Although we were away from home, it felt like a home game as we were playing in Cottingham. The good weather we had enjoyed in previous weeks had gone & we were again faced with wet & muddy conditions, However, the consolation for our hardy supporters was that the Pavilion was serving hot drinks & bacon butties, which must have been very tempting on such a damp morning.
Match 1
Taylor took over the captain's armband for the first half & formed a solid defensive partnership with Harry. JoshC stepped up to be goalie for the first match & did a great job in very difficult circumstances. As he showed throughout, he's a good shot stopper & has a great kick on him.
Although we had the majority of possession, East Riding proved to be a skillful team & took advantage of one of their few goalmouth opportunities to open the scoring.
In the second half, we were led by Joel who put in a storming display at the heart of our defence. Determined to get a goal back, we had plenty of chances to score, but we were thwarted by a combination of good goalkeeping & just not quite being on target. William, Ewan & Dylan all went close & it was very much against the run of play when East Riding increased their lead. Despite lots more pressure from us, we weren't able to break their defence down & East Riding ran out winners 2-0.
Match 2
As the rain came down again, we set off determined to convert our possession in the first match into goals. Unfortunately, Kieran was feeling unwell after a strong performance in midfield in the first match & wasn't able to continue. (Get well soon Kieran!)
Again in this match, we had plenty of possession & pushed forward in an attempt to take the lead. Unfortunately this left space at the back for East Riding, but thanks to some great defending by our captain JoshL & Harry, we were able to keep them at bay. Benson was back in goal for this match & again put in one of the confident displays we have become used to over the season.
In the second half we were convinced we could win & our efforts finally paid off when Ben scored a well taken goal. Despite a concerted effort by our opponents to equalise, our team held out for a thoroughly deserved 1-0 win.
The penalty competition was just as closely competed as the matches themselves & there were plenty of great shots & saves despite the sticky conditions.
There were plenty of candidates who deserved to be chosen as "Man of the Match" but it was awarded to Joel for his great defensive display.
The team
Tuesday, 23 November 2010
Monday, 15 November 2010
Sunday 15th November 2010 vs. Shiptonthorpe
We were again blessed with a perfect autumn morning for football - bright,clear & crisp. Again the pitch had recovered well from lots of heavy rain in the week & was in great condition.
It was always going to be a colourful affair on the pitch, with Shiptonthorpe's green & yellow strip just as bright as our blue & yellow stripes. I noticed a couple of people in the crowd wearing sunglasses & it probably wasn't just to protect them from the glare of the early morning sun!
At it was Remembrance Sunday, before kick-off the players & crowd held a minutes silence. Then it was time for the off!!
Match 1
JoshC was captain for the first half & did a great job organising his team. However Shiptonthorpe were lively opposition, with players who were good in possession & quickly put us under pressure.
After a few attempts at both ends of the field, Shiptonthorpe were rewarded with a scrambled goal when they broke through our defence. Undaunted, we came off at half-time determined to equalise in the second half.
In the second half, Ewan took over the captaincy & controlled the team from the heart of the defence. Determined to get on equal terms, Ewan led by example & pushed up into Shiptonthorpe's penalty area at the right time & was rewarded by scoring our first goal. The opportunity had been created after some lovely team play including Harry, Taylor, Kieran & William.
However, Shiptonthorpe came back at us & managed to score what proved to be the decisive goal. Their attackers for once outnumbered our defenders & despite several great saves from Benson, they managed to force the ball home.
In what is proving to be the story of our season, we were unlucky not to score again after a host of great chances, to leave the final score 2-1 to Shiptonthorpe.
Match 2
Although we'd lost the first match, we were convinced that the opposition would tire in the second match if we continued playing the way we'd started. As many of the best captains in football are goalkeepers, Benson was in charge for this half & he made sure the defence was tighter than in the first match.
It seemed that virtually all the match was being played in the Shiptonthorpe half & we had plenty of opportunities in front of goal. Eventually we took the lead with a well taken goal by Ben, our top scorer, who tucked the ball into the corner of the net.
Shiptonthorpe had several dangerous breakaways despite being penned in their own half, but thanks to an accomplished display of defending by Joel & JoshL, they didn't get a clear shot on goal.
The second half was very much a repeat of the first, with lots of shots from our side & a well organised defence (led by our captain Dylan) which prevented the opposition from scoring. Although we couldn't add to our score, we held on for a much deserved 1-0 win.
Unfortunately the opposition needed to leave so it wasn't possible to have a penalty competition.
When it came to selecting the "Man of the Match" we decided it ought to go to the player who had been best at communicating with & organising his team mates. The boys unanimously decided that Ben deserved to be "Man of the Match" on that basis. He did a great job at encouraging his team mates & leading by example. (He was almost as loud as his Mum!)
JoshC's Dad (or "Foghorn" to his friends) felt he deserved the award because he does the most shouting. In the absence of a "Noisiest Spectator" award, we put him in goal & let the boys take shots at him - let's see if that quietens him down next week! :-)
It was always going to be a colourful affair on the pitch, with Shiptonthorpe's green & yellow strip just as bright as our blue & yellow stripes. I noticed a couple of people in the crowd wearing sunglasses & it probably wasn't just to protect them from the glare of the early morning sun!
At it was Remembrance Sunday, before kick-off the players & crowd held a minutes silence. Then it was time for the off!!
Match 1
JoshC was captain for the first half & did a great job organising his team. However Shiptonthorpe were lively opposition, with players who were good in possession & quickly put us under pressure.
After a few attempts at both ends of the field, Shiptonthorpe were rewarded with a scrambled goal when they broke through our defence. Undaunted, we came off at half-time determined to equalise in the second half.
In the second half, Ewan took over the captaincy & controlled the team from the heart of the defence. Determined to get on equal terms, Ewan led by example & pushed up into Shiptonthorpe's penalty area at the right time & was rewarded by scoring our first goal. The opportunity had been created after some lovely team play including Harry, Taylor, Kieran & William.
However, Shiptonthorpe came back at us & managed to score what proved to be the decisive goal. Their attackers for once outnumbered our defenders & despite several great saves from Benson, they managed to force the ball home.
In what is proving to be the story of our season, we were unlucky not to score again after a host of great chances, to leave the final score 2-1 to Shiptonthorpe.
Match 2
Although we'd lost the first match, we were convinced that the opposition would tire in the second match if we continued playing the way we'd started. As many of the best captains in football are goalkeepers, Benson was in charge for this half & he made sure the defence was tighter than in the first match.
It seemed that virtually all the match was being played in the Shiptonthorpe half & we had plenty of opportunities in front of goal. Eventually we took the lead with a well taken goal by Ben, our top scorer, who tucked the ball into the corner of the net.
Shiptonthorpe had several dangerous breakaways despite being penned in their own half, but thanks to an accomplished display of defending by Joel & JoshL, they didn't get a clear shot on goal.
The second half was very much a repeat of the first, with lots of shots from our side & a well organised defence (led by our captain Dylan) which prevented the opposition from scoring. Although we couldn't add to our score, we held on for a much deserved 1-0 win.
Unfortunately the opposition needed to leave so it wasn't possible to have a penalty competition.
When it came to selecting the "Man of the Match" we decided it ought to go to the player who had been best at communicating with & organising his team mates. The boys unanimously decided that Ben deserved to be "Man of the Match" on that basis. He did a great job at encouraging his team mates & leading by example. (He was almost as loud as his Mum!)
JoshC's Dad (or "Foghorn" to his friends) felt he deserved the award because he does the most shouting. In the absence of a "Noisiest Spectator" award, we put him in goal & let the boys take shots at him - let's see if that quietens him down next week! :-)
Monday, 8 November 2010
Sunday 7th November 2010 vs Cottingham Rangers B
To some people a "derby match" might be described as Liverpool against Everton, Rangers against Celtic or even Real Madrid against Barcelona - but they are nothing compared to Cottingham Rangers Under 8's "A" team against the "B" team!
It turned out to be a bright but cold Sunday morning & despite some heavy rain over the previous few days, the pitch looked to be in remarkably good condition. Not surprisingly both teams were at full strength & raring to go.
From our side, we'd decided to appoint a captain for each half of both matches. As the boys grow in confidence, we want to encourage them to communicate on the pitch & make more decisions for themselves & hope that the captain will help to develop that.
Match 1
As the boys still train together, there were no surprises regarding the players on each side & it started out as the competitive match we had expected. Despite waking up feeling a little under the weather, JoshL was captain for the first half & did a superb job marshalling his team, whilst playing a great role at the heart of the defence.
Both sides were playing well & there was some great passing on show. There weren't many clear cut chances but the "B"team managed to convert on of theirs to go 1-0 ahead.
We continued with our policy of giving everyone an equal amount of playing time & the opportunity to play in different positions. For the second half, the team was expertly captained by Ewan, who made sure everyone knew what their position was. Despite some great team play from our side (including Kieran, JoshC, William, Dylan & Joel) we weren't able to equalise, so the first match went to the B team 1-0.
Match 2
For the first half of match two, Harry was chosen as captain & organised his team well from the heart of the defence. William, who'd played well in goal last week, took over the goalies jersey from Benson for this match.
Just as with the first match, it was a tightly contested affair with lots of good play from both sides. Again, it was the B team who made the most of their opportunities & opened the scoring in the first half. They could have scored more goals if it hadn't been for some great defending by Taylor, Harry, Ewan & Benson.)
Determined to equalise in the second half, we pushed on & were suitably rewarded when Ben fired home from close range to equalise. Ben was captain in the second half & playing in defence - so it just shows that defenders can get up front & score.
At that point, I made a mistake & asked all the boys to push up to see if we could score another in the final minutes. Unfortunately this left space at the back which allowed the B team to score a breakaway goal, which ended up being the winner - the final score 2-1 to the B team. (Next time I'll keep quiet & let the boys make the playing decisions for themselves!)
It was an enjoyable morning, despite the results & we ended with the usual penalty competition, which was another evenly matched contest.
When it came to the Man of the Match award, John & I found it impossible to pick a winner - so we asked Paul (who'd refereed both matches & was well placed to decide) to choose for us. For his all round play & for communication with his team, Harry was deservedly awarded "Man of the Match" for this week.
It turned out to be a bright but cold Sunday morning & despite some heavy rain over the previous few days, the pitch looked to be in remarkably good condition. Not surprisingly both teams were at full strength & raring to go.
From our side, we'd decided to appoint a captain for each half of both matches. As the boys grow in confidence, we want to encourage them to communicate on the pitch & make more decisions for themselves & hope that the captain will help to develop that.
Match 1
As the boys still train together, there were no surprises regarding the players on each side & it started out as the competitive match we had expected. Despite waking up feeling a little under the weather, JoshL was captain for the first half & did a superb job marshalling his team, whilst playing a great role at the heart of the defence.
Both sides were playing well & there was some great passing on show. There weren't many clear cut chances but the "B"team managed to convert on of theirs to go 1-0 ahead.
We continued with our policy of giving everyone an equal amount of playing time & the opportunity to play in different positions. For the second half, the team was expertly captained by Ewan, who made sure everyone knew what their position was. Despite some great team play from our side (including Kieran, JoshC, William, Dylan & Joel) we weren't able to equalise, so the first match went to the B team 1-0.
Match 2
For the first half of match two, Harry was chosen as captain & organised his team well from the heart of the defence. William, who'd played well in goal last week, took over the goalies jersey from Benson for this match.
Just as with the first match, it was a tightly contested affair with lots of good play from both sides. Again, it was the B team who made the most of their opportunities & opened the scoring in the first half. They could have scored more goals if it hadn't been for some great defending by Taylor, Harry, Ewan & Benson.)
Determined to equalise in the second half, we pushed on & were suitably rewarded when Ben fired home from close range to equalise. Ben was captain in the second half & playing in defence - so it just shows that defenders can get up front & score.
At that point, I made a mistake & asked all the boys to push up to see if we could score another in the final minutes. Unfortunately this left space at the back which allowed the B team to score a breakaway goal, which ended up being the winner - the final score 2-1 to the B team. (Next time I'll keep quiet & let the boys make the playing decisions for themselves!)
It was an enjoyable morning, despite the results & we ended with the usual penalty competition, which was another evenly matched contest.
When it came to the Man of the Match award, John & I found it impossible to pick a winner - so we asked Paul (who'd refereed both matches & was well placed to decide) to choose for us. For his all round play & for communication with his team, Harry was deservedly awarded "Man of the Match" for this week.
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