Under 13s Reports Archive (October)

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Under 13s v. Lewes  (Result 9-0) League - 02/10/04

 

Both teams had depleted squads this week although we had two more players than Lewes.

 

This was ‘New Kit’ week for the squad -  something we had been waiting for since last season. Special thanks must go to Jason and his company PTS Plumbing Trade Supplies who very kindly purchased the kit for us.

 

Our grateful thanks must also go to the girls of Lewes who, at short notice, very kindly agreed to play in our old shirts when we discovered in the week that there was a possible colour clash.

 

The girls arrived at the Park on time and we had a ceremonial opening of the changing rooms. The girls walked in to find their names on the pegs with their kit placed out neatly on the bench below.  When everyone had changed they all marched out onto the park in line—they couldn’t wait to get going.

 

I think they must have expended a lot of their energy in the changing rooms as we started rather slow. Although we spent most of the time in the Lewes half ,we  were unable to get close enough to get a decent shot on target. It took 8 minutes for our two player advantage to tell but it was worth waiting for  as Kirsty’s powerful shot from the edge of the area gave the Lewes keeper little chance. From the kick-off Lewes soon gave the ball away and we broke back into their half for Kirsty to get her second. We continued to pile on the pressure, although Lewes defended very strongly, and 5 minutes later Holly added a third.  After 23 minutes we were 4—0 up when Kirsty completed her hat-trick. Lewes were finishing stronger though and we were unable to add any further goals before half-time.

 

The second half was barely two minutes old when Kirsty added her 4th and the teams fifth and Sophie added a sixth after 6 minutes. Lewes were not giving up though and were getting into our half regularly. Jess’ drop kicks were sending the ball straight back into their half but they seemed to cope with this quite well. It took us until about five minutes from the end for Jane to add our seventh goal but it was worth waiting for. This had not been Jane’s lucky day as she seemed to get close to the goal on several occasions but was just unable to score. This time, however, she broke down the left, spotted the Lewes keeper off her line and lobbed a ball straight over her and into the top corner of the net.  Two minutes later, Holly added her second as Lewes started to tire.

 

However, the best was yet to come. Celia collected the ball in her own half and set off on a mazy run. She appeared to beat about 250 defenders before calmly slotting the ball past the helpless keeper. This would have been a contender for goal of the season but John Motson and his crew took a wrong turning on the M25 and ended up at Highbury. They decided that they would have to stay as they didn’t have enough time to travel South. Still, it was they who missed out on all those goals as Arsenal could only get 4!!

 

Player of the match this week was not as easy as it seems. Holly had easily her best game so far this season and any one of the defenders could have won it.  However, this weeks award goes to Kirsty   - not just for her 4 goals but for her all round play. She wasn’t going to shoot if she thought that somebody else was in a better position and all of her goals were extremely well taken. Keep it up Kirsty, this 11-a-side thing seems to suit your game. Make sure you stay onside though!!!!

 

Congratulations to both teams for a most enjoyable match.

Under 13s v. Littlehampton   (Result 0-1) League - 10/10/04

 

Once again we only had 10 players and in the end it was probably this that beat us.

 

The game was played between two very well matched teams.  Both had very well organised defences and strong midfield and forward players.

 

We had the benefit of a very strong wind behind us in the first half and with this assistance we were the first to threaten to score with both Holly and Chloe going close early on. For the first 15—20 minutes we managed to keep the ball well and Littlehampton barely got out of their own half. When they did, their very capable no.7 and no.10 were well marshalled by Hannah, Jenny, Kayleigh and Megan. In fact, Kayleigh was doing so well that these two players swapped sides at half time to try to open things up a little.

 

Playing in her first game, Kellie did exceptionally well alongside Holly. We needed two mobile midfielders to deal with Littlehampton’s pace and they provided this. With Celia tucking in behind them very little was getting through to our goal area.  Kirsty and Chloe were battling hard up front but were being crowded out a little by Littlehampton’s tall defence.

 

Having said all this, the play was not all ours and Jess was well positioned to make a couple of first-half chances look like easy saves when they were anything but easy. Her drop kicks were causing problems in the Littlehampton defence and it was from one of these that Holly went close to scoring when the ball was cleared badly.  H-T 0-0.

 

In the second half Littlehampton started well and kept us under a lot of pressure but, with Hannah and Jenny marshalling the defence well, Jess was rarely threatened in goal. Any shots getting through were straight at her. It was not so easy for us to clear our lines against the wind and we were conceding more corners than we would have liked. Again though, these were well dealt with.

 

About half way through the second half the ball was knocked through to Chloe. She was being marked by 3 Littlehampton defenders but was still able to get a good shot in and the keeper did well to save it. At the other end Jess was quite busy taking goal kicks but this week were more prepared for the strong wind than the last time we played in one and she was able to find her own players down the lines.

 

With just over 5 minutes left of the game Littlehampton got their goal when a speculative shot from outside the area bounced just in front of Jess and she was unable to get down to it in time. The ball went past her and into the net. We then had our best period of the second half  and pushed everyone up in search of the equaliser. This was not to be though, although Kirsty came very close when a corner came across to her and her shot missed the post by inches.

 

Player of the match this week was between Kayleigh and Holly.  I have gone for Holly as she didn’t stop running for the whole game and supported both the defence and forwards whenever necessary.

 

You would never have guessed that we were a player down for the whole game such was the determination of the whole team.

Under 13s v. Winkney   (Result 3-2 ) League - 31/10/04

 

This was a tough game against a physical Winkney side.  In the end it was our sheer determination to win that got us through.

 

Winkney started quite strongly but Jess made a couple of good saves to ensure we stayed level. We weren’t without our own chances though and on 5 minutes the ball broke to Kellie on the edge of the penalty area and she hit a superb shot into the top corner of the net.

 

After 16 minutes Kellie doubled the lead when she curled the ball in from about 25 yards out. This goal was even better than the first.

 

The Winkney number 9 was causing us a lot of problems in defence with her, sometimes over enthusiastic, tackling and it wasn’t long before they got a goal back.

 

The half-time score of 2-1 was soon altered when Winkney equalised in the second minute of the second half. We battled away well, though and on 16 minutes Kirsty controlled a ball that dropped down to her in the penalty area, turned and then shot low past the keeper for the winning goal.

 

There was a rather unsavoury incident towards the end of the game but I will not report on it as I don’t think what happened is worthy of reporting.

 

 

Under 13s v. Southwater  (Result 4-5) League - 24/10/04

 

We could really have done with all 12 players for this one.  Once again, though, we could only manage 10 and this probably told in the end.

 

Southwater are a very hard team for us to beat. We are probably the more organised but they work very hard and give no quarters.  If you get the ball you can be sure there will soon be someone there trying to get it back off you. You are never given time on the ball, you either just keep running at them or they will smother your game.

 

I know we were a player short but we still started very slowly. We really weren’t up for this one.  We found ourselves three goals down after about 20 minutes and the girls looked thoroughly dejected. We started to play some good football though and, with the last kick of the second half, Chloe got a goal back.

 

It was now up to Rob and myself to try to convince the girls that they could at least pull this back to level scores if they only believed I themselves a little more. Once again the talk was of how we need more players but we managed to send them back on to the pitch with their confidence high. We just told them to remember the good things they had done in the first half. Little did we know what was to follow.

 

Within 10 minutes of the second half starting we were not only level but had gone 4-3 up!! Chloe with two more and Jane had put us in a great position. One of Chloe’s goals was from a penalty after a Southwater player had handled in her own area.

 

Southwater then started putting us under even more pressure but we were not going to stop going forward and this may have been our downfall. On a rare venture into our half Southwater got a corner and, after we failed to clear the ball on at least three separate occasions, a Southwater forward poked the ball past Jess.

 

With about five minutes to go a Southwater defender cleared the ball up-field from her own area.  Two Southwater players were flagged for offside but the referee waved play on. One of these players then slotted the ball past Jess who was probably playing to the flag, not the whistle, as she saw the ball go past her. At 4-5 we had time to get back in the game but the nearest we got to the goal was when somebody (I know not who!) had a shot that clipped the post following one of Jane’s long throw ins.