23/02/2008 - 24/02/2008
Under 10s 'A'
Match report by David Wilde.
A great morning for football and a great advert for grassroots football. We have been preparing for the last few weeks for this game and the chance for the players to pit themselves against a very well organised and skilful team.
High Lane started with the advantage of the wind and kicking downhill, and it didn't take long before we were in front due to a well worked set piece, Hindy hitting in a swinging corner to the back post for the captain Shaw to put us one up. Marple came back at us and had a great chance to level, when the striker got free in the box only for Harper to pull off a fantastic save. Harper was in inspired form today when minutes later he made a superb save diving to his right to tip the ball round the post. Munro and Melville were containing the Marple attacks very well and this allowed Jeffs, Southern and Shaw to get on the ball and create chances, Hindy then hit a shot from the corner of the box which clipped the bar, and Jeffs hit a screamer which hit the outside of the post. Hindy was back in form today, showing superb control and holding the ball up very well to bring his midfield into the game.
Second-half we changed the tactics around a little bearing in mind the wind, Crouch came on for Harper to help deal with the high ball, and we decided to soak up the pressure Marple were going to put on us. We did this very well and Melville again didn't miss one tackle, he seems to grow in confidence and ability every week, Crouch looked very comfortable in net making a few great catches. Marple pushed men forward, High Lane pulled men back, then up the other end Jeffs played the ball into Hindy, who held it up before laying it back to Jeffs who slotted the ball home, a big relief at 2-0 and a well deserved victory for High Lane.
Credit to Marple who played some superb football and are a great team. Thanks to Doherty who was the sub for today's game, only got on for the last few minutes but understood reasons why.
Under 11s
Match report by Kevin Lofthouse.
Earlier in the season we played Woodley in a midweek fixture and had a comprehensive 5-0 victory, but after studying the league table and results Woodley have become a formidable team both well organised and tough. After last weeks good performance against Cheadle both Ryan and Alex A kept their place in the starting eleven.
With only 5 minutes on the clock Woodley scored after some good attacking play, a poorly cleared corner found Woodley's impressive central defender smash a shot in from 10 meters, at this point Woodley were controlling the game, Man of the Match Jamie was isolated in midfield where one or to players found it hard this week, so after 20 minutes Mehran was introduced with instruction to win the ball and break Woodley's play down, fortunately this turned out to be the difference High Lane needed. Within 5 minutes they were level when a ball broke from a corner, Alex G smashed the ball in to the roof of the net so hard it popped the ball 1-1 at half-time.
This was probably the most exciting game of the season, and with a serious half-time team talk, about being good enough, and wanting to win the game, this team went back on the field determined and strong, the only problem was Woodley had the same idea and fought hard to gain possession, with Sean on at full back and Ryan pushing up, Woodley broke the play down on the left, found space in the area, and gave Joe no chance, firing high into the net 1-2. High Lane with great support from the line came back and when George picked up the ball in the center, with on your own ringing in his ears, that is precisely what he did scoring from the edge of the area. 5 minutes later Woodley thought they had taken the lead for the third time, but as the ball was heading towards goal, the Woodley forward stood half a meter from the line in an obvious offside position, toe poked the ball over the line, correctly disallowed. From the resulting free kick Woodley again went close but the ball was cleared into midfield, a super pass over the top found Milo in a race with a defender, Milo won and dispatched his shot brilliantly past the outstretched keeper 3-2. 10 minutes to go, Woodley battled and today High Lane fought and scrapped as a team, the first time really, that we have seen that determined effort, and with Woodley getting forward Lane attacked on the left through Dan J, he unleashed a shot, that cannoned back of the post hit the keeper and went out for a corner, time for George to swing in a well practised corner/shot, and with a Woodley defender trying to punch the ball clear, it nestled in the corner of the net 4-2 final score.
A brilliant game to watch superbly refereed and I think a fantastic game to play in for both sides, although Woodley will be disappointed with the result, but High Lane were deserved winners in the end. Once again many thanks to parents for their support and especially to the ones that help week in week out, you are priceless, come on the ones that don’t, every little helps! yes you know who you are!
Under 12s
Match report by David Hanson.
Hardly a classic but we at least maintained our winning ways faced with a team we always struggle to play our best football against.
As we settled into a rhythm of keeping the ball without really threatening Coach Ben had a rush of blood to the head - at least I think this is what happened, the only person who actually demonstrates this phenomenon is Dicky, who, having no hair, quickly resembles an unstruck match. Anyway, Ben suddenly ordered Mattie Hanson up front with orders to the midfield to put the ball behind the defence to use Mattie's pace. With Shaun Farrell rock-like at the back and ably assisted by Matt Rogers, Tom Colbert looked to have an easy game in front of him. Just a quick word on how well Tom is playing these days - even when he doesn't have too much to do, what he does is always solid and reassuring peppered with the occasional eye-catching save. Instead of our first goal being a rapid counter it was simply down to Mattie's persistence in the six-yard box. As their keeper and centre back dithered in possession Mattie nipped in and toed the ball over the line. Minutes later he was sprinting through having dispossessed the same two players again when the centre back crudely took him down from behind when the goal yawned wide. Josh Smith-Webb could only stroke the ball high though and the first-half ended with us just the one goal up.
The second-half saw the cessation of any passing whatsoever as the game became scrappy and the midfield of Jake Smith, Joel Miller and Jack Downing fought to get a grip of the play. In the end it took a screamer from David Potter to put us in the comfort zone and finally our best piece of passing saw the ball collected by Mattie and spread wide to Josh who clipped it past the full back and then opted to shoot as players hared into the middle. The ball skidded across the six-yard box and bounced kindly for the incoming Jack Downing who leathered it home. Once three up we relaxed and let them in for a sloppy consolation that soured things a tad. An odd little game but still a victory none the less and as the sun goes down on Svennis's little empire (didn't take them long to start moaning did it?) our blue boys need all the cheer they can muster before their saviour Taxi Shinupatree goes back home for stretch (no Dicky, that's not a massage) - things can only get bluer. Deep breath everyone, Droylsden next week. You can score your valium off me at the gate.
Under 13s
Match report by Paul Clappison.
To simply give you the result of our quarter-final cup tie at Poynton would do the lads an injustice for the performance they put in for the club yesterday. Poynton are second in the Division One and have only lost once all season to the top team Great Moor. At half-time we lead 2-0 having scored on the stroke of half-time from the halfway line, cue some delirious celebrations from players and parents alike.
Unfortunately Poynton scored early in the second-half and as we played uphill in the second half we defended for our lives until finally we succumbed 10 minutes from time. Poynton then scored two more in the closing stages as we threw everything forward in an attempt to force extra time, however the final score 4-2 does not reflect the scare we gave them.
As a team we will take the belief from this game that if we can get promoted this year I feel we have a group of players who can more than compete in Division One and our goal now is to concentrate on the league and hopefully get up to have a go at the likes of Poynton again next year. Very proud.
Veterans
Match report by Kevin Lofthouse.
This re-arranged fixture went ahead after several poor weeks of weather, with the great co-operation of a Chelford side with the prospect of five games on the bounce, to secure enough points to avoid relegation from the Premier Division.
The game got underway at 12.30 with the pitch still warm from a High Lane open age battle, within minutes Chelford showed that they were no pushovers, as their position in the league table would suggest. With an excellent midfielder for Chelford up against Wheeler and Kenny for High Lane this was where the battle was going to be won. After 15 minutes Hawker was sent clear with a through ball, which he cleverly dispatched in the corner 1-0, Chelford didn't lie down and 10 minutes later were rewarded, when keeper Gowland spread his frame! only to look down as the ball past through his legs and into the net 1-1. This match was fairly even and High Lane struggled to find any real quality, missing several influential players, until Williams had a speculative shot from 20-yards and to his amazement! saw it nestled in the back of the Chelford net, 2-1 at half-time.
With Graydon on for the luckless Evans at the interval several chances started to be created for High Lane, although other than a great strike from outside the box from Bonner, crashed against the underside of the bar and possibly appeared to cross the line, (without video evidence it could never be given) the Chelford keeper was seldom troubled, as the game wore on Chelford had a second wind and stepped up to salvage a point, which looked possible when a penalty was awarded quite rightly after a clumsy challenge from Gee in the box. With the referees words "do not encroach" the ball was calmly slotted in the corner, 're-take' after a Chelford player was almost level with the penalty taker when he took the shot, difficult to argue with! The retake was smashed with power this time and keeper Gowland managed to get a hand to it as it rattled the crossbar, still 2-1. Some five minutes later Chelford were awarded a free-kick just outside the box, and the guilty penalty 'encroacher' made amends, scoring when the keeper forgot he could use his hands and once again the ball went past his legs (he gets praise most weeks so he deserves some stick today) 2-2. Only 6 minutes left and Man of the Match Wheeler picks a superb chip to Williams in the box, he manages to pull the ball it back from the line and Bri Gee makes up for his clumsy penalty area challenge earlier to bury the winner past a despairing keeper 3-2, full time.
Very enjoyable game played in good spirit and excellently refereed, a game where Chelford possibly deserved a point in their quest to avoid relegation, it would be a pity to lose them from this division.