Under 12’s results
1st March 2015 – Haxby (A)
Andy & Jon’s Team: Jacob, Sam, Jack B, Charlie, Riley, Alex, Matthew, Freddie.
As well as Haxby, we had to battle against the weather today. Sam was committed and again took up some great defensive position to get his tackles in. Jack made some really strong tackles and some crucial clearances. Charlie was full of rampaging runs and very nearly scored! Riley made some great runs with the ball and seemed to cover every inch of the pitch in search of the ball. Alex was very positive in his play and I’m convinced his shot in the first game crossed the line. It was a carbon copy of Frank Lampard’s goal against Germany in the 2010 World Cup! Matthew was disciplined and showed a keen eye for a pass. Freddie had great strength on the ball and was rewarded with a well deserved goal.
MoM: it was a busy morning for Jacob today and his bravery and confidence were there for everyone to see. He made saves with his hands, feet, stomach and face and again received plaudits from the opposition coaches for his performances. Well done Jacob!
Andy & Jon’s highlight: When time seemed to stand still following Charlie’s (slowest ever) thunderbolt shot resulting in their keeper only just managing to push it round his post. Charlie reacted with the biggest smile I’ve ever seen and a little dance of excitement! Great!!
15th February 2015 – Osbaldwick (h)
Andy & Jon’s team: Jacob, Sam, Jack B, Charlie, Lewis, Kai, Adam, Luke.
Our boys grew into the matches this morning and started to show real desire to win the ball and work as a team. After a(nother Inspirational 😉 half time team talk we all agreed and understood what we needed to do. From the 2nd half onwards we played with much more intensity and gave the opposition no time at all. Jacob was as strong as ever in goal, making some fine saves. Charlie had his dribbling boots on today and was unlucky not to score. Jack had a steely determination and was making tackle after tackle. Kai never gave up and was always in the thick of it. Adam showed that he’s as comfortable and capable in attack as he is in defense. Lewis battled hard and completely mesmerized their defense with his ‘magic’ feet whilst scoring one of his two fine goals. Luke never gave up and made run after run on his way to scoring two deserved goals.
MoM: From the first whistle, to the last, Sam was always determined to win the ball, always willing to track back and make countless crucial tackles and just seemed to have the knack of being in the right place at the right time to stop the opposition and start our own attacks. He was effective at both ends of the pitch and thoroughly deserved to ‘set the ball rolling’ (literally and between their keeper’s legs), to score our first goal of the morning.
Andy & Jon’s highlight: Seeing how much our lads have grown. Not just in terms of playing, but also in their ability to understand and give suggestions on where they can improve their play to be even better in the next half/match.
Phil’s Team: Jack M, Oliver, Jessy, Freddie, Matthew, Dylan, Riley, Alex
Match report: WOW!
Detailed match report to follow…
And I thought we were impressive last week! The commitment and intelligence and sheer skill in playing as a team was an absolute delight for me. Jack pulled off some great saves showing excellent positioning – the reason strikers shoot at the keeper, remember is because the keeper is in the right place. Oliver was better than last week and last week he was superb: he shows strength, great timing of tackles and has now added some tricky footwork to his game. Jessy – he must be so frightening to opposition players as he gives them no time whatsoever on the ball – was everywhere on the pitch and scored three goals in one match. Freddie played his best game ever that I have seen- disciplined in defence, including running back from attacking to make crucial tackles and both powerful and intelligent in his passing and dribbling. He was unlucky to hit the post after one run; however, he did point out that he got four assists! Matthew had a similar game to Freddie. he reads the game very intelligently and is aware of what he needs to do when the opposition has the ball even if he is not the one tackling. His footwork is showing real value now and the goal he scored following his Giggs-like dribble is one I will still regale to people when I am old and grey (which is actually August this year…). Dylan is just class in a glass: five goals coupled with putting a shift in defence, some great passing and I know there is definitely still more to come from this lad! Riley also played his best game ever that I have seen – a massive smile on his face throughout, some top notch tackling, and a love of flying down the wing AND he scored from something we discussed with him at the end of training and took great delight in telling Andy so. I’m sure he scored a few as well. Alex can always be relied on and now you can see better thought in when to pass and when to run as he draws defenders in and releases team-mates on the attack.
Phil’s highlight: Well, it didn’t happen but I imagined it all the same: it was the pitch invasion that occurred when Oliver scored his goal, led by Beth and Guy, and the thought of what possible goal celebration Oliver would pull out the bag before he was led off at shoulder height by the crowd (to the party that Jack had invited everyone to at our house) Next time….next time….
(In reality, my highlight was being stood on the same pitch as my team and thinking that a rubbish old goalie like me had anything to do with the football that was being played by them!)
1st February 2015 – Wiggington (H)
Andy’s Team: Jacob, Sam, Charlie, Alex, Jessie, George, Dylan.
The cold weather was biting again this morning and caused us to start a little bit slowly (note to parents: ready break for breakfast and thermals next time please ;-). Once we’d warmed up and got going though, there really was no stopping us with every single player working incredibly hard to put on a fantastic display of total football!
As a group we worked hard to close the opposition down, put our tackles in, pass the ball when we needed to and get some fantastic shots away, Dylan scored 3 and Alex bagged 2. I can honestly say that it was the best performance (as a whole team) that I’ve seen since we began around 2-3 years ago. We’ve grown so much as players and as a team that we really will be a match for any team if we play like this again!
It wasn’t just that we won today; it was the fact that we played the game in the right way. We had a great attitude and stuck to our principles of playing the ball out from the back and passing the ball towards the opposition’s goal.
Because of this, I can’t possibly pick any one player that shone out so, on that basis, every single one of my team this morning is the MoM. I’m chuffed and proud of every one of you!
Phil’s Team: Jack, Oliver, Matthew, Luke, Riley, Lewis, Freddie
Wigginton knew they were in for a game after early forays into their half by Riley, using his power and dribbling skills. He also came close with two great free kicks in the second half. Luke managed a half in defence and took on their man of the match who was twice his size, never giving him an inch. Matthew showed off his magic feet once more and managed some excellent distribution from the back. Lewis was full of running and never gave the opposition an inch, also managing a cracking goal from just inside the Wigginton half. Freddie mixed some fantastic tackling at the back with tricky dribbling close to the opposition’s area. Oliver was awesome – this boy has come so far this year an in terms of the timing and strength of his tackles he could not be faulted. On top of that, once he had won a tackle, he also managed to find passes out o defence really well.
Man of the match: Jack pulled off save after save, particularly in the first match including a painful one that he didn’t quite catch with his hands and our first ever penalty save in the second match. For someone who seems unorthodox at times in his play, he does well to keep the goal protected.
Phi’s highlight: The opposition coach apologising for playing long ball, while we passed it around on the floor with quickness of thought, feet and movement. One move in particular involved all five players and really deserved a goal. We may not have won our actual matches, but as a coach to these boys, I feel like a winner.
11th January 2015 – Dunnington (H)
Andy and Jon’s Team: Jacob, Jack, Oliver, Luke, Charlie, Alex, Freddie, George, Sam.
It’s always a good game against Dunnington and this morning didn’t disappoint. Our first game started slowly after the Chrismas break, (the cold weather didn’t help either), but we grew in confidence and determination as we went, resulting in a great end to the second match.
Jacob made some fine saves and has really started to take control of his area by shouting instructions when needed. Jack’s positioning was good and his tackling got better as the games went on. Freddie was excellent in defence and made some really strong runs with the ball. George made some fantastic runs and was always in space to receive the ball. Oliver was strong in the tackle and despite playing with a really bad headache showed superb effort. Charlie was really positive with his attacking runs and made some good passes.
MoMs: Despite the first game’s result, (we were really unlucky not to have scored a few goals), the lads kept their heads up, stayed positive and really listened to what we wanted them to do in the next game. Sam, Luke and Alex all went out with steely determination and a (goal) hunger in their bellies, (this is starting to sound like a cheap novel?!), and really went for it. Their efforts were rewarded with equally fantastic/superb/brilliant* goals each.
*Don’t delete as they’re all appropriate!!
Andy’s highlight of the day: Watching my son score a halfway line thunderbolt after I’d asked for someone to score a thunderbolt during the pre-game team talk.
Phil’s Team: Jack M, Adam, Matthew, Riley, Lewis, Dylan
Two really fun matches – as always against Dunnington – and superb play from every single one of my boys. My full time talk was a load of excited waffle but it was because I was so proud of each one of the lads. Today was probably the biggest example of working as a team I have seen-talking to each other, picking out passes to people who were finding good space, tackling as a team and never giving up despite the lot of them playing a lot more football than usual. Jack, who I know from home is vocal, was excellent at trying to get his defenders organised – and when we score again I can recommend having a watch of his goal celebrations. Adam and Matthew improved during the match at their playing the ball out from defence, taking a quick touch to help choose the pass. They are tackling and stepping out with the ball confidently as well. Riley’s best moment was his two forceful solo attacking runs from out of defence – such power and control – and his goal, which may have left a hole in the net
MoM: I’m not having man of the match runners-up. I’m having two: Dylan was really powerful with his running and shots and showed some lovely footwork to fox the Dunnington defenders. He was given the alien task of being in defence and nearly managed to stay there (which is impressive – mind you he scored every time he wandered off!) tackling well and keeping himself goal side of runners. And …Lewis. This lad would do anything for us coaches – asked to do different jobs on the pitch at different times he nodded smiled and set about his task. His defensive positioning was great, staying goal side and showing great strength. All that and his goal was an exact replica of Gazza’s against Scotland in Euro 96.
Moment of the match: I’m torn between some of the great goals, catching sight of Jack performing the worm for our first goal and Lewis managing a double megs (through players’ legs from different teams!) AND calling it like I’ve always taught them.
7th December 2014 – Hamilton Panthers (H)
Andy’s Team: Jacob, Sam, Charlie, Lewis, Matthew, George, Dylan, Jessie, Kai
We were up against two strong teams today and, once again, the atmosphere was excellent. I was really pleased to see the boys working hard and concentrating well on the things I had asked them all to do.
Charlie was really good at winning the ball and playing some quality passes to his team mates. Sam worked well to use the ball intelligently and helped to start some exciting attacking moves whilst creating a shooting opportunity for himself. Kai’s tackling was great and he showed some really confident dribbling skills. Dylan’s movement was good and he made some superb runs with the ball up the wings and had some chances to have a shot on goal. Jessie was strong in the tackle and kept trying to storm his way through the opposition’s defense to have a crack on goal. Lewis made some great runs in attack and was quick to change to defense when the ball was lost. George was really good in defense, always looking to be the first to snuff out any attacks whilst also showing great control with his dribbling. Matthew was fantastic today and had a really, really good two games. His use of the ball, whether passing or dribbling, was superb and he was always on hand to make a tackle. He came close to scoring on a couple of occasions and, on any other day, would have easily been our man of the match. All of which leads me nicely on to…
MoM: I often find myself running out of superlatives (word of the week lads) to describe Jacob. To say that he’s been feeling unwell all week and still managed to make some truly outstanding saves, (diving majestically through the air to make a one handed save, holding on to a point-blank rocket straight at his chest that, after the game, caused him to comment, “it made me a cough a bit!”) shows just how determined he is. The greatest testament to Jacob is the fact that, match after match, every opposition coach makes a point of coming up to myself and Jon to say how good Jacob is! A very well deserved award, well done!!
Phil’s Team: Jack M, Adam, Alex, Freddie, Thomas, Riley, Oliver, Luke
Two goals per match and numerous chances and a great atmosphere. Jack pulled off some great saves including one diving low to his right in the first half of the first game which I am still trying to fathom out how he reached it, he also got better at coming off his line and foxing the opposition with his goal kicks (rather than foxing his own team); Adam managed a goal and showed real drive as he ran with the ball from midfield.; Alex was similar to Adam and loves taking people on with the ball at his feet, also managing two goals (one from the halfway line); Luke was full of his usual trickery and wowed both his fans and those from Panthers and finished off a great goal; Thomas returned to playing action with some superb tackles and was very confident in possession throwing a back-heeled nutmeg into the mix; Freddie had so many great chances to score showing fantastic awareness of the position he needs to be in to grab the goals.
Man of the match: Oliver and Riley. Oliver, who I haven’t seen play that much this year, was superb. He never backed out of challenges, used his body well and managed a few passes that turned defence into attack, timing passes nicely. Riley was everywhere – clearing off the line, tackling back with excellent timing, linking play in midfield, assisting goals including a stunner from Luke, and having some decent shots himself. He also survived a few tasty tackles from the opposition and a whack in the chops!
Phil’s Highlight: It has to be the interplay between Adam, Luke and Riley for one of our goals. Defence turned into attack with overlapping runs, precise passes, a perfect cross and deft finish from ‘The Little Wizard’.
23rd November 2014 – Dunnington (A)
Jon & Andy’s team: Jacob, Riley, Sam, Jack B, Charlie, George, Alex, Jessie
Another enjoyable morning played in a great atmosphere against a really good side in Dunnington. The boys started really brightly and confidently, whilst also working hard to keep their shape and play the positions given to them before kick-off. We worked really hard as a team to attack and defend and our link up play and passing was greatly improved.
Jacob was excellent in goal and started to become more vocal in commanding his area. Riley worked tirelessly in attack and also did really well in defence when asked to do so. His reactions and awareness were great and he grabbed a great goal by following in. Sam concentrated well to cut-out attacks and was positive in moving the ball forward. Jack was stronger in the tackle today and played some really good passes. Charlie was focused and made some good tackles along with some good runs with the ball. George was a dynamo today and worked non-stop for the team with some great runs up the wing; he was unlucky not to get himself a goal. Jessie was ferocious once again in his determination to win the ball and made some excellent runs.
MoM: Alex was confident with the ball and determined all morning. He listened and did exactly what was asked of him by making his passes when needed and being strong and disciplined in defence when asked. His hard work payed off with a hat-trick in the first game and another goal in the second. Well done Alex!
Highlight of the day: The concentration and hard work put in by everyone to play in their given positions. It really helped us to play a solid two games and we got our reward with two excellent results.
Phil’s team
As Andy said a lovely atmosphere at Dunnington. Great club, great kids. Just like us!!
Jack must have been exhausted with all the shots raining down. He was so close to so many and managed some cracking saves in both games. Matthew showed off his tricky footwork down the wing a few times and was unlucky in Game 2 not to score with some dazzling play. Adam hit a stunning hat-trick-I really wish it had been on Sky+ so I could see it again. Luke passed expertly and managed four lovely finishes. Freddie is getting stronger and more difficult to play against. He grabbed a goal and was a whisker away from the last-second winner in Game 1. Kai had a hand in three goals playing really intelligent passes in the build up. Lewis got some tough tackles in, found his man with passes and netted a goal by following up.
Man of the match: Dylan. Shots that stay hit, the fanciest of footwork, passes through the eye of the needle. He seems one step ahead with his thinking on the pitch.
Highlight: Either Adam’s rocket from the kick-off (jaw still on the floor) or our wonderfully bizarre ‘keeper stuck in the net’ goal when I was also nearly tripped up by an opposition sub.
2nd November 2014 – Fulford (A)
Jon & Andy’s team: Jacob, Jack, Oliver, Sam, George, Freddie, Luke, Jessie, Adam
Two really enjoyable matches today against a good Fulford side.
We started well and worked hard against a very attacking side. Jack worked hard and put on a steely and determined display. Oliver was always aware of his positioning and covered the pitch tremendously to make some crucial tackles. Sam was energetic and purposeful with the ball, always looking to get forward and attack. George made some brilliant lung-busting runs with the ball and was unlucky not to score. Freddie was strong with the ball and always looking to support and follow up any shots; he showed his bravery to carry on after taking a ball straight in his face! Luke dazzled with his footwork again making some excellent runs. Jessie truly was a tiger today with some fierce (but fair) tackles and great runs at goal.
MoM: We had two standout players today – under constant bombardment, Jacob was superb in goal saving countless shots that came at him from all angles; he pounced on ball at players feet and dived full stretch to thwart so many of Fulford’s stikes on goal. Adam showed how much he’s developing as a player with not only a typically strong defensive display, but also showed us great attacking flair to grab a fully deserved goal.
Highlight of the day: The boys concentration during my team talk before the second game and their determination to carry out what had been asked of them all. Both myself and Jon could see how much of a step up they made and how hard they all worked as a team. So, in my eyes, we were winners today as all the boys worked so hard for each other and played brilliantly!!
Phil’s Team: Dylan, Jack M, Lewis, Charlie, Matthew, Alex, Riley, Kai
Everyone played really well in both matches getting tackles in and working hard for each other. Unfortunately, because I am writing this weeks later, my memory is faded by particular individual moments. Sorry! Although if someone scored, please tell me and I can mention it here.
Man of The Match: Jack (for an astounding number of shots saved, including the initial shot for four of the five goals we conceded); Kai (for some excellently timed tackles and always being in the right position to score)
Highlight of the match: The pressure we put on Fulford’s goal from the first second – all starting with Charlie’s best dribble yet; the last second run all the way back to make a tackle from Riley – never a penalty!!)
25th October 2014 – Friendly Match, Heslerton
Andy & Jon’s Team: Jacob, Jack, Oliver, Freddie, Sam, Kai, Dylan.
A nice change from our usual Saturday morning training to play a friendly against a really nice set of lads and coaches from Heslerton.
We started well with some positive play and got stronger towards the end. Jacob was extremely brave in goal, made some superb saves and his distribution was much improved. Jack grew into the matches and showed really positive movement going forward and started to make some great tackles. Oliver was much more aware of his positioning and was strong with his tackling. Freddie showed great strength with his runs and dribbling with the ball; his reward was a great goal (and an even better Marco Tardelli-esque celebration). Kai did exactly as I asked and looked for the pass into space for our players to run on to and was sharp with his tackling. Dylan worked really hard to track back and help defend and made himself an excellent goal. He received the ball with his back to goal, turned the defender in one movement, ran onto goal and fired it into the roof of the net!
MoM: For a complete display of all the things we’ve been working hard on in training Sam gets the award this week. His tackling, running with the ball and passing were superb today. He was always ready to track back and be the first to win the ball for the team and was really unlucky not to bag himself a goal by following up on one of Dylan’s shots. Well Done!
Highlight of the day: The positive response to our team talk at half time (2nd match) and the increased energy to work really well as a team, (closely followed by Freddie’s magnificently delirious goal celebration; he must be half Italian??)
Phil’s team: Jack M, Adam, Jessy, Lewis, Charlie, George, Philip, Luke
Jack improved his distribution and got his first assist (thanks to a pitch long dribble and goal from Luke!); Adam developed his ability to run with the ball in midfield and hopefully see him confident to cross the halfway line more often if in defence; Lewis put all his hard work into practice choosing the right time to dribble and the right time to pass, and linking up brilliantly with the rest of his team mates; Charlie gave me a great highlight when he combined four different tricks in one fluid move, and he was superb in defence timing tackles brilliantly; George looked like he could be a very nifty winger heading up the right hand side of the pitch, his balance on the ball has really developed; Philip, in his first match, was absolutely superb giving the opposition no chance to rest and driving the team forward in midfield and defence; Luke was an even better version of the Luke that won man of the match for me at Easingwold – what a joy to watch he is.
Man of the match: Jessy – strong, skilful with the ball at his feet and some scorching goals, he is showing the kind of form he showed when he first began with us over two years ago.
Phil’s highlight: Apart from the Heslerton midfielder’s corner that travelled across the whole of the crossbar, it was Lewis’ goal in the first match. For him and for me it showed everything we had talked about and worked on and also had the added bonus of one of Lewis’ massive smiles thrown in.
19th October 2014 – York R.I. (H)
Andy & Jon’s Team: Jacob, Sam, Jack, Oliver, Dylan, Alex, Luke, Matthew
A hard working team performance today that was played with a fantastic attitude towards each other and the opposition.
We began well but we’re unlucky to concede against some unstoppable shots. Jacob was great in goal and extremely brave, at the end of the first match their coach commented that it was the best display of keeping she had seen so far! Oliver was strong with his tackles and concentrated well. Jack was focused and showed good skill with the ball. Sam was tenacious and determined and unlucky to grab a goal for his efforts. Dylan worked well to take up some good attacking positions and, after a great attacking run from Luke, was in the right spot to score a marvellous goal. Alex was non-stop and always wanted the ball and was the steel in our team! Matthew put on a display of footwork and control that would have earned him a 10 from Len on Strictly.
MoM: For his constant positivity and attacking skills, Luke deserves the award this week. His lung-busting runs and ability to glide past the opposition caused them no end of trouble and he made and scored a goal for himself to cap off a fine display.
Moment of the match: The constantly positive attitude and support for each other from beginning to end and the smiles and high-fives between the lads at the end of each match.
Phil’s team: Riley, Freddie, Jack M, Adam, Jessy, Lewis, Charlie, George
Riley worked hard in the second match showing vision in his passing; Freddie scored a superb free kick to put us in the lead in the first match; Adam looked for accurate long range passing from the back and was missed when he went off injured; Charlie showed some great running with the ball and some well-timed tackles; Jessy looked to take on two or three players at a time and often succeeded, grabbing a goal in the second match; Lewis looked to play some difficult passes but also started working on choosing to dribble when he needed to, also supporting attackers well
Man of the match: Two this week…George for his non-stop running and very committed attitude and Jack for some absolutely top drawer saves which helped keep the scores respectable.
Phil’s highlights: Jack’s save just before the York RI first goal, palming away a strong low shot – and – Freddie’s free kick. BOOM!!
4th October 2014 – Easingwold (A)
Phil’s team: Jack M, Adam, Charlie, Riley, Kai, Dylan, Luke, Lewis
Carrying on from the last match Adam ‘The Rock’ Benton had a fantastic game bossing defence, making good decisions on when to go for the ball. I wish his halfway-line shot had gone in as I could have retired a happy man! Mind you we scored a few long-range efforts. Riley bagged five goals across the two games but better than that was his constantly positive attitude, the thought he put into his play and 100% of tackles being for the ball! Dylan scored two trademark ‘thunderbolts’ including one from a free kick which was , as they say, ‘an absolute worldie’. Jack pulled off a fantastic diving save in the second match and collected the ball well at the feet of strikers. Luke (MotM) showed in this match what all of us who have watched him since he was five have thought he could be like: the changes of speed and direction when dribbling were worth getting up for on a Sunday morning. He even bagged a hat-trick! Kai and Charlie had similar games in that they were fierce in the tackle, never gave up and were so close to both setting up goals and scoring them. Kai plays simple passes really well and Charlie pulled off a magnificent dribble into the area. Lewis went from strength to strength in the match…by showing more strength in his passing. He has a good eye for a pass and linked up play well in the first game to get through a tough Easingwold midfield.
That was by far the best performance I have seen from these guys, just edging out the Wigginton games from last year.
Moments of the match: Too many to mention: a) I’ll go for Charlie foxing his supporters in game one. To the cries of ‘Charlie, that’s the wrong way!’ he set off towards his goal-line to dribble around the opposition player before changing direction and dribbling up the wing before playing a pass to a team-mate. He knew exactly what he was doing and I was dead proud of him. b) Adam, exhausted from a full 20 minutes saying, “I’m tired. I want to do it again.” and then saying the same at the end of the second match.
Andy & Jon’s Team: Jacob, Sam, Oliver, Jack B, Alex, Freddie, Matthew, Jessie
Matthew was full of tricks, twists and turns (making us both feel dizzy watching him) and used the ball well, got his tackles in and passed intelligently. Jack and Oliver really got stuck in to their tackles and worked harder than we’ve ever seen them with a brilliant will to win the ball. Freddie was powerful in possession and also in the tackle and made some really positive runs with the ball. George showed real bravery to hunt down the opposition and push forwards at every opportunity with the ball. Sam was solid and determined with his tackling, had great positional awareness and (proud Dad moment alert!) beat the opposition twice whilst riding two tackles with some classic wing play before putting in a great cross! Jacob was as brilliant and brave as always, making some excellent one-handed saves and racing off his line to smother the ball. Alex was always on the hunt for the ball, moved really well and attacked constantly, being rewarded with a goal that literally broke the net!
Jessie was the stand-out player today though with his never-give-up attitude and total focus on winning the ball with some great tackling and battling. Constantly looking to attack Easingwold’s goal and finally getting his well-deserved goal!
Moment of the match: Listening to the cheers of the parents and watching as we put on a fantastic and complete team performance to put into practice everything we’ve been working hard at in training this season! Fantastic!! Neither Jon or myself could stop smiling for the entire game!!!
7th September 2014 – Rawcliffe (A)
Phil’s team: Jack M, Adam, Alex, Oliver, Charlie, Riley, Kai, Dylan
The season started with a tough fixture against an impressive Rawcliffe team. Man of the match Adam showed some fantastic marking and tackling and looked very organised in defence Jack managed some tricky saves and was kept busy. Alex was confident with the ball at his feet in difficult areas. Oliver also showed some great touches under pressure. Charlie was strong with his dribbling. Riley was unlucky not to have a hat-trick and I can see him getting a few goals this season. Dylan always had a trick up his sleeve and moved the ball very quickly from defence to attack. Kai was full of running and managed some good tackles and passes.
Moments of the match: Dylan and Riley’s link up play in attack
Andy and Jon’s team: Sam, Freddie, Lewis, Jack B, Jessy, Thomas, Luke
We were without Jacob today so had to call on four of the lads (Sam, Thomas, Freddie and Lewis) to put the gloves on and take a turn in goal.
First up was Sam who was kept incredibly busy but made some excellent saves and concentrated really well and then went on to be really positive in his play after being in goal. Jack was alert and made some strong tackles to break up attacks. Lewis was also busy in goal but very determined and showed really good speed and awareness on the pitch. Thomas was strong in goal and then, after his turn, was always ready to dribble with the ball and showed good passing skills. Luke was fantastic in his display of dribbling and make some strong runs to unnerve the opposition defence. Jessie was a non-stop threat to the opposition and was always first to every tackle and loose ball; he never gave Rawcliffe a minutes peace and really was the engine of our team today. Freddie was incredibly brave in goal and made some outstanding saves. Afterwards, his close control of the ball under pressure and strength of running was superb and he fully deserved his goal. He made it himself by tackling and winning the ball on the half way line, running on to goal, dribbling round a defender and shooting.
We had two MoM’s today – Jessie for his fantastic attitude and ‘never give up’ display from start to finish and Freddie for his brilliant ball control and dribbling skills. A big well done to you both!
Moment of the match: in our second match, the way we worked as a team to spread out, support and pass our way up the pitch. We created much more chances and were really unlucky not to score more goals.
2013/14 Season fixtures as Under 7’s
At Under 7s, the results that are important to us are the improvements our children make, and the positive moments they experience on the pitch and at training. That is what drives us each and every week.
So, our results page might look that little bit different…
Saturday 27 April 2014 vs Poppleton
Andy & Jon’s Team
It was a bit of a slow start for us this morning. I think maybe we had a few Easter eggs to burn off before we could really get going(?) but, once we did, we were fantastic!
Jacob made us believe that we had Peter Schmeichel in goal with his fantastic saves, spreading his body wide and strong hands. Jack was prowling the pitch and hunting down anyone who came near him, getting some good tackles in. Freddie showed some good tricks and skills and was always quickest off the mark to follow up any shots and bagged himself a fine goal. Alex was strong in his tackles and demonstrated really good feet and movement. Sam concentrated really well and took up some great positions ending up with a well deserved goal in the 2nd game. Jessie battled all morning, never gave the Poppleton boys any rest and was rewarded with a great goal. Thomas worked brilliantly in defence and really helped to pressure the Poppleton team. Both Riley and Lewis continued to show us some fantastic link up play to really strike fear into the opposition. Lewis scored himself 3 good goals and Riley was a real team player and set up some great goals for the team.
MoM: A new found steely focus was on display from Oliver today. His tackling was first class and he always made sure that he tried to win the ball at every opportunity that came his way. A very well deserved award in our last ‘official’ match of the season!
Andy & Jon’s Highlight: The fight and determination we showed in the 2nd game after a bit of a slow start to the morning. Our determination paid off and we were really unlucky not to end up winning it!
Saturday 6 April 2014 vs Copmanthorpe
Andy & Jon’s Team
The boys certainly had their shooting boots on today and this showed in the really confident and positive way we played as a team.
Sam made some great saves in goal (keeping a clean sheet in the 2nd game) and also worked his socks off all over the pitch. Freddie concentrated magnificently and made some fine saves for his turn in goal; he also made some great runs into the box to support our attacks and was unlucky not to score. Riley must have really intimidated the opposition when he was in goal as they never came near him whilst he was there! He was also full of energy, making lung-busting runs from box to box and scored himself a fine goal. Oliver was a lynchpin in defence, making some timely tackles to clear the danger. Jack was focused and purposeful working well to win the ball and made some great passes up the pitch. Thomas tackled well and was rewarded for his commitment with a really good goal.
MoM: As I began by saying though, it was a shooting boots day today and for no one more so than Lewis. He bagged himself a magnificent 7 goals with some incredible individual displays in addition to benefitting from a fantastic all-round team performance.
Andy & Jon’s Highlight: Watching the lads put into practice the session we coached on Saturday. In one fast and sweeping movement, starting with a goal kick, we passed the ball up the line, then dribbled for a bit before crossing the ball in to the box for us to run on to and score, brilliant!! It also gave me the opportunity to say the classic football phrase, “That came straight from the training ground!”, it really was a thing of beauty.
Phil’s Team
Jack was outstanding in goal, pulling off fantastic saves in the first match for a clean sheet, and improving his diving at the opposition’s feet; Max was spectacular in attack, defence and midfield -confident under pressure and scoring an utterly fantastic solo last-minute winner; Dylan gave us the winner we deserved in the first match with another long range effort, (any goal of that type are henceforth to be known as ‘a Dylan’) and coolly finished for the first goal in the second match; Adam’s positioning was great in defence, and he gave the opposition little time on the ball when he was pressing in midfield; Luke scored a great goal from the edge of the area in the second game, and was thoughtful with his passing; Charlie had his best match ever – some great mazy runs with trickery from his feet that surprised everyone, and perfect timing in his tackling in defence; Lewis, like Adam, gave the opposition no let up, and particularly in the first match, managed to break into their box on a few occasions being unlucky not to get a goal.
MoM: This is getting trickier each match, but for me it was Kai. He’s missed a few matches and some training but that hasn’t hindered him. he was full of running, thought about his passes and his movement, and scored a belting goal (that looked just like the training session Andy had designed the day before!)
Phil’s Highlights: Jack’s early saves in the first match, showed real thought in his positioning and handling; Charlie jinking past three defenders on a run; Max’s never say die attitude for his last second goal
Saturday 29 March 2014 vs Wigginton
Phil’s Team
Jack was so much braver, and pulled off some amazing saves; Matthew was dominant in defence, timing his tackles well, and very strong and commited in midfield; Max supported his striker, Dylan, well to score – putting us in the lead against Wigginton for the first time in ten matches (Woo!); Dylan managed to put us in the lead in the second game with a stunning solo effort -and – got a fantastic TACKLE in our box to stop a certain goal; Adam showed a lot more control in midfield, and tried out his brand new trick on many occasions; Luke ‘Lionel’ Lefley managed a couple of impressive mazy runs, nearly managing to ride every ‘tackle’ that flew in; Charlie had plenty of success protecting Jack’s goal in the second match – very little got past him; George did a little bit of everything, getting better at sorting out his feet to pick out passes; Lewis enjoyed his defensive role and got stuck in really well with loads of fantastic challenges.
MoM:EVERYONE…including me! There was no splitting a great team performance all round!
Phil’s Highlights: Adam’s new trick – and his half-way line shot (somebody does listen to my team talks after all!)
Andy & Jon’s Team
Of all the matches we’ve had, this has to be the best team performance we’ve seen so far.
Jacob was confident and commanding in goal and heading for a clean sheet until a complete freaky fluke of a goal crept in, boo! Thomas was superb with his tackling. Oliver put some great blocks in and cleared the ball well. Sam took up some brilliant positions and was always in the thick of it to win the ball. Jack was fearless in the face of the oppositions attacks. Alex was unflinching in his desire to win the ball. Freddie was really sharp and unlucky not to score from a quickly taken free-kick and at one point, turned into Johan Cruyff! Lewis caused the grasshoppers endless problems with his quick feet. Riley was, as always, full of running and fully deserved his fantastic goal.
MoM: An easy choice – everyone! For sheer determination, concentration and work rate they all deserve the award this week. It’s Sunday evening now and I still haven’t stopped smiling. Oh, and I meant it about everyone having to buy me, Jon and Phil sweets, (I like snickers)!!
Andy & Jon’s Highlights: Hearing the Wiggington subs telling their coach that we were really tough to play against! Plus, at the end of the game, the ref saying how impressed he was with our two teams and that we’d all improved massively since the last time we’d played them!
Sunday 23 March 2014 vs Osbaldwick
Phil’s Team
Jack’s distribution was better from goal kicks. Dylan and Max were both unlucky not to bag a few goals and were both full of running. Adam was composed in defence, taking a touch and thinking about a pass. Luke managed sone great dribbles in the second match and grabbed a deserved goal. George acquitted himself well in defence, and always looked for a pass. Lewis kept trying to find space for himself, and pass to those who were in space.
MoM: Our on-loan hero, Freddie, was magnificent throughout: perfectly timed tackling, powerful and accurate passing, tricks and flicks, and two goals. One of the best all-round performances I’ve seen.
Phil’s Highlights: After their keeper had made so many great saves in the second match, it was great to get the goal we had deserved! And then get another straight after. .
Andy & Jon’s Team
It was a case of the scoreline not reflecting the performance today.
Everyone was on their game and we played incredibly well as a team and were unlucky not to have scored the goals we deserved.
Jacob was excellent and as brave as ever today in goal making some really good saves. Jack was determined and played with great desire to win the ball. Oliver worked really hard to get his tackles in and to clear the ball from danger. Alex, showed good movement and ability to turn out of tight situations. Jessie was bionic today in his ability to run and showed real desire to hunt down the ball. Riley was everywhere today, (at one point, I’m convinced he was even helping out in the other match???) and was really unlucky not to score a great goal. Lewis was always available for the ball and showed great confidence to dribble past 3 players to score a fantastic goal.
MoM: It was a day for the defenders today. Both Sam and Thomas played with superb concentration and strength to tackle and block everything that came their way, all over the pitch. Well done boys!
Sunday 16 February 2014 vs Haxby Town
Phil’s Team
A morning full of character and determination today.
Under extreme pressure, in the first half of the first match, Jack was a picture of concentration and made some outstanding saves. The boys kept their heads up and battled on to show true grit and spirit; the culmination of this was a well deserved team goal for Max. He then went on to bag himself another two goals in the second game through sheer determination, showing great dribbling skills to beat three players before scoring one of them. Charlie was persistent in the tackle and chased down some crucial balls to make sure they went out into touch. Dylan was always open for a pass, finding plenty of space on the wings. He was unlucky on a few occasions not to get the goals his efforts deserved. Matthew was superb with his tackles and was really positive in getting the ball forward. Luke showed real trickery and pace to sweep past the opposition on more than one occasion. Lewis was timing his tackles to perfection and showed that he has a fantastic ability to make a telling pass and set up our attacks. Kai was really enthusiastic in his desire to win the ball putting in some great tackles to clear the danger.
MoM: There were two today. Max for his never-say-die attitude and three brilliant goals and Jack for always being positive and carrying on despite taking a shot straight in the face, (he saved it too by the way)!
Jon and Andy’s Highlight was the fact that the boys never gave up and worked really hard for each other until the final whistle.
Jon and Andy’s Team
Jacob pulled off two world class saves at the start of the first match. Jack was tough in the tackle. Riley would have tackled a brick wall for his team, but also looked for a pass, and looked for space to receive passes. Thomas timed tackles excellently against a tricky striker. Freddie was confident in defence and linked up well with Jessie in attack. Sam Watson never missed a tackle and took intelligent throw ins. Oliver managed a couple of crucial last ditch tackles and was always in space. Lewis managed four goals across the matches including some real stunners-always playing with a smile on his face.
MoM: Jessie was a constant threat, never letting Haxby have any time on the ball, and also scored two great goals.
Phil’s highlight was split between Lewis’ top corner scorcher, and Jack Boam’s super-tough tackle that startled him as much as the guy who was on the receiving end! .
Sunday 9 February 2014 vs Dunnington
Firstly, even though we’re not driven by results, it felt awesome to have both teams win on the same week for the first time. Lots of big smiles from parents and children in the wind, and the rain, and the mud!
Phil’s Team
Jack’s distribution was quicker and more accurate, using two hands and protecting it with his body. Both Adam and Matthew tackled intelligently, never diving in and shepherding attackers into less dangerous areas. Luke showed some breathtaking dribbling, and scored a goal with a shot from the side of the pitch! Charlie showed a lot more thought in where his passing and throw-ins went. Lewis put huge effort in, despite not feeling well, and we missed his non-stop running in the second match. George was full of running again, and tackled bravely. Max scored a blinding free kick, and bagged another goal, nutmegging the keeper.
MoM: Dylan was a constant threat to the opposition’s defence, and scored two long range-scorchers. On top of that, he started tackling-his no.1 target
Phil’s highlight was after the match seeing the happy grins on the faces of the whole squad .
Sunday 2 February 2014 vs Haxby Town
Phil’s Team
Jack looked very assured collecting the ball, using two hands and protecting it with his body. Adam’s strength and discipline in defence was his best yet. Matthew and his wonderfeet dazzled the crowd, including his double nutmeg! Yet again, Dylan showed excellent footwork, and used his wing well to attack quickly, adding a brilliant finish for one of our goals. Charlie put in a fantastic sliding tackle in the first match, which led to one of our goals. Lewis scored a great goal, tackling and forcing his way through the opposition. George was tireless in midfield, and made some important blocks in the area. Max scored a goal using his power and pace
MoM: It was hard to split an attacker and defender, so I didn’t: Adam’s strength and discipline in defence was his best yet. And, Luke showed great poise on the ball, particularly sprinting away from defenders. And for the second time in a row bagged a last minute winner!
Phil’s highlight was just being amazed at how confident and assured all the team seemed. Passing, footwork, positioning-it just seemed to click today.
Sunday 3 November 2013 vs Poppleton Tigers
First up: a special mention to our parents. Poppleton’s coach came over at the end of the match and commented on how nice it was to share watching the children play with such a pleasant group of people. We have to agree with him!
Jon and Andy’s Team
Oliver showed his versatility once again by playing in midfield and getting some
good tackles in. Riley never stopped running and was always looking to attack, as well as also making some brilliant last minute tackles to block/stop shots on our goal.
Sam tackled fantastically again and passed the ball really well. Freddie was
really positive with his dribbling and shielded the ball well. Jack really got
involved in the game and put in some great tackles in midfield. Thomas was more
disciplined in defence and tackled well. George was fearless in his tackling and
positive in his running, closing the opposition down really quickly.
MoM: Jacob had an amazing debut for us and was superb in goal! He was very brave and showed total concentration to pounce on anything that came his way, even if it
meant getting a kick from the opposition! We lost count of how many shots he
saved so very well done!!!
Phil’s Team
Jack pulled off a last minute super save when the score was 1-0 to us. Adam gets better every game, was strong in his tackling, running and passing. Matthew got some strong block tackles in, strong enough to nearly knock his shinpads out of his socks, Dylan took up great attacking positions, scored two goals and linked up well with the rest of his team. Luke got some really important tackles in, and was full of running in the second match. Lewis had a fantastic first half as protector, timing tackles fantastically. Charlie is showing better control every week.
MoM: I wish I could have chosen a few, however have gone for Max for his accurate passing from defence and the finish for his first goal in the second match. (He managed four goals in total.)
Phil’s highlight was Charlie skipping over two tackles as he marauded his way into the opposition area.
Sunday 6 October 2013 vs Hamilton Panthers
Jon & Andy’s Team
Riley got two brilliant goals and also won Man of the Match for his non-stop energy in defence and attack.
Phil’s Team
Luke bagged us a fantastic goal in the first match.
Jack pulled off a host of great saves, particularly in the first game and therefore won Man of the Match.
Sunday 23 September 2013 vs Woodthorpe Wanderers
Jon & Andy’s Team
Freddie won Man of the Match for his goal and the contributions he made all over the pitch.
Phil’s Team
Max got both goals as we drew!!
Man of the Match Matthew was a rock in defence, timing his tackles perfectly.
Phil’s highlight: our last minute equaliser. Spectators may have missed my little jig of celebration (luckily).
Sunday 8 September 2013 vs Wigginton Plainmoor
Max was the pick of the bunch on his debut, as he never stopped running…ever! He got plenty of shots on goal too.
Phil’s highlight: the enthusiasm of Max’s Mum on the sidelines!