05/01/2008 - 06/01/2008
Under 10s 'A'
Match report by David Wilde.
So the first game of 2008 was a tough one at home to Rose Hill, after beating Rose Hill 3-2 earlier in the season we were quietly confident of repeating the performance and getting another win for this season.
Rose Hill started the brighter putting High Lane on the back foot. Harper was keeping High Lane in the game. Melville and Munro were defending well as a unit. Rose Hill took the lead with a well-taken goal a shot from the edge of the box into the bottom corner. High Lane came back stronger and Tom Shaw was in the thick of everything, and before long they were level a little fortunate but every goal counts, Shaw played the ball through for Hind, the keeper came out and both Hind and the keeper missed the ball as it trickled into the open net. A few minutes later with High Lane now on top Jeffs and Southern linked up which saw Southern shoot on goal, only for the defender to block. Shaw was on hand to volley a stunning strike into the corner of the net and give High Lane the lead. High Lane were looking confident and playing superb football Melville was knocking the ball around spraying the passes all around the pitch.
Second-half much the same High Lane continued to press, the lead was increased when Shaw completed his hat-trick Hind finding Shaw just to the right of the penalty box, Shaw showed composure and slotted the ball past the oncoming keeper. High Lane were looking comfortable at 3-1 only for Rose Hill to hit them with two late goals, finished 3-3. All part of the learning curve for the lads.
The friendly finished 7-2. Goals from Shaw, Doherty, Hind, Southern, Melville and Jeffs 2.
Under 10s 'B'
Match report by Steve Taylor.
This was the first game in the New Year and we were a little rusty from Christmas, we had a few missing through illness, but still had a strong side. Dan Whit in nets, Liam, Harry and Jack at the back Dom, James in midfield and George up front. Last time we played them we lost 4-0 so we knew we had a battle on. They are a good side and well organised.
The first 10 minutes were a blur they came at us again and again, Man of the Match Liam was everywhere at the back clearing he linked up well with Harry and Jack and we were unlucky to concede, but we soon found our selves 2-0 down. We managed to get one back with some great battling from George and Dom.
Half-time came and we kept the same team. We had a good chat at half-time and changed tactics and they were keen to push up, Rose Hill went 3-0 up and this is when heads usually go down, but not this time we took jack off put Max in midfield and dropped James in to defence. Max put a bit of spark back in to the team as we were getting tired. He put George through on the right wing and George slotted one home. Confidence rose and they were determined to get something out of the game. I told them to push up as much as possible and we left two at the back and once again George came through on the left and with a quick one-two with Dom made it 3-3. We had a few scares at the back and Dan whit kept it at 3-3.
What a performance this was, it was the best this season the team have come on so far I was so proud of them and remember Harry keep smiling.
Under 11s
Match report by Kevin Lofthouse.
Well Happy New Year! Here's hoping that this footballing year will be as good as 2007.
Other than the Under 10s friendly the team had not played for over a month, since winning away at Richmond Rovers, so today was going to be a day to see if we could remember what we are good at!
With a serious pre-match chat the instructions were simple! play football and remember, that effort and work rate. Well from the kick off collectively the team looked hungry, and piled on the pressure against the only side yet to defeat Hyde (the current league leaders), efforts on goal rained in on the superb Vikings keeper, from George, Mike and Jamie, then the deadlock was broken, a super ball from George gave Milo a one-on-one and no mistake 1-0. Next came a cracker from Sean that the keeper turned away then Alex same result. Time for a couple of tactical changes, within minutes sub Myles picked a ball up, superbly won by Richie, and threaded an inch perfect pass through to birthday boy Milo 2-0 half-time.
As the second-half got underway Vikings started to show their quality but with Dan J and Joe Marshall excellent throughout they could not get a shot on target, 5 minutes into the second half George took a shot from the edge of the box and scored in the corner 3-0, for some reason we decided to go to sleep, and Vikings took advantage quickly scoring two in reply and but for four great saves from Joe C they would have gone ahead until George once again took another chance smashing an unstoppable drive into the roof of the net, again from the edge of the box 4-2. With new instruction not to concede any more goals, Man of the Match Dan B continued to direct his defence, this created the attacking platform that has brought so much success this season and when Myles stabbed in from close range, 5-2 victory was assured, not until George completed his hat-trick scoring direct from a corner 6-2 result.
Lots of positives today with Richie and Sean working well down the left and Alex and Marcus providing good options in midfield where consistent Jamie got a 15 minute rest in the second-half, up front alongside Milo, Mike and Joe performed very well and supported the midfield, and a solid back four and keeper with Joe M, Dan B, Dan J and Joe Ch. Once again a pleasure to watch and to be involved in lets keep it up!
Under 12s
Match report by David Hanson.
Without resorting to bleating more than a shed load of sheep can I just point out the disparity in the score is not a fair reflection on the effort and skill shown by most of the team on Sunday.
After letting in an early, daft goal, we settled into a passing rhythm that threatened to overwhelm Great Moor. Mattie Hanson dominated in defence with new boy Sean Farrell impressive at his side. Jack Cooke had a blinder at right back, where he continues to flourish when the game is in front of him. With another steady, solid game from Lee Tomlinson at left back and with Tom Colbert therefore mostly untroubled, it only seemed a matter of time before we scored. Sadly we couldn't buy a goal. Try as they might forwards Josh Smith-Webb and Matt Rogers couldn't beat their giant keeper. The ball flashed wide, over, straight at him, you name it, it went there. Alex Dyson, captain for the day, prompted from midfield, and, until he was felled by a cowardly and late lunge, Ben Wood battled bravely to keep possession. Our wayward finishing put me in mind of the Lads v Dads game on New Year's Day, the number of times Windy Miller and myself put Dead-eye Dicky through on goal beggared belief. Bang! Over it went. Bang! Wide it went. It was like watching that John Smith advert where the ball is lovingly juggled around before being offloaded to Peter Kay who yells "Ave it!" before lamping the ball into someone's yard. Take a bow Dicky of Hawk Green who promptly launched everything he touched in the vague direction of Reddish. Just when it seemed we could apply no more pressure, they broke away and an unlucky bounce sat up for their forward to beat a helpless Tom from 6-yards out. Travesty.
What followed in the second-half was pure keystone cops. Players started jumping in the air whenever the ball came near them. Tom went off injured by an earlier mishap with a banister and plucky Jake Smith took over as custodian of the nets. Cue four more attacks and four more goals. David Potter came on to stiffen the midfield, which had taken on the holding attributes of a colander and to their credit, even at 5-0 down we remembered what we were there for and tried to pass the ball again. Ben Wood duly scored directly from a corner, ironic really when we'd missed everything else that day, and, as if to prove they didn't care, they popped up field to seal it with a sixth. Horrible, and all the more galling because the team had shown in glimpses just what they can do when they all pull together and get stuck in. Consistency, that's what we need. Not consistently awful, like Dicky though.
Veterans
Match report by Kevin Lofthouse.
After the festive break and up against a team new to our league High Lane did not know what to expect. With many players missing or ill, and with only one sub fit to play they knew it was important to start well, both Kenny and Wheels worked well in midfield releasing Williams and Evans on the flanks, within 5 minutes and after some good play down the right a cross found Lofthouse at the back post eager to get on the score sheet 1-0. Next a Kenny cross found Hawker to finish inside the post 2-0. Within minutes Wilmslow got one back after some poor defending, although the High Lane defence snuffed every other opportunity out, next came Man of the Match Wheels to waltz through the Albion area to bag his first of an incredible nine goals. Into the mix Hawker added another three although missing a penalty after a brilliant double save from Wilmslow Albion Man of the Match Daryl Watts who made some fantastic stops during the game! Other goals came from Kenny who finished the best move of the match, smashing one of his brace in from the edge of the box, as did Turkey from 30-yards followed by a header from Williams.
It is hard to report this match, no one likes to win or lose by such a score difference but it must be noted that Wilmslow carried on playing football in the right manner, when many teams would have nasty, hopefully the High Lane players acted with humility, although for 90 minutes everyone wanted to get on the score sheet. We remember conceding a huge amount against Mossley Hill in our first season in Vets football, Wilmslow have such a good set up the Vets team will evolve.