Eagles u11 Yellows - 06/07 Season
Contact: Terry Morris - 07780-957916 - terrymorris@sky.com
LGCE Yellows Squad
Adam Morris, Alex Garbas, Caspar Courlander, Charlie Smith, Christopher Moore, Dan De-Nooijer, Danny McCarthy, Fenton Hancock, Jordan Leech-Levy, Kyle Males, Michael Bentley, Oliver Priest, Ryan Fells, Ryan Gillham, Sam Luck.
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Match Reports
Thaxted Rangers 1 – Letchworth Eagles Yellows 5 - 29th April.
THE YELLOWS ARE THE CHAMPIONS
This isn’t a day for praising individuals. This is a day for praising a team.
From the first day of the season to the last, the Yellows have played with desire, collective spirit, and no small amount of skill. They’ve scored 89 goals and conceded just 26. And they’ve won the league by a margin of 9 points. They’ve only been beaten once, on a horrible day with a squad of only ten fit players. And for the most part, they’ve played with a determination that belies their young age. And they’ve managed to play football with a smile on their faces. This is a bunch of lads who love kicking a round ball around a football pitch.
For this, their coach, Terry Morris deserves no end of praise. He’s managed to mould this team into a collective unit that loves to play for one another. And even though the boys, and sometimes us parents, have been bemused by the amount of cones on a training pitch at any one time, it appears to have paid off!!
For the last game of the season, the Yellows faced their nearest rivals in the division, Thaxted Rangers. However, with a first half display that bettered any other this season, they simply blew away the opposition.
The first thirty minutes showed us just how far they have come this season. They tackled, they passed, they moved into space, the played the ball wide, and they played the channels. Thaxted just couldn’t cope. Five goals of the highest quality from Fenton Hancock, Chris Moore, Caspar Courlander, Dan de Noijer, and Adam Morris. As the teams came off for half time, it seemed a rout was on the cards,
In the second half, however, Thaxted played with renewed spirit, for which they and their coach should be commended. And they scored within the first five minutes, reminding the Yellows that no game is ever won until the final whistle blows.
To be fair, the second half was a very entertaining football match, played in a great spirit, with both teams showing why they are by far the best two teams in the league. Thaxted’s number 2 is the best opposition defender I’ve seen this year. His anticipation and strength in the tackle was second to none.
No more goals were forthcoming in the second half as the Yellows slowly re-established control of the match, but there were several chances at either end.
The game over, the Yellows posed for several celebratory photographs, got their hands on a trophy, and gave Terry a good soaking.
So congratulations to Adam Alex Caspar Charlie Christopher Dan Danny Fenton Jordan Kyle Michael Oliver Ryan F Ryan G and Sam. Champions every one of you.
Yellows are the Champions! - 26 April
Last night, the Yellows only rivals for the Division 2 title, Thaxted, lost away to Bishops Stortford. With one remaining game, away to Thaxted on Sunday, they can not be caught at the top of the table. They are, therefore, the Division 2 Champions 2006-2007. Congratulations to the entire squad and coach Terry Morris on this fantastic achievement.
Letchworth GCE Yellow U11 v Royston Town Colts
The yellows moved 6 points clear at the top of the division and 1 point from clinching the league with a resounding win over a determined Colts side on a baking hot day at pixmore.
With the yellow’s scribe off to Old Trafford on Chelsea duty once again the pencil gets passed to me to report on a game that produced some terrific quality football.
Although the Yellows totally dominated the first half, Royston made it very difficult for us with a very deep and determined defence and we were restricted to a few wayward long shots as the Letchworth forwards were unable to get behind the defence. As a coach it is always a pleasure when things we work on in training come off in a match and that is precisely what happened on 12 mins when Jordan received a forward header from Adam after a sweet ball in by Ryan G. Jordan controlled the ball on the turn before lashing an unstoppable shot into the top corner. Further chances came and went with Chris, Alex and Adam all going close, but half time came with the score an uncomfortable 1-0.
The second half was better with the yellows passing much sharper and more accurate bring more width to the yellows attack and causing the Colts more problems. A succession of corners led to the 2nd with Danny McCarthy hitting the second from 8 yards on the turn. A delighted Dad on the side celebrated Danny’s first goal of the season. You’re only supposed to wave that flag for off-sides Paul!!!
Yellows continued to dominate and would have stretched the lead but for an outstanding save from the Royston keeper after Dan De-nooijer’s shot. Royston weren’t without possession but once again Michael, Ryan and Charlie were defending well and using the ball superbly. Goal number 3 came when Kyle slipped the ball wide to Fenton who cut in and beat the keeper at the far post. However the best of the lot came when Thierry Henry, cleverly disguised as 11 year old Jordan Leech-Levy, picked up the ball near the corner flag beat 3 players with terrific skill and smashed a thunderous shot into the roof of the net from the corner of the area. Goal number 30 for man of the match Jordan who has had an outstanding season and formed a formidable partnership with Caspar (who was missing this week under severe protest). When these two really hit it off they will be scary!!
There was just enough time for Royston to hit a late consolation when the excellent number 21 neatly lobbed Sam for a deserved goal. But this was another huge step for the yellows towards the title and sets up the possibility of a mouth watering last game, winner takes all match against title rivals Thaxted Rangers in two weeks time. It is what youth football is all about and we really look forward to the game.
Final Score 4-1
Letchworth Eagles Yellows 6 v HC Cougars 0
Sunday April 1st 2007.
April fools day passed without incident against a hard working Cougars side. Aided by the wind in the first half and hindered by it in the second, the Yellows put in a thoroughly professional performance. All over the pitch, they were battling to make sure that promotion to the First Division is now a near certainty. Only some cricket scores elsewhere can deny them their reward for a fantastic season.
Reduced by absent holidaymakers to a squad of twelve and with striker Jordan Leech Levy in goal for the first twenty-five minutes, the team had a slightly different look today. But the Yellows were ahead within five minutes. A lovely layback by Chris Moore found Adam Morris just outside the area. Shooting low and hard to the right of the keeper. 1-0 Letchworth. Another battling run by Chris Moore, this time on the right side, ended in a pass to Oliver Priest who deftly lobbed the keeper. 2-0 Letchworth and 11 minutes gone.
The Yellows didn’t have it all their own way. Several times, the Cougars put together some good passes and found their attackers goal bound. However, Ryan Gillham and Michael Bentley were superb all day, and with the help of Charlie Smith, Ryan Fells, and Danny McCarthy, they were denied plenty of shooting chances. This determination is an increasingly admirable part of the Yellows game.
In the 16th minute Adam Morris drifted in a lovely in swinging corner. You have to feel sorry for any defence in the high swirling wind we had today, but Adam wasn’t complaining as the ball found its way into the Cougars net. 3-0 Letchworth.
Caspar Courlander came close with two shots in the first half, as did Charlie Smith with one left footer, which narrowly missed the post. All right, I’m fibbing. Charlie saw glory and his shot was a little wide of the mark, but you can’t help admiring his tenacity. A couple of minutes later, a free kick by Adam Morris found Charlie lurking in the area. A neat strike and a deflection off a defender and it was 4-0 to the Yellows.
And back from illness, Kyle Males was back to his battling best. Tackling, harrying, and great passing are his forte. And today, his attitude was spot on. And in the second half, the Yellows found another terrier. When, he’s not scoring Caspar Courlander can let his head drop. But, like Kyle, his second half performance was as good as any this season.
With the wind behind them in the second half, the Cougars came out fighting. And for a few minutes it was backs against the wall. Danny McCarthy settled in quickest and with the help of the superb Dan de Noijer, the pressure was soon lifted. Several times, de Noijer battled his way past midfielders and broke up field. The killer pass may still be missing, but he is easily the most improved player over the past month.
And with Oliver Priest now in goal, Jordan Leech Levy was unleashed on the Cougars defence. A nice turn and pass by Adam Morris found Jordan lurking in his favourite part of the pitch and a swift shot secured the fifth goal for Letchworth.
Before the end, the Yellows played their third goalkeeper of the day. This time it was Dan de Noijer's turn. Up the other, the Yellows won a penalty. Up stepped Adam Morris, who smacked it under the upright for his hat trick. 6-0 Letchworth.
But the Cougars were not finished yet. One final move saw one of their players break free, only to be denied by a superb save by Dan de Noijer, who then walked off with the Man of the Match award just for good measure. It’s not often you see three different keepers keep clean sheets in one match, but the sight of outfield players filling in for the absent keeper, does nothing for a nervous spectator. Thankfully Sam Luck will be back from his holiday for the Yellows’ next match.
Bishops Stortford Athletic 1 v Letchworth Yellows 1
March 25th 2007.
The Yellows were denied three points by the best goalkeeping performance seen this season. The Bishops Stortford keeper made a number of first class saves in both halves, denying shots that would normally have the net bulging.
The first half belonged to the Yellows. The game was played almost entirely in the opponents half. Occasionally, Stortford would counter attack, and they did so with skill and speed. But Sam Luck was in good form today and with his defenders playing a high line, he was quick to any through ball that came his way, He also made one very fine save to deny Stortford a goal.
Highlights of the first half included a lovely Christopher Moore ball over the defence, met by a half volley from Jordan, and an amazing save over the bar by the keeper. Another Stortford save pushed a cracking left footer from Dan de Noijer just wide of the post. Meanwhile Adam Morris was playing his best game of the season. He marshalled the midfield with both skill and determination. Fenton Hancock was again showing us how his first touch has improved beyond recognition, and this is making him a potent threat down the right. Oliver Priest and Alex Garbas also showed some good touches today, and contributed well to the Yellows first half performance.
The second half was a completely different story with Bishops Stortford using the wind and extra bounce to great effect. Time after time they pushed into the danger areas in and around the penalty area, but Ryan Gillham was like a one-man army, chasing every ball and robustly repelling any Stortford attacker. His very able defensive partner, Michael Bentley also played superbly. Both of them tackle, and distribute with ever increasing aplomb.
However, with all the attacking from Bishops Stortford a goal did inevitably come. Fifteen minutes to play and one nil to Bishops Stortford. With the amount of pressure they applied in the second half, many lesser teams would have fallen apart. Not this team. Back they came, with the tireless Danny McCarthy rested and Christopher Moore pushed into the middle of the park. Gradually, he and Adam Morris started to regain the midfield. Both Jordan Leech Levy and Caspar Courlander came close to equalising before a break down the left and cross by Courlander finally got behind the Stortford defence. Waiting in the middle was a gleeful Fenton Hancock, who smacked it from close range past the Stortford keeper.
And in the final minute of the game Courlander sprinted into open space with just a defender and the keeper between him and the three points. He cut back past the defender and fired with his left foot – straight into the arms of, you’ve guessed it, the superb Bishops Stortford keeper.
A very entertaining game between two sides, both of whom would grace the first division Only an incredible tally of goals by Stevenage Town next week could deny the Yellows their place at the top table next term.
Man of the Match – for Letchworth, Ryan Gillham. For Bishops Stortford, their keeper.
Sunday March 18th Letchworth Yellows 2 v Bishops Stortford Blues 1
A victory for the Yellows brings them ever closer to promotion to Division 1. But this victory was far from convincing.
Bishops Stortford match was disrupted by only fielding ten players, not that you would have noticed. On the whole, the Yellows were disappointing. Mitigating circumstances could well have been the very strong wind, but Letchworth played without conviction and seemed to believe the game was won before the match started.
With that in mind, it was no surprise that their normal passion and hunger for victory was almost entirely missing.
The first half spluttered along in fits and starts. Letchworth dominated the play, but with little to show for it. Highlights were several examples of fine control by Fenton Hancock on the wing. Several times, he trapped a high ball, and ghosted past a defender in one move. On one such occasion, his touch put Oliver Priest through only to have a fine shot saved by a good Bishops Stortford keeper.
It was Oliver Priest who was named man of the match for his first half effort, making several fine linking moves with players around him. One such move led to a free kick just after the twenty-minute mark. Adam Morris stepped up and drifted the ball into the area, which Alex Garbas got on the end of and smashed into the net.
Within two minutes Bishops Stortford were level. Determination and desire combined to put it past an unfortunate Sam Luck in goal.
After some strong words at half time from coach Terry Morris, there was no doubting that the Yellows raised their game. In fact, they were camped in Bishops Stortfords half for all but two of the thirty minute second half. But getting the ball in the net was a real struggle. And as the clock wound down, so they started to show their anxiety, shooting from almost everywhere in an effort to find a winner.
Thankfully for the Yellows, it did come thanks to a fine solo effort from Jordan Leech Levy. But Bishops Stortford did not give up, as they made their only second half sortie into the Yellows half just after going down. However, Ryan Gillham and Michael Bentley combined to make sure the victory was safe.
Letchworth Yellows v Thaxted Rangers - March 11th
For a game that would have a strong bearing on the outcome of this year’s championship, it was no surprise that this was a fiercely competitive match. However, it’s also important to stress that this match was played and supported in a near perfect fashion.
It was a bright sunny day at Pixmore, and finally a surface on which football could be played. But with a strong wind blowing straight down the pitch, it was Thaxted who had the first half advantage and they used it to good effect. Time after time, they played the ball over the top of the Letchworth defence with their strong number 4 getting into good positions throughout the first half.
Despite this it was Letchworth who scored first. About eight minutes in, Alex Garbas took a ball on the bounce and smashed it past the Thaxted keeper.
However, almost immediately Thaxted bounced back. A lovely passing move led to the equaliser. Ten minutes gone and all to play for. However, Thaxted pushed on and scored again after a sweeping move out wide which got behind the Letchworth defence and ended up in the net after a sharp cross and finish.
Finally Letchworth woke up and started to pass the ball, with Christopher Moore and Fenton Hancock causing problems with their speed and sharp control. Adam Morris also pushed his team forward and in the 25th minute hit a near perfect twenty yard free kick that smacked against the cross bar.
Back came Thaxted, with Sam Luck making one first class save from a super Thaxted strike.
With the wind behind them, Letchworth went into the second half knowing they were in a great position to fight their way back into the match, but Thaxted scored shortly after the break to make it 1-3.
If there’s one thing that Letchworth possess in buckets, it’s team spirit. They just don’t know when they are beaten. Ryan Fells, Adam Morris, Fenton Hancock, and Kyle Males all played their part, pushing Thaxted deeper into their half and finally putting the Thaxted defence under pressure. Twenty minutes into the second half and another Adam Morris free kick caused mayhem amongst the Thaxted players. Caspar Courlander pounced onto the loose ball and slotted home with his left foot. 2-3 to Thaxted.
The ever-present Michael Bentley cleared another couple of attacks from Thaxted. Throwing caution to the wind Terry Morris took off a very tired Ryan Gillham and went three at the back and again Letchworth pushed on. In the dying seconds Charlie Smith found himself free just outside the Thaxted area. As the defence backed off, he looked up and put a peach of a shot into the Thaxted area and past the goalkeeper and into the net. 3-3 and three goals in three games for Smith.
A pulsating game of football between two very promising teams ended with the right result. Adam Morris was deservedly awarded Man of the Match for his tireless performance. He set a Captains example today, and was unlucky not to have had a goal for his efforts.
I, for one, am looking forward to the next time these two teams meet. If it’s half as good as this game, it should be a belter.
Horemead Hares 2 v Letchworth GC Yellows 4 - 4/3/2007
With Toby, our usual ‘scribe’ away in the hot sun of South Africa it was over to me to sort out this weeks match report, assisted by Debbie who collected the notes during the match. Thank you Debbie.
Having played Hares just 2 weeks before, we knew that they were a good side who possessed players with a lot of pace and defended well. Almost a full squad but with Ryan F replacing Ryan G at the back, due to a school trip.
The yellows started well with good control of the midfield and had a couple of very near misses early on with shots by Jordan, Chris and Kyle all just going the wrong side of the post. Horemead too went close on the break and Sam had to be sharp out of his goal to stop the speedy Hares striker. A yellows goal was on the cards though and a period of pressure ended with a lovely swinging corner from Adam that Alex just failed to meet with his head. The opener finally came on 16 mins when a cross from the right by Oli was met by Jordan who finished via a deflection off the defender.
Horemead hit straight back though when the yellows defence failed to deal with lovely swinging corner and the ball went in at the near post. In their best period of the game, Hares looked likely to take the lead and would have done but for an outstanding save from Sam who pushed a dipping shot over the bar. HT 1-1
At half time my instructions were to carry on as before with a little more width and a quicker ball forward, the pitch was very small and we would have to work hard to create space. We changed to 3 a t the back with Chris moving inside and the ever able Dan on the left. The pattern continued but the yellows were shocked when a long punt forward bounced over the defence and was poked past Sam by the striker who was quickest to react. Shaken by this the yellows knew they then had to work even harder if we were going to get back on top. Horemead switched to a far more defensive line up and the yellows took total control of midfield with Adam, Kyle and Chris passing the ball so well and creating chances.
What wasn’t coming though was a goal to show for the possession with Fenton, Kyle and Caspar twice going so close, the Hormead keeper was having a fine game. Two great efforts from Charlie, the first saved and the second a superbly chested control and volley against the bar from 20 yards and it looked like being one of those days. But one thing I have learnt about this team is they have an amazing desire to win and know nothing less than 100%, the team spirit is outstanding and not one player let his head drop and this was finally rewarded when with just 8 minutes to go Alex, back on for the tiring Dan produced some great play to win the ball on the left and when his cross was half cleared a delighted Charlie hammered it back in the bottom corner to cap a fine game from the ever improving ‘chunks’. 2-2. We then immediately forced a corner which was viciously whipped in by Kyle and sneaked across the line off the defenders knee. Hares amazing spirit was finally broken and there was no way back when in the final minute Caspar sealed the points when his looping shot from 30 odd yards deceived the keeper. In a strange way this was one of the yellow’s best performances this season. We passed the ball very well, retained possession well and all the technical stuff that we work on in training was there, it was just the goals that wasn’t and Hormead have to take credit for that. The result was a bit hard on the Hares team who played with great passion, defended superbly with the number 11 having a storming game. Time after time he saved them with his pace and desire not to be beaten. Special word also to the brave Hares keeper who made one save at the feet of Caspar which was top class. Also to the very hospitable Hormead managers who worked hard to produce a fine playing surface and very welcome bacon rolls after the game.
MOM – Fenton, played a nice aggressive game and gave the team width on the right.
Next up what could be a title decider at pixmore against Thaxted.
Letchworth Yellows 7 v Melbourn Tigers 0 - February 25th 2007
Plucky Melbourn Test Yellows.
Melbourn must be the most improved side the Yellows have played this season. Plucky doesn’t do them justice. They are better than that. They have organisation, shape, character, and skill. And even though the result was never in doubt, the Tigers deserve great credit for giving the Yellows such a good game.
The first half belonged to the Tigers goalkeeper. I counted seven separate saves he made that kept his team in the game. He was my Man of the Match by a country mile. But he couldn’t stop the goals forever. And after about ten minutes, Letchworth were awarded a penalty.
Michael Bentley was called up from defence and calmly slotted it into the net. Other first half Letchworth goals came from Fenton Hancock and Christopher Moore. But the Melbourn keeper stuck to his guns and continued to make saves, including stopping an absolute piledriver from Danny McCarthy from outside the area.
I’m not a big fan of swapping players around when a match is won, but Terry Morris had decided to do this before the game and give chances for players to experience different positions across the park. And as the teams returned for the second half, the Yellows line up was a very unusual. Charlie Smith was the first to benefit, slotting home a lovely goal from nice Dan de Noijer movement to make it 4-0. Number five came from a corner into the path of Kyle Males who smashed it goal bound. Six and seven came from a very unusual source. Sam Luck, the Yellows keeper, was by now playing up front and took two lovely goals, one from a lovely run and cross by Caspar Courlander.
Other players who deserve mention in the second half were sterling defence by Jordan Leech Levy, calmness in front of goal by keeper Adam Morris, and some lovely midfield work by Ryan Gillham showing us how wasted he is in defence!
Thanks should also be given to Melbourn for allowing their pitch to be used today. Pixmore was awash but the pitch at Melbourn was first class.
Letchworth Eagles Yellows 5 v Hormead Hares 2
A tenacious performance by visitors Hormead Hares deserved a better score than this. For much of the game, they played better than the Yellows, but eventually the superior strength and individual talents of the Letchworth boys saw them win through.
The pitch didn’t help either. It was sticky and bumpy, making playing good football quite hard. Letchworth will play better this season and win by less. So congratulations should be given to Hormead for putting up such stiff resistance. Hormead’s goalkeeper was my man of the match, pulling off a number of great saves, one in the first half was an absolute peach, tipping a Ryan Fells shot onto the crossbar and over.
Hormead were definitely out of the blocks quicker, and they dominated play for the first ten minutes or so. While Letchworth ambled, Hormead harried, ran and sprinted. And so it was Hormead who scored first. A lovely passing move cutting through the Letchworth defence to make it 1-0 to the visitors.
The next few minutes saw Letchworth slowly grind their way back into the game and it was Jordan Leech Levy who found the net first with a crisp strike to bring the yellows level. Christopher Moore was playing some great football out on the left and it was his combination passing with Jordan that brought another fine save from the Hormead goalkeeper.
Letchworth took the lead shortly after when Ryan fells had a good shot well saved by the Hormead keeper. However, he couldn’t hold on to it and Fells followed up to smash it into the net. Another good save stopped Leech Levy getting his second, but shortly after a lovely Kyle Males corner found its way into the net to make it 3-1 to Letchworth.
Half time gave coach Terry Morris the chance to inject some energy into his players – maybe they should eat those jaffa cakes before the match.
The second half followed the pattern of the first with Hormead matching Letchworth in most parts of the pitch. They made several lovely breaks in the second half, but were stopped from scoring either by brave Sam Luck saves or strong defensive work by Charlie Smith, Danny Mcarthy, Ryan Gillham and particularly Michael Bentley. Bentley and Smith’s distribution from defence was fantastic to watch in players so young.
And following the first half, Hormead scored first to make a game of it at 3-2. Letchworth pulled away again following a lovely swivel and left foot shot by Caspar Courlander, that brought yet another good save from Hormead’s goalkeeper. However Christopher Moore put it in the net from the rebound; a goal well deserved for his performance today. 4-2.
The second half performance by Adam Morris also deserves a mention. He was tireless around the pitch, and one Cruyff like turn in midfield shows us what he can do. It’s not always easy being the coach’s son, and he deserves praise for the way he plays the game and for his perseverance. Oliver Priest also had a good game. He’s starting to settle into his new team, and as his confidence grows, so does the quality of his play.
Ryan Fells almost got a second with a shot that narrowly missed the right hand corner, but it wasn’t long before Letchworth scored a fifth. Again Christopher Moore and Jordan Leech Levy combined well before Jordan scored to make it 5-2.
A rather strange match from a Letchworth point of view. But credit must be given to Hormead – they did not deserve to lose by three goals and their goalkeeper deserved better than five goals against. But the Yellows keep winning, and we all know what they say about teams that win even when they are not up to par.
Sunday February 4th -
Royston Crow Division 2
HC Cougars 0 v Letchworth Yellows 5
HC Cougars provided Letchworth with one of their toughest matches of the season. The Cougars are a tenacious team, full of running, good in the tackle. They battled away for 60 minutes, but couldn’t match Letchworth’s fire power or get past their in form goalkeeper, Sam Luck.
The game started slowly for Letchworth with Cougars enjoying some early possession. However, it wasn’t too long before Letchworth started to get into the game. An early corner by Kyle Males was met by a lovely header from Alex Garbas but was well saved by the Cougars keeper.
For much of the first half the two midfields just cancelled each other out. Both teams had chances, but Ryan Gillham was on top of his game as was Man of the Match Charlie Smith, who was solid throughout. It looked like the half was going to remain goalless until Jordan Leech Levy used his power and skill to brush aside the defenders and slot past the Cougars goal keeper to make it 1-0 to Letchworth.
The second half was a much more one sided affair, but credit should be given to the Cougars who continued to fight until the final whistle. The second came as a result of Letchworth pressing high up the pitch. A Leech Levy shot was deflected into the back of the net by an unfortunate Cougars defender. 2-0 Letchworth.
The third goal resulted from the type of fast passing football Letchworth are capable of playing and which teams find it hard to live with. A wonderful move involving Dan de Noijer Jordan Leech Levy and Fenton Hancock ended in a fine shot from Caspar Courlander to make it 3-0 to Letchworth.
Shortly after a fine Adam Morris free kick almost made contact with Leech Levy’s outstretched foot. The fourth goal resulted from a lovely run on the right flank by Leech Levy who crossed in to find Caspar Courlander to slot it left footed past the keeper.
It was at this point in the game that Sam Luck’s goalkeeping was allowed to shine. Having won the game, Letchworth switched off and the Cougars rallied. Luck made six superb saves in as many minutes to deny the Cougars a well-deserved goal. This was even more impressive as he’d had a relatively quiet game up to that point. But he kept his focus, and kept his clean sheet.
The final goal of the game came from the never say die attitude of Dan de Noijer. Throughout the game he’d supplied first time passes down the left flank for his attackers. With the match coming to a close, he decided to have a run himself. On the edge of the Cougars area, he lost the ball, then got it back, lost it, but got it back again and threaded a lovely pass through to Leech Levy for his hat trick.
Next week sees the return fixture at Pixmore. If this match was anything to go by, it should be worth watching. As I said at the beginning, both teams deserve credit for their part in a highly entertaining match.
Letchworth Yellows 6 v Baldock Town Templars 2 - 28 January 07
The last time these two teams met they produced an eleven goal thriller. This time it was a little different. Apart from a brief spell in the first half, Letchworth controlled the game. It wasn’t until the second half, however, that they really played the kind of fluid passing game that they are so adept at.
The pitch at Pixmore didn’t help either. The clay undersoil making the pitch sticky and the ball heavy.
It took Letchworth 15 minutes to get the first goal. A beautiful through pass by Man of the Match Kyle Males saw Jordan Leech-Levy through on goal with just the keeper to beat. Having been denied by a great save just minutes before, Jordan took a different tack as he rounded the keeper with aplomb before putting the ball in the back of the net.
Baldock’s goal came from a harsh refereeing decision. Sam Luck was penalised for handling outside his area, but to the majority of us watching, he had released the ball inside the area and kicked it outside. However the resulting goal was an absolute belter. Sam would have needed a ladder to get to it. Top right corner made it one apiece.
The second half was a completely different game. Letchworth started to pass the ball to feet and their movement and pace picked the opposition apart.
Kyle seemed to be everywhere. His tackling is an example to all, and his vision and reading of the game was first class. Assisted in the middle of the park by Adam Morris and out wide by Fenton Hancock and Chris Moore, it was the midfields play in the second half that really made the difference.
The next two goals came from two of the teams unsung heroes. Dan de Noijer got his second of the season with a lovely strike. Dan patiently waited for the ball to be played to him before striking a sweet shot past the Baldock keeper.
The third was from Oliver Priest, a newcomer to the team this year. He shows great spirit on the pitch and plenty of skill, so it was great to see him rewarded with a goal.
The fourth came from a break down the right from Caspar Courlander, who beat the last tackle and crossed it in for Chris to put away.
There were a couple of periods when Baldock showed themselves in the second half. One particularly fine tackle by Ryan Gillham summed up the defences determination to win the game. Even though Michael Bentley was suffering from a heavy cold, he was as assured as ever. And Charlie Smith and Danny McCarthy continued their good form of late.
During the second half Alex Garbas and Ryan Fells both made telling contributions to the match, slotting into the game with ease. Alex’s possession play was great to watch and Ryan continues to impress.
The fifth goal came after a couple of frustrating offside decisions, when Jordan finally sprung free of the offside rule and took it past the keeper for his second.
The final goal was probably the pick of the bunch. Caspar took the ball out wide on the left, skipped past a couple of players and smacked it over the keepers head.
Another good result for the Yellows in their pursuit of league leaders Stevenage Town.
Royston Celtic v Letchworth Eagles Yellows Under 11 Crow League Cup Sunday 21 January
Letchworth beaten by the Bizarre.
This was always going to be an interesting test for Letchworth Yellows.
Royston had already beaten the Letchworth Clarets earlier in the season, so a tough game was expected. But the Yellows showed how much they have improved. In the first half they were definitely the better side. Their passion was spot on, they got into the tackle, and they won most of the second ball challenges. And when Royston did get the ball into dangerous positions, the defence showed themselves to be more than capable. In particular, the central pairing of Michael Bentley and Ryan Gillham were superb.
Letchworth had a few chances to score in the first half. The best move of ther half was started by Kyle Males, who played a beautiful lobbed pass over the Royston defence to put Jordan Leech-Levy away. But the Royston defenders got back and snuffed out the danger.
The second clear chance should have come via the referees whistle. Caspar Courlander used his pace to get clear of his marker only to be floored by a tackle that was a stonewall penalty.
The third chance was kept out by the football Gods. Kyle Males struck a lovely shot from some distance, which bounced in front of the Royston keeper and over his head. Having cleared the keeper, the ball had to strike the back of the net. But somehow it also cleared the crossbar. How, I have no idea. But Kyle deserved the goal for his superb first half performance.
The second half bought a new challenge. Playing into a strong wind could have caused the yellows problems, but they dealt with it very well. As the second half progressed, it was clear that either team could win the game.
But the strangest goal I¹ve seen all season meant that it was Royston who went 1-0 up. I¹m still not really sure how it got in the back of the net. I was chatting to one of the Royston (he was either a parent or coach) and he couldn¹t believe it either.
But the Yellows didn¹t give up. Players such as Adam Morris, Fenton Hancock and Danny McCarthy all played their part in keeping the team pushing forward. Christopher Moore also gave us several glimpses of his ever-improving balance and footwork. It was a shame then that another bizarre Royston goal ended up in the Letchworth net. It must have gone through six sets of legs on its way into the net. If the Yellows suffer two stranger goals this season, I¹d be amazed.
The last chance of the game fell to Caspar Courlander. Again he broke free of his marker and just as he was about to fire one off with his left foot, he was robbed of the ball by a superb last-ditch tackle from a Royston defender.
In a sport so often dominated by the exploits of the goal scorers, this was a game where the defence really deserve all the plaudits. And that goes for both teams. Though if I was pushed to pick a Man of the Match, I¹d have to give it to Michael Bentley. He seems to have bedded in very well, and is now starting to show himself as a very good player. Well done to the whole team, but its back to the real business of the League next week. But the Yellows have had a little taste of what could lie ahead. And they can and will play better than this. Encouraging signs indeed.
Under 11 Yellows, quick off the grid for Christmas
High flying under 11 yellows celebrated Christmas with an adrenalin fuelled evening of racing at Superkarts in Letchworth.
The evening came as a reward for a great first half of the season in which the boys have amassed 73 goals in 11 games losing only 1 division 2 league game in their first season of 11 a side football.
The star of the evening was speedy winger Fenton, who circuited an impressive 44 times around the indoor track in his half hour drive, taking the corners as sweetly as he does on Sunday’s. The friendly team event was won by Michael, Dan and ‘guest’ Luke.
Merry Xmas boys and good luck for 2007.
December 17, 2006
Letchworth Yellows 3 v Bishops Stortford FC 2
Football can be a cruel game. You turn up with only ten men, you outplay the opposition for most of the match, and you come away as losers. The Yellows experienced this a while ago against Stevenage and now Bishops Stortford know the feeling too.
I doubt there is a worse thirty minute period the Yellows have played all season. I imagine Terry will be praying he never has to endure anything like this ever again. Thankfully for ten minutes in the second half, the team decided enough was enough, scored three goals, and won the game.
These are my notes from the first half. Good passing by Bishops Stortford. Outplayed for twenty minutes. Good save by Sam. Goal - Bishops Stortford. 21 mins. Michael great in defence, why can’t the others pass the ball? Thank God for Ryan G. Kyle great run. Jordan battling. Adam heads it off the line and onto the underside of the bar, Yellows clear.
Despite a half time pep talk that included the promise that Terry would kiss a Man United badge if the Yellows won the match, they continued to be second best for the first ten minutes of the second half. But then a strange thing happened. The team woke up from their pre Xmas slumber.
Adam broke down the right following some neat interplay between Caspar and Jordan. Having decided he’d had enough of losing, Adam smacked the ball into the net. 1-1.
Then we moved to the left. A lovely backward header by Dan sent Caspar free on the left. He ran on and hit a trademark shot past the goalkeeper to make it 2-1 to the Yellows.
Next Letchworth went right. This time it was a Fenton superstrike from the right hand edge of the area that did the business.
For the rest of the game, the yellows decided to go back to sleep. Bishops Stortford scored, but didn’t have the legs to get an equaliser. And that’s how it is with only ten players. But a couple of their players deserve a mention. The number 18 takes some of the best corners I’ve seen all season. The number 16 refused to be beaten, and showed the Yellows how to tackle a player in possession. One superb tackle on Caspar denied him a second goal. Man and ball. A pleasure to see.
Now the good bits. The season so far has seen the Yellows score 73 times in 11 games played. They haven’t lost a league game when they've had 11 players on the pitch. They’ve a team spriit second to none. And the addition of Oliver and Michael has strengthened the overall quality of the squad available. And it’s Christmas. So, to Adam Alex Caspar Charlie Christopher Dan Danny Fenton Jordan Kyle Ryan F Ryan G Sam Oliver and Michael, I hope Christmas brings you all you want and 2007 turns out to be a fantastic year on and off the pitch.
And one more thing. Terry did kiss that Man United badge. I thought he’d sold his soul. But I was wrong because a few hours later United lost to West Ham. Miracles, don’t ya just love em.
Merry Xmas.
December 10 th . Match 6.
Letchworth Yellows 3 v Stevenage Town Youth 1
At 1-1, a third of the way through this match, I was thinking of just putting the scoreline on this report and leaving it at that. There seemed to be a lack of composure about the Yellows. A lack of intensity. A lack of quality on the ball. But the beauty of football is it can change in a heartbeat.
So lets go back to the start of the game. In the first half, the Yellows had to play with a strong wind right in their faces. Stevenage are a well organised, well coached team, so it was going to be a tough 30 minutes. With such an important fixture it was fitting we had one of Hertfordshire’s finest referees for the match. And I don’t mean Graham Poll. The highly respected Warren Shimell was excellent throughout!
However, it was Letchworth who were out of the blocks fastest. Early pressure paid off with a break down the right by Caspar who crossed it to Jordan. He passed it left to an unmarked Dan , who calmly stroked it into the back of the net for his first goal of the season. Now Letchworth were put on the back foot as the wind really stared to bite. Time after time Stevenage used it to their advantage, playing the ball over the back of the Yellows defenders, eventually leading to an equaliser . 1-1.
If it hadn’t been for some smart defending by Ryan G and Michael in central defence, aided by some fine goalkeeping by Sam, the Yellows could have been two or three down by half time.
Restarting with the wind behind them meant it was the Yellows turn to attack. And as the half progressed , the Yellows started to pass and move a little better. I think it was kick started by Alex out on the right. His control of the ball and passing was top drawer . And all of a sudden the rest of the team followed his lead. Kyle and Adam took charge of the midfield. The impressive debutant, Oliver Priest, linked well with his strikers out on the left, as did Fenton when he was on the pitch.
As the pressure grew, so a goal seemed inevitable. And so it proved. Midway through the second half , the ball was played through the middle of the Stevenage defence and Jordan rushed onto it, controlled it with one touch, and smacked it into the back of the Stevenage net. 2-1 to the Yellows. A couple of minutes later it was Caspar’s turn as he teed the ball up just outside the area and smashed it over the goalie and into the back of the net. 3-1 to the Yellows.
Game over. Almost. Stevenage gave a great account of themselves for the remaining few minutes of the match. They pushed and pushed and even put the goalie up front for the last couple of minutes. But with Charlie, Ryan F, and Danny all contributing well, they managed to keep Stevenage at bay until the final whistle blew.
I think the wind restricted the ability of both teams to play the football we know they can. But I don’t suppose the Yellows will mind. They’ve taken three points off the League leaders and shown they can win even when they don’t play well. Im afraid I don’t know his name, but the Stevenage defender with a woolen cap (number six I think) deserves a special mention. He was fantastic in the first half, sweeping up all over the pitch, and playing the ball forward with real composure.
Royston Town Colts V Letchworth Eagles Yellows
Under 11 Royston Crow League Division 2
Royston 1 Letchworth 7
Sunday November 26th.
A cold wind greeted both sides for this eagerly awaited clash against one of the divisions’ better teams. And straight from the kick off the Yellows realised they would have to be on form to win the three points. Early on they dominated the match, but the sticky pitch took some time getting used to and Royston soon showed that they are a clever, intelligent passing team.
Twice in the early stages they came close to scoring. Neat interplay catching Yellows off guard. But time and again Sam showed us what a good goalkeeper he is, staving off the early pressure with some smart saves.
The game swung Letchworth’s way around twelve minutes in with a lovely solo effort from Christopher, turning one way then another before scoring with a crisp strike.
Soon after that Kyle took a corner which Jordan met with a thunderous half volley, only to see the ball strike the crossbar and bounce the wrong side of the goal line. Soon after, he showed a good turn of speed to take a ball passed from midfield and shoot past the keeper to make it 2-0 to Letchworth.
The back line, including Michael Bentley making his debut for the Yellows, were superb throughout. Terry kept Michael and Ryan Gillham in the centre for the whole match, but switched the other defenders about with Charlie, Danny, and Ryan Fells all putting in great performances. As a total unit, they were outstanding today. Danny had his best match of the season, as did Ryan Gillham. And it was Ryan who made the third goal, putting a peach of a pass through to Caspar who took the ball out wide before shooting back across the keeper and into the net.
The start of the second half was all about soaking up pressure as Royston put in a determined period of attacking football. It would be unfair to say this was just because the Yellows had taken their foot off the gas, but if it hadn’t been for a superb save by Sam, Royston could have scored and the match may have been tougher than it ended up being.
However, Kyle and Adam slowly reasserted themselves in midfield and Alex and Chris combined with some lovely work down the right flank. Unfortunately, Chris just couldn’t keep his shot down as the ball flew over the bar.
The match was over as a competition when Caspar made a great break down the left flank and crossed it in. The goalie pushed it away, but Adam was first to the rebound and smashed the ball into the back of the net. 4-0 to Letchworth.
Dan also found himself in space on a couple of occasions, but didn’t quite manage to take full advantage. However, his contribution can not be faulted as he continued to impress as he has all year with a solid work rate and great attitude.
As the second half progressed, we saw some fantastic football, especially from Fenton down the right hand side. He really deserved a goal today. He had the Royston defenders in his back pocket as he played players into scoring positions with fine crosses. Alex scored another lovely goal as a reward for his hard work to make it 5-0.
Then Royston got a deserved goal but it was a case of too little too late. This was emphasised by a superb goal from the re start with Fenton bamboozling the defence with another fine run, including the dummy of the season, before crossing in for Jordan to stroke it home. 6-1 to Letchworth.
The final goal of the game was another beauty as Caspar took another pass from Ryan Gillham down the left hand side. He took the ball and belted it with his left foot from some way out. The goalkeeper got a hand to it, but it had too much power and it was in the back of the net for 7-1.
Man of the Match: - the whole team.
Melbourne Dynamos 1 – v Letchworth Yellows 17 -
Sunday November 4th
A return to form for the Eagles against an unfortunate Melbourne team. The first thing the players noticed was that the grass had finally been cut to a length suitable for football, allowing the Eagles excellent passing game to flourish.
This was a completely different performance to the one against Stevenage two weeks ago. There are a couple of players we’ve been waiting to emerge from their summer shells and today was the day they did. I’m not saying Chris and Fenton have been playing badly (far from it), but today they showed their true potential. Several times Chris and Fenton linked with a striker or midfielder, creating the kind of triangular movement that’s so hard to defend against.
Another encouraging aspect was the team’s movement on and off the ball. And their communication was way in advance of anything seen this season. They gave us a glimpse of how good they could become. And even though, they are a stronger team than Melbourne, take nothing away from the Yellows. Melbourn never gave up, never stopped tacking. If spirit and attitude were the measure rather than goals, then Melbourn would be near the top of the league.
Down to the goals.
The first part of the match belonged to Chris and Fenton. The first two goals resulting between fine interplay between the two of them. Twice Chris was the beneficiary, taking both goals with aplomb. The third came from a superb lob over the defence by Adam which put Jordan through on goal. 3-0. Melbourne’s only goal coming from an equally audacious lob which Sam tried to reach, but it cleared his valiant attempt to save it, nestling in the top corner. Fenton again played in Chris down the right for his hat trick. Caspar’s neat pass gave Jordan his second. A solo effort and vicious shot saw Caspar score his first. The best of the first half was created by lovely interplay between Kyle and Chris, releasing Fenton for his first of the day. Chris added a fourth minutes later. Just before half time Kyle caught a lovely shot outside the area, swerving past the poor Melbourne keeper for number nine.
Credit should be given to the Yellows in the second half. They continued to show respect to their opposition and continued to rely on passing and movement to score goals. Jordan got his hat trick soon after and Kyle put Caspar through for number eleven soon after that. Adam needs to remember not to play cross bar challenge during a match. He was desperately unlucky not to score when a superb shot smacked the crossbar (his fourth of the weekend!!).
The best team goal of the second half came from a beautiful move involving five players, culminating in superb passing from Kyle to Chris to Jordan across the face of goal for Caspar to score. Kyle’s shot on goal took a cruel deflection from a Melbourne defender for goal number thirteen. The fourteenth came when a shot by Adam rebounded off the keeper into the ever alert Fenton who sent it goal bound. Caspar released Kyle for number fifteen. Jordan got back in on the act after a super run from Kyle. And Adam finished off the game with a sweet shot for number seventeen.
It’s easy to concentrate on the goals, but let’s not forget Danny, Charlie, Sam, Ryan G, Ryan F and Dan who all played their parts in this superb victory. They never switched off from their defensive duties and quite often goals came from passing at the back through to the midfield. If I had to name a MOM it would be Chris and Fenton together. Just superb.
Stevenage Town Youth 3 Letchworth Yellows 1 - October 22nd
Disappointing is the only word for it. This was a game the Yellows could have won. They had the lions share of the possession, created chance after chance, but the one thing they didn’t do was put the ball in the back of the net.
Terry only had ten players to select from, but to be honest you never would have noticed from the way the game was played. They were always in the hunt, but a goal in the first half against the run of play took them back a peg or two, and it took the Yellows a while to recover.
The need for a squad was clear for all to see. With players getting knocks, and others finding conditions hard, no one was able to take a break, regroup, or get some time and encouragement from Terry. And the weather was appalling too.
But enough of the excuses. Stevenage are a very well organised team. They play the game fair, and they try and pass it. They have one of the best organised defences I’ve seen. The Yellows aren’t short of skilled players. They’re clearly being coached in the right way, and the atmosphere between the teams reflected this.
But on another day, the result could easily be different. Luckily, the boys have time to recover from this and regroup. But their attitude going into a game one player down was excellent. And I still believe good things will come for this team, and at the end of the season they will be competing right at the top of this league.
V Melbourn away Herts County Cup - October 15th
Cup matches can be cruel.
Firstly, the Yellows look to have been undone by an early kick off, because by the time they woke up they were 2-0 down.
Maybe they were a little overawed by the sheer difference in size of the two teams. Maybe it was the length of the grass on the pitch. I’d put it down as heavy, a racehorse might have found the going tough. The Yellows found it distinctly difficult. But it’s a lovely even surface, and both teams had to deal with it, and Melbourn – size counts on a pitch like this – dealt with it better.
But on to the positives, and there were plenty. Three fabulous goals past the Melbourn keeper. The first of them came from the tireless Jordan who ran through to lob it into the net. The second, a lovely strike from Adam, after some neat interplay around the box. The third, another charge through the middle and lashed into the net by Jordan.
Other moments of near glory were aplenty. Caspar flat footing the Melbourn keeper in the first half with a lovely lob which just went over the bar. Kyle, like a young Roy Keane one minute with a biting tackle, and transforming into Giggs the next with a weaving run through the midfield. Sam, unfazed by the site of two hospitalised Chelsea goalies the night before, brave as ever in goal.
Ryan Gillham showing how to tackle players twice his size. Charlie controlling the ball and releasing Chris up the left. Chris continuing his great vein of form confusing opposition players with every turn. Ryan Fells solid as ever in the middle. Dannys ‘Maldini style’ tackle jink and run in the second half. Dan’s great distribution in his advanced midfield position in the second half. Fenton’s tireless running throughout And Alex’s lovely touch on the ball and movement off. One of his shots so nearly bought a goal.
So there it is . the cup gone for another year. But every team has days like today. I don’t know how many of the team read Rudyard Kipling – he of the Jungle Book - but here is an abridged version of If whatis a very appropriate poem at moments like these:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you
If all men count with you, but none too much
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run
Then Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it
And--what is more--you'll be a Man, my son!
v Baldock Town - Sunday October 8th
We knew it was coming, we had no idea how exciting it would be when it did. Finally, a league match with a bit of a bite to it. It was a bit like an old style FA Cup tie, and both teams deserve credit for serving up a highly entertaining game. Baldock are a good passing team who know how to use the space of the pitch to good effect, and with Ryan Fells missing the defence struggled to hold their own. And with the Yellows lining up with a 3-5-2 formation, there was a good chance a high scoring game was on the cards. Although Charlie, Danny and Ryan never gave up the chase, I imagine they’ll be happy to see Terry revert to 4-4-2 next week.
It all started so well with the early pressure all being from the Yellows. But we soon got to see Baldock’s fine passing game in action. Counter attacking at speed, they pushed the ball out wide whenever they got the chance and had it not been for Sam being on his game early on, they may have taken the lead with their first attack.
Thankfully, Jordan was on his game too, and a superb solo effort gave Letchworth the lead within the first ten minutes. He turned sharply as he put the ball over his head, and ran on to the ball through the bewildered defence and past the goalkeeper.
Within a couple of minutes Baldock were back on level terms. Another break down the right flank and some clever passing saw the goal open up. As the ball went towards an open net, Danny’s hand had one of those horrible involuntary moments as he deflected the ball wide of the post. Rightly, there was a penalty awarded, but the drama wasn’t over yet. The penalty went to Sam’s left and somehow he managed to save it. Unfortunately his team mates stood admiringly watch his save, and then stood in horror as three Baldock players rushed at the rebound and scored. (Rightly, the referee saw the handball as being a mistake rather than something with malicious intent. Next time, Danny will have to keep his hands down.)
A couple of minutes later, Baldock were in the lead for the first time. The rollercoaster had begun. Back came Letchworth. With Kyle and Adam increasingly influential in midfield, there was always a chance we would level it. Kyle found Fenton who passed it down the line to Caspar, into Jordan 2-2. Simple, good football. Back came Baldock to take it to 3-2. Both sets of parents started to realise how much pain was to follow.
Not to be outdone, the Yellows thought they’d have a crack, and a cracking goal followed. Alex found himself in a small amount of space in the penalty area and a thunderous shot saw the ball fly past the hapless Baldock keeper. I’m pretty sure it was a left footer too!
Half time - nothing much happened.
The yellows started the second half as they did the first, with a pass through to Jordan just over length denying Letchworth the lead. Soon after some scrappy play by the Yellows led to another Baldock goal.
4-3 to Baldock. The Yellows heads dropped a little and Baldock attacked again. Another fine passing move saw Sam exposed once more. But with a fantastic double save he kept his team in the match. And just to show they can pass the ball a bit themselves, Chris went on one of his trademark runs (a little bit Giggs, a little bit Joe Cole) and found Jordan with a lovely weighted pass. Jordan passed it on to his strike partner and Caspar put it in the back of the net. 4-4.
5-4 to Baldock!!!
Caspar had been denied once by the post, and one shot just wide when put through on goal by Adam and Kyle. But he wasn’t to be denied a third time. One on one with the goalie. 5-5.
Dan played a great role today. With only one substitute he had to play in several positions, and showed us why he is such an improved player. He kept his head when there were plenty losing theirs on and off the pitch and with Caspar off for a rest he linked up really well with the midfield and attack. On several occasions, he was involved in some great moves as Letchworth pushed for a winner. And the pressure eventually took its toll with the Yellows being awarded a penalty about six minutes from time. Kyle stepped up and confidently stroked it into the right hand corner. 6-5. Match over. No not quite. Even though they’d seen their lead dissapear for the first time since early in the game, and despite the Yellows attempts to keep the ball in the oppositions half, Baldock went on the attack twice more. This time they were successfully repelled by our tireless three man defence, with a little help from the rest of the team.
Finally, the whistle blew and the match came to an end. Not a moment too soon. And if you want to see what being part of a three man defence does to a ten year old, here’s my picture of the day, as Ryan Fells has a well earned rest at the end of the match!!!!
MOM - Sam, outstanding saves.
Potton Colts 0 v Yellows 12 - 1 October
Another high scoring game for the Yellows, with some stunning goals from an increasingly confident team. There will be sterner tests to come, but praise where praise is due. You’ve got to put the ball in the back of the net. And there was no shortage of volunteers with goals coming from seven different players.
The first goal came within the first half minute. A quick passing move up to Chris on the left, who passed two defenders and his shot come cross was touched beneath the keeper by Adam and rolled slowly into the net.
Then we had to sit back and watch a Jordan super show. Goals two, three and four were all his, the last being the best as Caspar put in a lovely cross with his left foot, met by a fine volley from Jordan.
Shortly after Fenton scored after some neat movement and passing from Kyle and Adam. Soon after that it was six as Chris went on a mazy run down the left, threaded it through to Caspar, who fired a shot past the goalkeeper.
The seventh was a result of several attempts on goal, with the Potton defence working hard to keep the ball out of the net. Finally, Alex found himself with a little space and the ball was in the back of the net in a flash.
The rain returned in the second half and so did the goals. Kyle smashed in a splendid left foot volley for number eight. Dan, Kyle, and Caspar all narrowly missed before a Kyle free kick was unfortunately headed into the net by a Potton defender.
Potton’s number five deserves a mention for consistently heading balls away from goal. Poor lad even took a couple in the face. But he never shied away from the ball and even managed to smile through the pain! The same can be said for Sam, who took another knock on the edge of his penalty area. But as always he was quickly up on his feet. His distribution from his kicks is also improving by the game.
Number ten came from another great run from Kyle, as he weaved through the packed midfield to unleash Caspar who ran it wide and slotted it back past the keeper. Caspar then had a hand in number eleven as he passed from out wide for Chris to score.
The final goal came from a corner which was converted by Adam, capping off a fine performance from the Yellows. It’s difficult to mention defenders in such a one sided game, but both Ryan’s and Danny made several fine covering tackles and distributed the ball well. And Charlie again showed some deft touches on the left side, showing great promise for the future.
V Melbourn Tigers League Cup (home) 24/9/06
It's not often a team wins 13-0 without playing really brilliantly, but this was one of those days. Letchworth were just too strong for Melbourn. And without some great saves from the Melbourn keeper, the score could have been even bigger.
Five Letchworth goals resulted from good movement and quick, precise passing. The best of then being the second. Chris Moore made a lovely run down the line, passed into Jordan Leech-Levy’s feet who found Adam Morris racing into the box to smash the ball into the back of the net.
Leech-Levy scored four in all, the last being the best as he wisely ignored some goal hungry team mates to score a fine individual effort.
And even though the game was over as a competition early on, praise must be given to Melbourn. They never let their heads drop, and even in the second half, they continued to make great efforts to get something from the match.
But with the Yellows strength in midfield and determined defence, this was never going to happen. On another day, against another team, Melbourn will score plenty.
Goals : Jordan, Adam ,Caspar, Adam, Alex, Kyle, Jordan, Caspar, Fenton, Jordan, Jordan, Kyle and Chris
September 17th v Garston Boys away
Herts County Cup
This was a classic cup tie, a match so packed with controversial moments that it could fill pages. But I’ll spare you the gory details and stick to the positives.
First. Fenton breaks down the right flank, a quick cut back, and then a super strike past the Garston keeper. Second. Kyle cuts in from the left, breaks past a couple of defenders and in the blink of an eye its 2-0 to the Eagles. Third. Ryan Fells steps up on the halfway line and in Beckham like fashion blasts the ball into the back of the net. 3-0.
At this point, it would have been easy to imagine it was all over. But it couldn’t have been further from the truth. And it’ll be a good lesson for the boys to learn. They took their foot off the pedal, stopped their pressing, and allowed Garston back into the match.
And it was an invitation they took, scoring twice before the Yellows awoke from their three goal slumber. Luckily for the Yellows, Sam made yet another series of brave saves which kept the Garston attackers at bay.
Unfortunately, the excitement generated by the spirited Garston fight back got the better of several players and it was fortunate no one was injured. It got so out of hand that at one stage the referee had to call both coaches onto the pitch to calm their players down.
Finally, the Yellows decided to start playing again, and show their collective will to win. And it paid dividends with a goal when Caspar broke past the defence to slot it into the net. 4-2. The end - surely.
Not quite. Garston came back again, although its unusual to see play allowed to continue while the goalkeeper is incapacitated by a blow to the head. But rightly Garston played to the whistle, and the next time it blew it was 4-3!!
Back the Yellows came. Attacking proving to be their best form of defence. And it won them a penalty. Jordan bravely stepped up to take it. The goalie didn’t stand a chance. But the post had other ideas and it grazed the left upright.
I’m not sure there’s an injury time board made with enough digits for the amount of extra time that was played before the game was finally called to a halt. But this is an indication of the kind of cup tie it was. Full on, action packed, excitement from start to finish. Each one of the Yellows deserves a mention for their brave performance against a team that had some very skilled individuals and a strong team spirit. So well done to Sam, Danny, Ryan G, Ryan F, Charlie, Chris, Adam, Kyle, Fenton, Jordan, Caspar, Dan, and Alex.
And one special mention for the Garston keeper. I’ve never heard a voice so loud or so passionate in the pursuit of victory. He played a fine match, and had he not made the saves he did then the Eagles superiority would have been secured long before the final whistle.
Sept 10th 2006 Away to Bishops Stortford Blues
First match of a new season can always be a tricky affair. You never know how it’ll turn out. Add to that bigger pitches, bigger goals, and the offside rule and there’s a disaster waiting to happen. But for the yellows, in their opening fixture away to Bishops Stortford Blues, it turned out pretty well.
On a glorious day for football, both teams played their part in a very entertaining match, with the Yellows eventually coming out on top by 4-0.
The opening goal set the tone for the game. Quick fluid passing saw the ball move from the halfway line to the back of the net via the left flank in a matter of seconds. Adam, Kyle and Chris were all involved before Caspar slotted it home from close range (apologies if I forgot someone, but it really was that quick).
Bishops Stortford were not beaten yet though, and several times their forwards broke quickly from midfield only to be held up by the yellows back four, with both Ryans in the centre successfully marshalling each attack.
Bishops Stortford clever passing saw them get beyond the defence on a couple of occasions, only to be rebuffed by Sam in goal. Playing his first competitive match for the Yellows with such authority, it’s obvious he will be integral to any success the team might enjoy this year . He wasn’t short of bravery either, diving at the feet of oncoming attackers when called upon to do so.
As the half progressed, the Yellows’ tireless pressing of the opposition started to reap dividends and their possession percentages started to rise. Defenders pushed forward, midfielders took advantage of the space that created, and the strikers started to see chances come their way. The second goal came as a result of another quick passing move with Caspar finding himself one on one with the goalkeeper. A quick strike and the ball was over the goalie and in the back of the net.
Another quick bit of passing and movement saw Alex find himself in space on the right hand edge of the area. He pulled the trigger and in a flash, the ball had hit the bar and bounced downwards. A Russian linesman would have given it, but to be fair, it probably didn’t clear the line.
In the second half, much of the Yellows attacking switched to the left hand channels. Chris, Kyle and Jordan all made breaks down this flank. On another day, Jordan would have bagged at least a brace. Three of his shots on goal missed the right hand post by mere centimetres.
The players were rotated throughout by Terry, but this never seemed to affect the teams shape and composure. Fenton and Dan both made telling contributions in both halves. And despite the heat, the team never seemed to tire.
The third goal saw the end of the game as a competition. The ball seemed to fly a round the area in several directions before finally landing on Adam’s head and into the back of the net. Understandably Bishops Stortford heads dropped a little as the Yellows tried to get a fourth, but they still managed a few sorties into the Yellows half, only to be repelled by both Ryan’s, Charlie, and Danny. Their ability not only to tackle, but to hold up the player in possession, played a major part in the eventual clean sheet enjoyed by the Yellows defence.
About eight minutes before the end, Caspar secured his hat trick with a lovely shot from outside the area which found the top left corner of the net. This made the score 4-0, a very good opening to the season.
Possibly the best goal the Yellows didn’t score came from a corner out on the right which Kyle met with the sweetest of right footed volleys which just lifted over the bar. On another day, it would have had the net bulging.
So a very promising start to the season, and with the team facing another unknown in the Herts FA County Cup next week, it should be a season of great adventure for the boys.
We shouldn’t forget the part played by our hosts at Bishops Stortford. Not only was the match played in a great spirit on the pitch but off it with both coaches and parents allowing the teams to enjoy their game in the right atmosphere with good refereeing and a lovely playing surface.