so the keeper has more time to read each cross.
• Progression: give each team only ten seconds to score after winning the ball.

How to use these drills in a session

Start with a warm-up that includes footwork and low handling. Then use drills 1 and 3 to build the basic technique, drills 2 and 4 to train decisions, and drill 5 for second saves. Finish with drill 7 or 8, where the keeper uses everything in a game. Keep each block short, with good rest between reps, because quality matters more than numbers. For a full structure, see our goalkeeper session plan guide.

Plan your session with KEEPIX

We built KEEPIX so goalkeeper coaches can plan clear sessions in minutes. Use the KEEPIX session designer to draw these cut-back drills with keepers, servers, attackers and cones, add your coaching points, and share the plan with your keepers or staff. For more ideas, download our 50 Essential Goalkeeper Drills free PDF, follow our daily GK drills on Instagram, and keep track of every session in KEEPIX Diary. You can find all our guides on the goalkeeper drills hub.

Key takeaways

• Protect the near post first when the ball is wide and close to the byline.
• When the ball is cut back, use short side steps and be set when the shot is struck.
• Decide early on low crosses: go fully or stay and recover, never half-way.
• Read the winger’s hips and head and move with every touch of the ball.
• Talk to your defenders early so the runner in the box is tracked.
• Train low saves on soft ground, land on the side of the body and never go head-first.

Frequently asked questions

Where should a goalkeeper stand when the ball is near the byline?

Close to the near post and slightly off the goal line, with the body facing the ball. This protects the near post, the shortest way into the goal, while still letting the keeper step across if the ball is cut back.

Should a goalkeeper try to intercept a low cross?

Only when the keeper is sure they can reach the ball first. If the keeper goes, they should commit fully and collect with the body behind the ball. If not, they should stay on their feet, recover and get set for the finish.

How do I train goalkeepers to deal with cut-backs?

Use a server on the byline and a shooter near the penalty spot. The keeper starts at the near post, recovers with side steps when the ball is cut back and gets set before the shot. Then add attackers, defenders and small games.