Today saw the first Under 11 Football match of the season and there was much excitement leading up to the kick-off. It was a superb opportunity for all of the players to give it their all and with the A team playing with a bare 11 players the B team were really pushing for a place in the A squad.
After a good warm up and some passing drills we set our positioning up. In the first half the players showed real determination. In particular the centre-backs (Cameron H and Tom B) kept their positions superbly, keeping the Ranby strikers at bay. Unfortunately a lofted ball into the area was valiantly met by Cameron’s head but took a nasty deflection past the reach of Marcus K. Although at half time the boys were 2-0 down there was much positive to take into the second half. At one stage the team managed to keep Ranby in their own half for a good 5 minutes having worked the ball well down the flanks through James L and Peter T.
The second half kicked off with a minor change in the midfield. Marcus C moved into central defence and Tom B moved onto the left wing. After a good clearance from Cameron H after a lovely lay-off from Tom W, Tom B set off down the wing with the ball at his feet. With Henry T in support they worked the ball nicely into the box before Tom B let fly with a superb finish into the bottom corner. Jubilation in the camp as a new set belief was instilled in the players. The following five minutes saw a number of good chances go wide by the Ranby forward who was having a storming game up front. Corner after corner were punishing the S. Anselm’s defence but between Barnaby d’B and Marcus K most were pused back out wide keeping the five yard box free. Unfortunately a lovely delivery caught Marcus K off guard and his clearance effort ended up in the net. The boys did not give up, James L had played superbly all day on the wing with George T tackling like a terrier in midfield. In the final minute, with S. Anselm’s 4-1 down Marcus K gave the ball a last ditch hoof up the middle, a lovely turn from Henry T gave him the advantage over the Ranby defender. Henry took one touch, then two he was surely going to score, the foot came back ready to unleash when a sudden tug came from the Ranby defender bringing Henry off the ball. Should it have been red? The referee blew his whistle and gave S. Anselm’s a free kick just outside the area in a dangerous position. Henry T stepped up, he deserved the goal….. A wonderful save pushed the ball just past the post. Just time for a corner, a lovely delivery saw the swinging boot of Peter T and the ball ended in the back of the net.
A wonderful game to watch and 4-2 reflected the end to end match with Ranby just edging it on the power up front. James L had a terrific game on the wing terrorising the left back. George T played with tenacity and the defence worked well as a unit. Tom W and Barnaby d’B ensured very few balls got past them and cleared the ball from danger numerous times. Cameron H, Marcus C and Tom B were solid at the back and Henry T had a good game up front.
Man of the Match – James L for his peerless determination to win the ball and his frequent dangerous runs in attack.
Goal Scorers – Peter T and Tom B
Posted on
Thu, January 26, 2012
by Admin