22/09/2007 - 23/09/2007

Under 10s 'A'

Match report by David Wilde.
So with an impressive 8 wins on the trot and 9 games unbeaten we were looking for a big effort to make it 10 games unbeaten. The lads are really enjoying playing and are improving all the time, maybe just a bit more effort needed at training. So with that said the lads started the game a bit slow Saturday morning and were under pressure from the start, the first 5 minutes were all Stockport and when they ran through one on one with Harper we thought this was going to be first goal conceded this season, but the skinny white post came to our rescue. From then on the lads woke up, and began to control the game, Skiba and Shaw linked up well with some nice passing which ended up with the ball at Jeffs feet, and Jeffs let fly from outside the area and left the keeper with no chance as it flew into the bottom corner. The second followed soon after with Hind beating the keeper after a scramble in the box. Shaw went looking for a third before half-time, when he clipped a great cross to the back post, where Hind saw his header just go wide.
Second-half and we started where we left off, some nice passing at the back from Munro and Melville these two looking very comfortable together, we seem to have been blessed with great defenders which allows us to alternate between 'A' and 'B' every week. Back to the goals, after some great passing the ball fell to Hind who hit it low and hard at the near post to give the keeper no chance. Man of the Match Jeffs was everywhere with nice through balls strong tackles and his second of the match coming when he seemed to walk between two players and slot the ball past the keeper. Campbell came on and showed some great control and one touch passing which led to the fifth goal when Hind picked it up outside the box and managed to shoot between the defenders legs and into the bottom corner, might have been a big defection. The lads did great.
Won the friendly 3-0 with goals from Shaw, Jeffs and Hind. Next week is going to be harder with Hyde coming up to the mighty High Lane. Come on!

Under 10s 'B'

Match report by Steven Taylor.
After last Saturdays defeat we were determined to win and everyone was up for it. Dan Whit in net had very little to do. We had Liam left back, Harry (c) centre back and Dan T joined us this week in right back. Dom and Dean were in midfield and George started up front which left Max H and Zac on the bench. Right from the kick off we were trying to score. George and Dean pushed up and we put them under so much pressure goals were inevitable. Dean scored first with a great strike supplied by George on the right wing, the amount of times they let George through on the wing was unbelievable. George kept crossing them in and Dean kept banging them in, it was great to watch. Dean got a hat-trick and George notched up 2. They were no match for us. Dom's passing was great, he made it look easy. He put George through on the right wing over and over again his passing and tackling was the best I've seen (The training is paying off). Liam, Harry and Dan T let nothing through, Harry was strong at the back and was in control. Liam made some good runs down the left wing and supported midfield when they needed it. Dan T was class he looked calm and controlled at the back and never panicked he and Harry was in control on the pitch. Goal number 6 came from some great battling from Dom, he picked it up from Liam on the left and shot from just outside the box and it went in the top left hand corner, it was a great goal.
Zac came on with Max for George and Dean in the second-half and Max was unlucky to score he battled hard in midfield. Again Zac was unlucky not to score he had a few chances. This was a team performance and I was very proud of them. We all learnt from last weeks defeat - including me. Man of the Match was George, he scored twice and set three up. Well Done.
We changed it around for the friendly. Zac up front, Max H and Harry mid with Dom, George, Dan T at the back and Dan Whit in nets. Woodley changed their keeper and it showed, Dan T had shot after shot and he saved every one. Zac scored and Harry got one we were two nil up at half-time. We made some changes Dan Whit came out of nets Dean volunteered to go in and Dan T went in to midfield. Final score 2-2, but again the passing was there we were all very proud of them. This was a good team performance they are gelling together as a team. Well done.

Under 11s

Match report by Kevin Lofthouse.
With confidence high it seemed for most of the first-half that the team thought it was going to be a stroll. With several chances coming our way, like Chapel Town a week before we were unable to break the deadlock with all the forwards getting opportunities the Vikings keeper was excellent. Once again at the other end our keeper was in fine form stopping two clear chances for the Vikings to take the lead.
In the second-half after a manager’s request for three goals the boys started to deliver, first through Milo then a super finish by Myles, then Milo capped a good performance smashing an unstoppable shot in from the edge of the box. Again the strong defence snuffed out all the Vikings efforts capped by a brilliant right handed diving save from Joe Chorlton. Marcus McGill with his best performance yet, was Man of the Match with the increasingly confident Dan Bollard patrolling all around the penalty area. Superb performances from George Noon and tireless work rate of Jamie Wood, the most pleasing performance today was Michael Lofthouse, given a start for the very first time, won plenty of ball and seemed to find a pass to a team mate on almost every occasion setting up several chances. The whole team played well and deserved this victory. With several regular players away, the squad looked impressive. Can the absentees get back in the team for next weeks crucial game against highflying Poynton?

Under 12s

Match report by David Hanson.
I see cub reporter Dicky Dyson put the usual amount of thought and effort into last week's report as he does when he plays. What's that I hear you say, there isn't one? My point exactly. Too busy challenging old hollow legs to an old farts' sprint the length of the pitch then spending the rest of the match in intensive care. Apparently it went like this - 'On the count of three!' says Dicky dastardly. 'One' he calls back from the penalty spot. 'Two' he calls from the eighteen-yard box. 'Three' he calls from the half way line. You get the picture. Graham called for a dope test but we already know Dicky's our biggest dope so I don't see the point. Our ranks this years seem to have become swollen with a higher than usual number of High Lane womenfolk. I don't mean they're literally swollen, just that they're there. Brightly decked out in the latest garish modes (it's not puce, it's cerise!! cried an indignant Mrs Rogers.) they clutter the lines like our very own WAGs. Or like Dicky said, BAGs - not within the listening distance of the dear Mrs Dyson, I hasten to add. More like WAMs I thought - Wives And Mothers that is and not the bouffant, tanned to within an inch of their lives poptastic duo of the 80s. You may have gathered from all this nonsense that the game was a bit of a disappointment.
We began promisingly by playing possession football and with a re-jigged defence. Matt Rogers had an outstanding game alongside an equally immaculate game from Mattie Hanson. Jake Miller repelled everything that came down his flank and Lee Tomlinson was busy and effective down the left. We just couldn't score. Ben Wood's endeavour should have brought its rewards but the closest he came was when he crashed the ball off the underside of the bar - which, scarily, their keeper could reach. Sometimes the football was a joy to behold but a lot of it was played out of defence or across the midfield, we just didn't play it enough of it in their third.
A sucker punch loomed and followed shortly into the second-half when two missed tackles (that's where you apply your foot to the ball whilst the opposition think they've got it) in midfield and an unfortunate slip in the middle and Tom Colbert was exposed from three yards out. Goal. They never attacked again, but to be fair, neither did we. And so, it came to pass, that joint Man of the Match should go to two defenders - two 100% games from Mattie Hanson and Jake Miller sealed it. The only puce (sorry, cerise) thing about young Matt Rogers' was his face from the effort he'd put in, great stuff Matt. "Not much fun, this" muttered the WAMs, shan't be too surprised to see those numbers dropping off.

Veterans

Match report by Kevin Lofthouse.
After one good win in Division 1, a 5-0 away win at Grappenhall, High Lane accepted an immediate return to the Premier Division (as Egerton withdrew from the league). On their first outing at short notice and a bare 11 they eventually succumbed to a 2-0 away defeat at Cheadle Star Old Boys. This week with a squad of 13 and the prospect of an easy game against Chelford who were thrashed 9-0 the week before things had to get better!
Things started well McCullough left foot edge of the box 1-0, then a great cross from right back saw Williams leap like an old trout to head back across goal and nestle in the corner. 2-0 up in 20 minutes and coasting, then High Lane full back Harrop miss-judged a header on the edge of his own box to leave Gowland in nets looking helpless 2-1. Chelford then woke up and started to believe they had a chance, Gowland making a couple of decent saves to deny the equalizer the game was starting to look difficult for High Lane, when a superb move finally saw Evans pick out the head of Doyle, top corner 3-1. High Lane back on track? not at all. Within minutes more confusion Nuttall not clearing and Gowland unsure, their strikers foot caught the ball 3-2, what a game.
At half-time High Lane brought on their secret weapon, Hawker, leading scorer for many seasons but unavailable last week, surely all they had to do was give him the ball? Unfortunately Chelford had other ideas, and kept the ball superbly every time High Lane managed to get the ball they gave it away. For 20 minutes Chelford were easily the better side, peppering Man of the Match Gowland with shots, they hit the bar and had one cleared of the line by Harrop. Could High Lane hold on? Fortunately for them just, and as the game wore on they started to get some of the play, creating a few half chances and eventually getting a fourth when after a deep cross the ball landed to Pete Evans who showed composure to slot in with his trusty left foot 4-2. At the end it seemed cruel that Chelford got nothing from the game but I am sure they will start winning if their second-half performance could be assisted with a little good fortune. A first class refereeing performance and an excellent advert for vets football, both teams playing with great spirit and sense of fair play, well done to both sets of players.