27/10/2007 - 28/10/2007
Under 10s 'A'
Match report by David Wilde.
After yet another win last week High Lane were hoping for more of the same from their ever improving youngsters. It was a fine sunny morning and perfect conditions for a great game. High lane started brightly with Shaw returning to captain the team, Shaw was playing nice one two's with Jeffs and Hanson and battling all over the pitch. Hanson had a few efforts from the edge of the box which came close to giving High Lane the lead. Taylor, who also returned to the side, was controlling the defence with Melville and Harper. High Lane took the lead after 10 minutes when Jeffs crossed the ball from the by line towards Hind, who pounced on the keepers slip to rifle the ball in to the net. 1-0 High Lane. It was two shortly after when Jeffs added another goal to his catalogue of wonder goals when he curled a looping shot in over the keeper 2-0. Hollingworth were back in the game a few minutes later when High Lane were forced to pay for some slack defending when the Hollingworth midfielder walked through and hit a weak shot into the corner of the net.
Half-time came and myself and Rob had a chat with the boys who all agreed we could lift our performances and finish this game off. The second-half wasn't kind to us though with Southern and Shaw both going close and Jeffs heading against the bar we knew it would be a tight finish. With two minutes remaining we conceded our fourth penalty in the last two games and handed Hollingworth a draw. The boys were disappointed not to win, but these are the games that make us better and give us experience for the future. After all these are friendlies that prepare the lads for 11-a-side next year. Keep your heads up lads work hard at training and we can get back to winning ways next week.
Under 10s 'B'
Match report by Steve Taylor.
We decided to try two at the back, three in midfield and a striker. Dan Whit in nets, Harry and Ali at the back and Gus, James and Dean in midfield and Oliver up front which left Max, Zac, Liam and George on the bench. We started off ok we held our own for the first 10 minutes, but we have been changing the team around since Dom went in to the 'A' team and we were 2-0 down before we knew it. It was hard on the defence who were getting stretched time and time again. Oliver had little to do but kept coming back to help out. Gus looked good and made some good challenges, he is getting better with each game. James got better as the game went on, he has not played with the 'B' team for some time so it was hard for him to adjust at the beginning but he looked better in the second-half. Dean tried his best and came the closest to scoring.
It would have been a lot higher score if it was not for Dan in nets who looked good. We made some changes at half-time, Liam went at left back for Gus and George went on for Oliver. Heads were already down and when that happens it does not matter what changes you make. We looked better but we never looked like scoring and the game finished 6-0 in the end. Players were getting frustrated and we were making silly mistakes. George and Dean came close a couple of times but Hollingworth looked hungry and their passing was beating us every time at the back. Max came on for Harry who made a couple of good runs, but every time we got the ball they were all over us. If it was not for Dan Whit who made some dare devil saves it would have been a lot more, we thought he was concussed after one challenge. Liam looked good and made a difference on the left he made some good challenges. We will have to make some changes until the team have adjusted to Dom going it seams to have unsettled the balance of the team but we have some good players and I'm sure we will be back to winning ways soon. Zac did not get on but to be honest it did not matter who played we were never going to win this one. Man of the Match went to Dan Whit.
Veterans
Match report by Kevin Lofthouse.
Lying third in the Premier Division behind high flying Knutsford and Cearwys, High Lane faced a tough trip to last seasons 1st Division Champions West Didsbury. On a superb pitch (recently relayed after many years as a bog on wet days), after a lot of morning rain the sun came out for the game, both teams started well with Didsbury shooting on sight, bringing two good tips over from the High Lane keeper, up front Wheeler and Hawker seemed to have found a good partnership, both good on the ball and closing down the opposition, from this after 15 minutes Hawker was sent through and back to his old self calmly tucked the ball in the corner, 1-0 High Lane. Didsbury then took the initiative and found the Lane defence not clearing their lines, a great cross from the right found a cool finish from Ash in the 6-yard box, 1-1. High Lane started to pile on the pressure and seemed to have got free, a smart pass from Wheeler saw hawker grab his second! No! Confusion! Goal Disallowed? still 1-1. Didsbury took the free-kick from the edge of their own box, the ball was helped on from midfield then a deep cross into the High Lane box saw keeper Gowland punch onto the underside of the bar 2-1 Didsbury.
With a couple of changes at half-time High Lane had the determination to ease there frustration with football, and within 5 minutes substitute Brian Gee latched on to a precise through ball from Kenny 2-2, game on! somehow within 5 minutes Didsbury's big centre half Renforth had a toe poke from the edge of the High Lane box it took a deflection and nestled in the corner 3-2, what a great game for the spectators (both of them!). Next it was High Lane to score and with some good football on the right McCullough crossed the ball which caught the foot of the Didsbury sub, and Powell scored from two metres 3-3. this seemed to demoralise the Home team and Lane upped the tempo and went 4-3 up with goal of the game when Kenny struck a half volley, sweetly from the edge of the box, next the ball broke to Proven who brought a great save from Campbell but it fell at the feet of Hawker 5-3 and to cap a great team display, with 5minutes to go, wanna be striker Kev Nuttall (centre half) got his head to a corner which hit a few players on the way in, finally he was allowed his goal by his very kind team mates! 6-3. Once again an excellent display from referee Paul Walmsley helping out at short notice.
High Lane now look forward to next weeks European encounter away at Welsh side Caerwys, heady days! Most pleasing this week was the great attitude of all there players, even Rafa Benitez would struggle to pick a team from this squad.