17/11/2007 - 18/11/2007
Under 10s 'A'
Match report by David Wilde.
After a less than impressive match last week the boys were determined to get back to winning ways. High lane started very brightly and were soon 1-0 up after some fine link up play between Southern and Hind allowed Shaw to get a shot which was to powerful for the keeper to hold allowing Jeffs to fire High Lane into the lead. It was 2-0 soon after when Hind's corner was met powerfully from Melville to rocket past the keeper and into the net. Richmond came back at High Lane and were nearly gifted a goal when a miscommunication between Melville and Harper saw Melville head over Harper, only for Harper to somehow get backspin on the ball and grasp it on the line. High Lane went In search of a third with brilliant build up play between Munro and Shaw linking up down the right, Shaw's cross just missed Hind at the back post. The third came soon after when Jeffs freed Southern down the left who found Hind, Hind shot for the far post only for the keeper to make another great save only for Southern to follow up and blast home the third. Half time 3-0.
Second-half and more of the same from High Lane, Munro bombing down the wing linking up with the midfielders, Melville not missing any tackles as usual and Harper keeping hold of every shot they had. High Lane made it 4-0 when Jeffs got his second of the match when he jinked past a couple of players, hit the ball low and hard and beat the keeper at the far post. Campbell came on for Shaw and linked up very well coming close to scoring but hitting the side netting. The fifth came when Hind got through on goal and slotted the ball home that's how it finished 5-0, High Lane back to winning ways.
Second game on the bigger pitch was 3-1 to High Lane after falling behind early the boys came back strong, Campbell scoring with a half volley to equalise, and then two second-half strikes from Hind sealing the victory. Man of the Match was Gus Campbell for a superb game linking up with the whole team in particular the combination between Campbell and Jeffs was pleasing to the eye. Also special praise reserved for a fantastic goalkeeping performance from Harper, one of the best this season which helped to add to his tally of clean sheets with the help of Munro who is this seasons top spot for clean sheets for a defender with eight. Munro and Melville were instrumental in containing every Richmond attack.
Under 10s 'B'
Match report by Steve Taylor.
Well we started out well Dan Whit was back in nets with Liam left back, Harry centre and Dan T right back, midfield Dom and Dean. They asked to play eight so we were able to put two strikers on Zac and George. We had to replace George with James because of a leg injury early in to the game. I thought we were holding our own at the start. It was hard going for the whole of the team who weren't passing much and were looking tired. Richmond were a good side and were passing the ball around. Half-time came and we left the side as it was.
Again we started well and almost scored with Dom having a long range effort. Their first goal came from nothing, we gave them too much time on the ball and they walked it in. We seemed scared to challenge and the team weren't using each other. Number two came from another easy shot we stood off and they shot from close up. The teams heads started going down and that was it. We never looked like scoring. Harry and Zac came off, Jack and Oliver went on. Liam had a good game and was challenging all the time and deserved Man of the Match. The fact that the ref seemed a little bit biased did not help, as every decision went against us but that's football for you!
The other thing that was bothering me was that when we played the friendly the team weren't as good as the team we just played, they seemed to be a lot of difference in the skill levels. This finished 4-0 but we should have had at least three goals as Dom was on fire up front. Their keeper was by far the best player they had. I am not bitter and we should look at ourselves as we just weren't up for it! Training is going to get harder from now on as we have been sorting the skill levels out and we are ready to up the training and look at defending and attacking tactics.
Under 11s
Match report by Kevin Lofthouse.
Richmond Rovers came into today's game full of confidence after last weeks huge 11-0 victory, football is all about confidence! The game plan for High Lane, was to get at Rovers from the start, in reality they realised that we are slow starters and they were 1-0 up within 10 minutes with a super finish, past High Lane's reluctant stand in keeper Ali G, fortunately this was the only time Rovers troubled Alex as he is an excellent keeper. On the touch line the High Lane spectators were getting impatient (they have become used to winning at fortress Brookside) fortunately George Noon once again came to the rescue of his lethargic team mates with a great strike from the edge of the box into the roof of the net, 1-1 at half-time.
Similar to last week our team talk was about energy and effort and sure enough without half-time changes the boy's scored through Milo after some good work down the left from Sean, moved into midfield this week with Man of the Match Ryan taking the left back position. 5 minutes later George found time and space just inside the area and calmly slotted home, 3-1. On came the subs with a chance to impress! With selection for next weeks cup encounter up for grabs, and all equited themselves well.
Most pleasing this week was the fact that we have players who can slot into positions and do a really good job. Lets keep it up boys! As the season progresses all our opposition will get better as we witnessed today, equally everyone in our division are beatable. So remember that winning smile!
Under 12s
Match report by David Hanson.
A resounding return to form then - it was as if all those nasty early season games hadn't happened still no ref though!
This was also a crushingly cold morning, best illustrated by Dicky 'two hats' Dyson who clearly had no qualms about how foolish he looked in his pursuit of warmth, sporting a baseball cap and a beanie. Given that most humans lose about 40% of body heat through their heads this was a wise decision by the Dickmeister who has so little hair that he loses enough heat to be a one-man global warming disaster. If he stood still for more than 30 seconds the clouds above him would clear as the sun blasted through his own personal crack in the ozone layer.
With Tom Colbert poorly (get well soon Tom!) straws were drawn until brave Jake Smith clasped the shortest and was shoe-horned into the gloves and outsized jumper all keepers seem to have to wear. He had an outstanding game but hadn't even touched the ball before we went one up. In fact Mountfield hadn't really touched the ball either as we swept upfield straight from the off. Slick first time passing cut them open until the ball landed at the feet of a lurking David Potter at the edge of the area from where he thumped the ball high into the top corner. We were so dominant that it was no surprise when we got another minutes later. This time panic ensued following a curling corner from Ben Wood and the calmest head in the area belonged to 'deadly' Lee Tomlinson who lashed the loose ball into the roof of the net. With their normally frisky forwards getting no change whatsoever from the immaculate Mattie Hanson and Matt Rogers and with Alex Dyson having a Man of the Match game in the middle, more goals were inevitable. The manner of their arrival however, was not!
Having bleated previously about Dads as refs at least I can console myself that I gave Graham Tomlinson a glowing report last time out (deservedly). Graham is easily the most even handed of all us Dads (I couldn't do it) and when he gave us a pen a few minutes after our second goal, boy did he get some stick! His rationale was simple. Their player had a hack at Ben as he tried to turn. Free-kick. It was in the area. Penalty. Just because Ben didn't flail around like he'd been taken out by some random sniper didn't lessen the offence. Josh Smith-Webb put the controversy aside and slotted coolly. 3-0 at half-time against a good footballing side and coach Ben warned the boys that they would come at us straight from the whistle - which they did, soon grabbing one back. After that we had to grit our teeth and tough it out - the parents that is the players did what Ben had been asking all season and got stuck in, competing for every ball and not shirking tackles. We nearly made it harder for ourselves when we gifted them a second goal but simply went back up to their end and Ben Wood got on the end of a lovely cross from Jack Downing to nod in our fourth. Alex Dyson was superb and hardly wasted a single ball. Jack Cooke marauded to good effect from right back and Josh led the line well until his hands froze. Jake and Joel Miller worked tirelessly and Jamie Mayer added much needed strength to the wing.
Both teams deserve praise for battling it out in such atrocious conditions and this job is made so much easier when teams come to play football and when Dicky looks like a complete not-right who has eluded his team of carers and handlers. Long may both continue.