Eagles u14 Yellows - 09/10 Season
Contact: Terry Morris - 07545 191207 - terrymorris@sky.com
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Match Reports
Roebuck Wanderers 1 – Letchworth GCE Yellow 5 - 7/2/2010
A superb second half performance by yellows swept aside a highly committed Roebuck team who in the first half had more than matched the yellows all over the pitch.
Only a couple of sharp saves by Charlie prevented the home team from taking the lead before a fine solo goal by Fenton opened the scoring. However, for the second week running yellows were not quite on their game with many passes going astray and it was no surprise when Roebuck deservingly equalised due to a quickly taken free kick that split the defence and was very well finished. HT 1-1
The second half was a different story and was completely dominated by the yellows with quick accurate passes and some fine finishing. This was based from a solid defence of Ryan, Adam, Chunks, Blake and Luis who not only won possession well but time after time fed the midfield of Luke, Jordan, Fenton and CJ with simple ball and when the ball was played forward Chris, Lucas and Steve held the ball sensibly creating chance after chance as some of the Roebuck team seem to lose their self discipline as well as their shape and energy.
Two goals from Chris and another two from Lucas, who brought his seasons total to 21, sealed the win and in the end the score could and should have been much higher. The win was secured with a brilliant goal by Lucas who latched on to a fine through ball, held off a defender with his strength before finishing with a beautiful lob that left the keeper stranded.
All in all a satisfactory performance against a team that should be far better than their league position suggests. They certainly have some very good players. But a long unbeaten run continues for the yellows who continue to improve despite injuries to key players.
MOM - Christopher – Rejuvenated in his role in front of midfield. Held the ball superbly and fed it sensibly as well as bagging a brace.Match 17, Royston Crow Under 14 Division One Yellows 4 v Melbourne 2
A rusty looking Yellows stumbled to victory over a very determined Melbourne on the only pitch in Letchworth fit for football.
It’s understandable that the fragmented nature of the season so far is causing the players some issues with sharpness, and hopefully the weather will now ease enough for the Yellows to get some regular football. This might have been the reason it took The Yellows so long to get going in the first half as nothing of much note happened for fifteen minutes or so.
We saw a few good passes, the odd good tackle, but absolutely no continuity of movement or play. And then, out of the blue, The Yellows arose from their slumber and started to play some football. A couple of minutes later, Chris hit a lovely shot goal wards, assisted past the keeper by a little deflection off a Melbourne defender.
I’d like to say that was the stimulus for a Yellows onslaught, but nothing could be further from the truth.
In fact, The Yellows didn’t really start playing again until fifteen minutes into the second half, by which time their opponents had given themselves the lead with two finely taken goals. Right across the pitch, The Yellows just gave their opponents free reign, and it was a disturbing sight with the obvious outcome.
Thankfully, the thought of throwing away three points finally forced The Yellows out of their dream like state. All of a sudden players were driving forward, finding players with passes, and putting the opposition defenders onto the back foot.
A perfect cross by Charlie J forced a Melbourne defender to put the ball into his own net and a good finish by Lucas put The Yellows back in front. Out on the right, Fenton’s determined runs started to have an effect on an increasingly nervous looking Melbourne defence. A number of times he beat players and put in great crosses, for his team mates to attack.
Jordan was then brought back into the fray half way through the second half and quickly had an impact. First, he went just wide with a beautiful shot from outside the area, but a couple of minutes later he found his range with an absolute belter, again from outside the area. At 4-2, the game was now beyond our opponents and the game drifted towards its inevitable conclusion.
Man of the Match - Fenton . His driving runs were the inspiration the team needed.
Match 16 Royston Crow Under 14 Division 1 LGCE Yellows 6 – Stevenage Blues 0
A beautiful lob from just outside the area by Caspar set the tone for this fine victory over the Stevenage Blues by six goals without reply.
It was his second of the game, and served as a call to arms to his team mates who were struggling against obstinate oppostion on a pitch more suited to show jumping than football. Caspar’s goal showed that the ground isn’t always the best place for the ball to be, especially against a really fine shot stopper in the opposition goal. Caspars vision widened The Yellows horizons, and subsequently their goal tally.
Another perfectly placed lob gave Steven his first of the game to make it three goals to the good after twenty five minutes, and a beutifully timed ghosting run and shot by Fenton from a free kick by Adam wrapped the game up for The Yellows just before the half time whistle.
All this after a great run and shot by Jordan, well saved by the Blues keeper, had found Caspar in a poachers mood for the first after just two minutes of play. In fact, we have to ‘big up’ the Blues keeper for some fantastic saves in both halves. If it hadn’t been for his sterling efforts, this could have been a cricket score.
The second half was more routine fare as The Yellows scored two more goals, the first after an excellent run and shot by Jordan brought out the best again from the Blues keeper, only for the rebound to find Chris in predatory mood to slot home the fifth of the game. However, it was the sixth that provided us with the best team goal of the day, with a seering run by Luis past his defender, a quick pass inside to Chris, who turned provider to give Steven his second of the game.
Some mention has to be made of some unsung heroes today. Chunks played beautifully either side of the half. His reading of the game is improving by the game and his ability to find a simple, telling pass is as good as anyone in the team . And even though he didn’t have much to do in goal today, what Charlie did he did brilliantly.
And late on in the game, Ryan G, was given his moment as the front man in the hope he might score, and almost delivered with a shot that went agonisingly wide of the post. And right across the midfield credit must go to all our players for their determination to rule the central half of the pitch. It was the platform for everything else, and the victory was well deserved.
And if anyone is in any doubt as to how good that second goal of Caspars was, I’ll leave you in the hands of one of his team mates who described it as “sick”, which I understand is quite a compliment. And before I embarrass myself further, I’ll leave it at that.
Man of the Match – Caspar.
Match 15, Royston Crow League Division 1 Stevenage Blues 0 – LGCE Yellows 4
A superb hat trick by Chris provided the cornerstone to this well-earned victory against Stevenage Blues. Unfortunately, the game was marred by a really nasty injury to a Stevenage player.
Such injuries have a nasty habit of distracting the players from the game in hand. To their credit, once the player had been taken to hospital, both teams maintained their composure and played some really excellent football.
As ever, The Yellows showed a great desire to get the ball down on the ground and pass the ball, and several fine passes from Luke and Jordan released Fenton to forage down the wing, where he is at his most dangerous. Chris’s first two goals were direct results of such movement.
At the other end of the pitch, the defensive line were at their belligerent best, and it was clear that not much was going to get passed them. Adam played his best game of the season, while Luis continued his fine form of late.
The second half was brought to life buy a superb goal from Jordan. Visibly growing in confidence as the game progressed, he beat a couple of challenges on route to the outer reaches of the Stevenage area, before unleashing a shot that had goal written all over it from the moment it left his foot. Add a bit of bend to that and you start to understand what a first class goal it was.
But throughout the game, one player stood out as my Man of the Match. Ryan G was imperious today. He does the simple things really well, but his reading of the game has improved so much of late. He’s not the biggest defender, but it’s a real credit to his play that it is completely irrelevant.
And as the game ended, we learned that the injured Stevenage player was settled in hospital with his dislocated knee back in place. We wish him well on his road to recovery.
LGCE Yellows v B Stortford Rovers
The yellows coughed and spluttered there way into the league cup semis due to 2 top class goals by Lucas against a much improved Rovers team. Although totally dominant throughout the yellows just couldn’t find a way past a well organised defence and when they did they were denied by some outstanding goalkeeping. An early save at the base of the post from a powerful Steven header was as good as anything I’ve seen anywhere.
On a pitch that was difficult the yellows only occasionally found their form but had the advantage due to an exceptional piece of skill by Lucas. ‘Nutmegging’ one defender he had the strength to hold another before placing a delicate lob over a very tall keeper playing in junior goals.
However the yellows just couldn’t press home this advantage and Stortford still looked dangerous on the break. Indeed Charlie in goal was forced to make a couple of very sharp saves. No surprise then when midway through the second half due to some scrappy play a yellows defender was harshly adjudged to have handled and a penalty was given. Charlie got a hand to the spot kick but just failed to keep it out and 1-1 game on. From this point though Eagles lifted their game with Like and Jordan picking out some neat passes and Luis, again superb at left back, coming close with a couple of thunderbolts.
The winning goal when it came was superb. A neat ball from Luke out wide to the excellent Charlie J and an inch perfect cross from the left was met at the near post by Lucas who used all his neck muscle strength to powerfully head in to the top corner.
So the yellows went through but I guess the first game in 6 weeks and you can excuse the ring rust but if the lads are going to continue to progress they have to improve on this showing.
Well done to Stortford though. They put in an outstanding effort and played the game in great spirit.
MOM - Ryan G, assured throughout.
Match 13
Royston Crow Under 14 Division 1
LGCE Yellows 7 – Bishops Stortford Athletic 0
A comprehensive victory over Bishops Stortford was the perfect way to end the year for The Yellows.
On a dreadful pitch that looks like its being tended by a pack of Shire Horses, The Yellows produced a quality performance that was exemplified by goals being scored by five different players. They were simply too good for their opponents, highlighted by the fact that Charlie only had one save to make in the entire match, a very good one at that.
Bishops Stortford aren’t a bad side, far from it, but they lacked the penetration to get in behind the ever improving defensive unit that Terry has at his disposal. And with Alex making an impressive return, after a prolonged absence, there are also more options opening up for the coach.
The first goal came after seven minutes of Letchworth pressure, when a fine piece of interplay between Josh and Jordan outside the box saw Steven lose his marker and dispatch a fine shot beyond the opposition keeper.
The Yellows then backed off for fifteen minutes, while they watched their opponents pass the ball around them. But a couple of substitutions brought a fresh impetus to the play as Chris and Alex came on. Almost immediately, there was a different energy about the team, and a couple of minutes later, Chris played a delightful pass to CJ on the edge of the box who hit a perfectly timed shot into the back of the net.
Shortly after, The Yellows could have gone three up after they were awarded a penalty. Despite the heavy conditions, Josh struck a great shot low and wide, only to see the Bishops Stortford keeper make an excellent stop.
The second half was a more comprehensive display, with long periods of domination rewarded with five goals. By now Caspar was up front, playing neat touches to players around him, and dragging defenders around as he did so. This gave the midfield extra space to play in, and the quicker players like Fenton and Josh gained the most as they started to dominate the opposition.
Fenton scored a fine individual goal to take the game beyond the opposition, and then turned provider after a fine run, culminating in a lovely cross to Lucas, who dispatched it into the net with his customary ease. Four-nil to The Yellows.
A surging run by Josh brought goal number five as Lucas scored his second of the day. But credit must go to Bishops Stortford for never throwing in the towel, something they could easily have done at any time in the second half, especially when a long, speculative shot by Adam found its way into the net to give The Yellows a six goal cushion.
And just before the end of the game, Steven finished the match in the same way he started it, with The Yellows seventh goal of the game.
Man of the Match – Luis. His defensive work was superb again today, and his distribution with the ball was first class, despite the pitch.
Match 12
Royston crow Division 1 Under 14
Wymondley Firesharks 3 – LGCE Yellows 4
A thoroughly deserved victory again the league leaders in atrocious conditions showed what an improved side The Yellows are this season. They’ve always been a group of lads willing to play football the right way, but now they’ve added a steely determination to their game as well. When you understand that the squad was down to its bare bones today, with only 12 players available, then the result is even more impressive.
With the rain returning just before kick off, this was never going to be a game for the faint hearted. And so it proved. But credit must go to both sides for not allowing the conditions to get the better of them. The referee also deserves praise. He controlled the game extremely well, and it’s great to see a young man take command of a game in very tough conditions between two very competitive sides.
Most sides would give up on their footballing beliefs in such conditions. Not The Yellows. Once they got into the game, they were sweeping the ball around the pitch with such alacrity that The Firehsarks struggled to get into the match.
At left back, Chunks was absolutely outstanding. He kept tight in on his opposite number, steadfastly refused to give up the ball to a much bigger player, and his distribution was excellent. He fed CJ, Josh, and Steven with such good ball, it was a miracle The Yellows didn’t score. Out on the right, Fenton was zipping around his markers and putting in excellent crosses. Only bad luck and some excellent saves by The Firesharks keeper kept the ball from the net.
Partnering Josh in midfield was Jordan, returning to The Yellows like the prodigal son. His work-rate was excellent, and his partnership with Josh showed lots of potential.
And then the story of The Yellows season saw The Firesharks take the lead with a well-taken goal resulting from quick, direct football. But, as I’ve said before, The Yellows are never beaten until the final whistle. And today was no exception. Three times during the match, The Firesharks took the lead, and three times The Yellows came back to equalise.
And on each occasion, it was Lucas who brought The Yellows back into the game with an array of goals that any striker would be proud of. And half way through the second half, surrounded by Firesharks players, he played such a beautiful ball to Fenton that one could have been fooled into thinking we were watching a professional.
In the second half the defence comprised of Adam, Ryan, Blake and the tireless Luis, who yet again showed he has the perfect temperament to demand the right back slot be reserved for him alone. His tackling was excellent again today, and no one beats him to a ball without a huge effort. And in goal Charlie made some very fine saves today, getting down quickly to take the ball off the feet of oncoming attackers. And one save was of such a high standard that it left all who saw it a little speechless. Brave, agile, and hugely determined.
The second half was also CJ’s best forty minutes of football this season. His touch was excellent and he fed Steven’s tireless runs time after time after time. On one occasion, it seemed certain that all Steven’s hard work would bring reward, only to be denied by the woodwork. To his credit, Steven didn’t let his bad luck get to him, and he put in a massive performance for his team.
The winning goal was purely down to desire and perserverance. The Yellows were determined that their great football didn’t go unrewarded, and eight minutes before the end they got their just rewards when Jordan gave them the lead for the first time. And it proved to be decisive. Once they had the noses in front, there was no way The Yellows were going to let their hard working opponents back in the match.
Man of the Match – Every last one of them.
Match 11
Royston Crow Under 14 Division 1
Stevenage ‘Barca’ 1 – LGCE Yellows 1
A battling performance by both sides saw honours even on a blustery day at the picturesque Knebworth Cricket Ground.
With the recent spate of injuries continuing to hamper team selection, and Terry’s enforced absence from the touchline, this was always going to be a tough game for a small squad.
As a result, Chris was pushed into central midfield to partner Josh, leaving only Fenton and Charlie J to play out wide. However, once he’d settled into the role, Chris set about his task with great determination. He also showed what a good passer of the ball he is. As ever, Josh played another fine match, driving the team forward whenever he had the opportunity.
At the back, the defensive unit of Luis, Adam, Blake, and Ryan, had their best game of the season. Clearly wanting revenge for the drubbing The Yellows gave them at Pixmore, Barca set about this match with a much higher tempo than The Yellows. But they couldn’t find a way past the defence. And Charlie was at his belligerent best in goal, and made some fine saves in a frantic first half.
There was drama all over the pitch; chances going begging, penalty claims ignored, and some fine Olympic quality sliding tackles on the very slippery surface. But neither side could take the lead. And for The Yellows it was the small things that weren’t quite clicking. Key passes were just too long, or just too short to make the difference necessary. However, there was no faulting the effort, as The Yellows resilience was epitomised by Fenton and Charlie J’s determination to get up and down the pitch.
Up front Lucas continues his rapid improvement, and while Steven linked up well with his midfield, it was Lucas’s driving runs that almost brought glory in the first half.
The second half was as tight an affair as the first, but The Yellows quality in key areas was beginning to shine, and it seemed goals would surely come. But then disaster struck. A series of concerted drives by Barca forced The Yellows onto the back foot, and a fine shot found its way through a packed penalty area into the back of the net about ten minutes into the second half.
But, The Yellows are no quitters and they instantly came fighting back, forcing Barca deeper and deeper. With fifteen minutes left, Caspar came on to replace Steven, a move that turned out to be an inspired piece of team management. His pace caused a tiring Barca defence all sorts of problems, and when a lovely ball from Charlie J found Caspar on the edge of the area, it was only going to end up in one place, as he hit a fierce left footed shot past the Barca keeper.
And in the dying seconds, it was Caspar who was fouled just outside the box. However, the referee then decided to finish the match before the free kick could be taken.
But never mind. A draw against a good team, in horrible conditions, after going a goal down, is a satisfactory result. And congratulations must go to both teams, who worked their proverbial socks off today in a highly entertaining affair.
My Man of the Match goes to Adam. He was superb in defence today and his acrobatic clearances from three corners in the first half were outstanding.
County Cup Waltham Cross 5 - LGCE Yellows 3
Just before this game started, Dale told me he “thought he’d just won the lottery” But if The Yellows’ performance is anything to go by he’ll be lucky to win a tenner. Football can be a frustrating, imprecise, science even in the professional game. At this level, it’s can be nothing short of infuriating. Driving, tenacious, hard working, one week. Lacklustre, unimpressive, and imprecise the next.
Poor defending from high up the pitch allowed Waltham Cross to take the lead after ten minutes. It’s unforgivable that a player be allowed to dance though five or six players without a tackle being made. But that’s what happened. As with all the goals today, Charlie in goal was left shamefully exposed by his so called teammates.
It took twenty-eight minutes for The Yellows to do anything meaningful. But a neat passing move saw Lucas break free, and he hit a rasping left footed shot into the back of the net. It was a great strike, made even better by the uneven surface that did its best to spin the ball away from his as he prepared to pull the trigger.
So The Yellows went into the half time break back in the game, and with the right attitude a victory would surely follow.
But the problems of the first just got worse in the second. Passes went astray, players let their opposite numbers roam free, while others just charged down blind alleys with the ball. The size of the pitch just magnified the problems.
Poor defending again gave Waltham Cross another goal early in the second half, a lead which was levelled when a fine left footed shot from Caspar hit the cross bar for Steven to score from the rebound.
But with The Yellows at their most generous, it wasn’t long before our opponents took the lead once more.
What was frustrating was how the same mistakes were leading to the same results – a goal to the opposition. So it wasn’t long before The Yellows went behind once more.
Another pass from Caspar gave Lucas the opportunity to bring his team level, which he duly did fifteen minutes in.
But predictably our opponents were then gifted two more goals to take their deserved place in the next round of the Cup.
A thoroughly unsatisfactory day, but at least the sun was shining, and the company on the touchline at it’s humorous best. What the boys need to do is learn their lessons from this defeat, because that is the only purpose it serves. And with important games coming up on similar sized pitches, if they don’t go back to basics, and return to their sharp passing game, the next two weekends could end up in the same way.
Except for Dale, of course, who is now planning his life on a Caribbean beach!
Match 9 League Cup Under 14’s. Roebuck Wanderers 1 – LGCE Yellows 2
Thankfully, this was a much better game of football than last week’s horror show. Despite a very heavy, sloping pitch, both teams played their part in a compelling match that ended with The Yellows taking the spoils after a superb strike by Josh rebounded into the path of Lucas to score the winner deep into extra time.
As with last week, The Yellows bossed large parts of the first half and had plenty of opportunities to take the lead but either found the post or the Roebuck keeper getting in the way. It seemed at times that the Roebuck keeper was singlehandedly keeping The Yellows at bay. And one superb save in the second half of extra time was absolutely first class.
And as with last week, it was Roebuck who scored first, completely against the run of play, after twenty minutes. However, it wasn’t long before The Yellows responded with a thumping goal by Steven that did it’s best to break the net.
And with The Yellows playing down the slope in the second half, a betting man would have had them as favourites to finish the match off. But despite some great pressure and some even better saves from the Roebuck keeper, the scores remained the same – putting the game into extra time, with the possibility of penalties looming.
But The Yellows are a much tougher outfit this year, and sheer determination saw them through to the moment that great shot by Josh rebounded off the crossbar into the path of the ever alert Lucas to score the winner.
Special mention has to go to the defenders. Adam, Blake, and Ryan all played their best games of the season. Time after time, they swept up the second ball and set their midfielders on their way. And Charlie had another impressive game, making several great saves, especially in the first half with The Yellows playing ‘up slope’.
But, the best of defensive unit was Luis. Playing at right back, due to the enforced absence of Alex and Tim, Luis played a superb game. He was tenacious in the tackle and his determination to get to every ball first was almost as impressive as his energy levels.
And for that reason, Luis is my Man of the Match. He may not enjoy playing on the back line, but it may not be the last time we see him there this season.
Match 8
Royston Crow Under 14 Division 1
LGCE Yellows 2 – Roebuck Wanderers 1
Trying to take the positives from this awful game of football is proving beyond me.
I could talk about the Roebuck keeper, who didn’t put a foot wrong all day, until the ground literally gave way beneath him, allowing The Yellows back into the game.
Having said that, Charlie, in The Yellows goal, had nothing to do all day. Apart from when the very same bit of ground gave way beneath him, allowing Roebuck to take a lead half way through the first half. Getting the picture?
I could talk about the fact that it didn’t rain.
And that, I’m afraid is about it.
Hopefully next week will be better. Same teams. Different pitch. League Cup.
Couldn’t be any worse, could it?
Goals Charlie R, Josh (Pen).
Man of the Match – the parents, for staying ‘till the end.
Match 7 Yellows 5 v Stevenage Town ‘Barca’ 0
The scoreline flatters to deceive but The Yellows deservedly ran out winners against league leaders ‘Stevenage Barca’. For most of the match the teams matched each other blow for blow in a compelling encounter at Pixmore.
A strong wind running directly down the slope favoured Barca in the first half. But you would never have known it as The Yellows came flying out of the blocks and ripped into the opposition with a ferocity few could live with. Only three minutes had elapsed when a fine run by Fenton found Lucas unmarked in the box to head calmly past the Stevenage keeper.
The Yellows pressing forced errors from their opponents all over the pitch. Defending from the front saw Steven and Lucas at their predatory best. Josh and Charlie R had control of the central midfield block and on the left flank Luis was having an exceptional game.
Eleven minutes in and Josh made a great run, fed Fenton out wide, who went past his marker and crossed to Lucas to put The Yellows two goals to the good.
Although they didn’t score again, The Yellows looked to be in control of the game for the rest of the half. And any time Stevenage did press forward, The Yellows back four swept up the danger.
In the second half, our talented opponents found their footing and started to play some very fine passing football. Game on. And all over the pitch little battles were fought as the two teams jockeyed for supremacy. Only once did this boil over beyond what was acceptable, and credit to both teams as they didn’t allow it to spoil the rest of the match.
The first twelve minutes of the second period belonged to Stevenage as The Yellows intensity dropped for the first time. But trying to drag themselves back into the game was never going to be easy. And with Charlie in his best shot stopping form, it proved to be impossible.
After twenty-five minutes of end-to-end football, Lucas scored the goal that finally settled the match, and got his well-deserved hat trick. The Stevenage keeper then singlehandedly tried to keep three Yellows strikers at bay with a succession of fantastic reaction saves, but he simply ran out of options as Lucas snapped up his fourth goal of the game just before the half hour.
And just before the end The Yellows scored the fifth when a fine move down the right flank ended with Fenton shooting into the Stevenage net.
A satisfying victory, but the score could have been much closer, and The Yellows will need to continue their hard work in training if this result is to mean much by the end of the season.
But credit to The Yellows and Stevenage for a highly enjoyable and very competetive match with some fine indivdual performances from both teams. A great advert for Youth football.
Man of the Match – Four goals v Three great saves. Sorry Charlie, but it has to be Lucas. Just.
Match 6 - FA County Cup Round 1 - Melbourne Panthers 0 v Yellows 5
A dominant performance by The Yellows saw them safely through to Round 2 of the County Cup against Melbourne.
Last time The Yellows played Melbourne they stuttered their way through the match, failed to capitalise on an early goal and walked away with a very unsatisfactory draw. Today was a very different affair. Their passing was crisp, their pressing was constant, and their movement first class.
And as they mature, the realisation that a quick, easy ball is far more potent than a meandering run is starting to play dividends.
Had it not been for some very fine saves from the Melbourne keeper, the score could have been much higher. In the second half, he really excelled, making a sequence of great saves from Caspar, Steven, Charlie R and CJ.
All through my notes, I can see the words “great pass” leaping out at me. From defence to attack, this is becoming the trademark of this team. And when they’re at their best in this style of play, they are a very competitive outfit.
The first fifteen minutes was a scrappy affair, but as The Yellows started to get the ball on the ground, so the pressure on the opposition started to increase. Down the left wing, Chris was in a tenacious mood, relentlessly harrying his opposite number and releasing his strikers with some fine passes.
On the other side of the pitch, Josh was doing his best to give Fenton a goal scoring opportunity with some wonderful passes down the flank. However, it was Lucas who created the first scoring chance with two shots around the fifteen minute mark that were well saved by the Melbourne keeper. A couple of minutes later, Tom thought he’d chested it over the line, only for Fenton’s corner to have been ruled out of play.
But after 22 minutes, The Yellows broke the deadlock when Lucas pounced on a rebound to give The Yellows the lead. Fenton then forced the Melbourne keeper to make another good save, after his blistering pace saw him leave the defence for dead.
After 28 minutes some fine pressing by Caspar forced a defender to put the ball into his own net. Typical of any striker, Caspar then wheeled away in celebration, hoping we’d think he had scored the goal himself.
And just before the end of the half a fine break from defence by Josh, followed by a defence splitting pass to Fenton put The Yellows 3-0 up as Fenton smacked a fearsome shot past the Melbourne keeper.
Apart from a fine shot that cannoned off the crossbar, and one good save from another shot by Charlie, The Yellows domination of the game continued throughout the second half. Blake capped another forceful performance with a rasping left foot volley that went just wide, and a wonderful take and run by Caspar brought yet another save by the, yes you guessed it, Melbourne keeper.
However, there was nothing he could do about Josh’s superb lob from just outside the area after 15 minutes that landed in the back of the net as gently as one of Federer’s finest. 4-0 to The Yellows.
By now Sam had moved to right back and was again showing us how much he’s improving as his confidence on the pitch grows. Never afraid to play the easy ball, always finding a team mate, and unflustered in defence, he’s a bit like the clichéd new signing that his beloved Chelsea are going to have to get used to in the coming seasons.
In the last ten minutes, The Yellows really cut loose with some audacious passing moves that saw them progress up field at will. Praise must go to all the players, but to watch defenders such as Tom, Ryan, and Adam put midfielders into space with strong, accurate passing, is a real pleasure to see at this level of football. And the midfield quartet of Josh, Charlie R, CJ, and Blake took full advantage as they pressed with their strikers to find a fifth goal.
However it was a corner, after yet another save off Steven, which gave The Yellows the last goal of the game, with Lucas in poaching mode to deservedly give him his second of the match.
Final Score : Melbourne Panthers 0 – The Yellows 5
Man of the Match – for that lob alone, Josh. But he did so much more and it was all a pleasure to watch.
Match 5 - Bishops Stortford Rovers 2 v Yellows 3
A satisfactory win for the Yellows in a highly entertaining fixture between two very good passing football sides.
The team clearly took on board Terry’s concerns about their slow start last week and were quickly out of the blocks today, resulting in a Josh header going narrowly over the bar after sixty seconds or so. Within a couple of minutes, some nice combination play between Charlie R and Josh culminated in a fine break down the right by Fenton, who crossed only for Charlie R to clip the crossbar.
The good work continued for the next fifteen minutes, with great play by Chris and Fenton, both of whom consistently got behind their markers to bring Lucas and Steven into the game.
And stretching the play wide also allowed Josh and Charlie R to bomb forward, further pressurising the Bishops Stortford defence. This high intensity play paid off as a Josh shot rebounded into the path of the ever alert Steven to slot home a fine left footed shot. 1-0 to The Yellows, fifteen minutes gone.
Shortly after, Adam almost scored with a rasping volley that just missed its target. However, it wasn’t too long before the lead was doubled. On twenty-two minutes, a great steal from Blake found Fenton further up the pitch with a perfectly weighted pass. Fenton put in a great cross that Lucas latched onto with a fine angled run and shot.
What followed was some very strong play by the team all over the pitch with Ryan and Tom defending superbly as Adam and Blake pushed forward in support of the midfield. And some determinedly skilful play saw Blake release Fenton once more, ending in fine effort by Lucas going narrowly wide of the mark.
But Bishops Stortford continued to be tenacious opponents. And as The Yellows pushed for a third, they left themselves short in midfield, and just before the break, Rovers opened their account despite the valiant efforts of Charlie in goal. It could easily have become two apiece shortly after had Adam not put in a fine covering tackle to repel the last attack of the half.
The Yellows returned to dominance quickly in the second half as Adam played another fine ball up field into the path of Fenton out wide, who put a dangerous ball across the Bishops Stortford defence, only for Caspar to shoot wide when clear at the back post.
Steven then had a fine shot saved by the opposition keeper before Fenton and Steve combined to put CJ clear to make it 3-1 to The Yellows.
But Bishops Stortford started to work their way back into the match, and it was only because of fine defensive work by Tom, and a goal line clearance by the rapidly improving Sam that the score remained the same for much of the second half.
However, as the pressure mounted, poor communication between Yellow players saw Bishops Stortford break the defensive line and score their second of the game.
But The Yellows refused to buckle under increasing pressure as Bishops Stortford’s confidence started to rise and they went all out to try and equalise. Time after time, their relentless pressing broke down attacks high up the pitch.
And deservedly the last attack of the match belonged to The Yellows as more fine attacking play by Charlie R resulted in a shot that went narrowly over the bar.
Overall, a great team effort with improvements in their play and fitness showing the high level of intensity at training is now starting to pay off in match conditions.
But for his great tenacity, skill, and fine distribution, today’s Man of the Match is Blake.
Match 4 - League Cup - Yellows 9 v Royston 5
The Yellows had this League Cup match done and dusted before half time as they stormed to victory over 2nd division Royston. But matches like this teach teams (and coaches alike) valuable lessons, and lessons will have to be learned if The Yellows are to fulfil their undoubted potential.
Lesson number one. The game begins at the first whistle, and not after conceding a goal to the opposition. Luckily, they conceded within a minute, so the spectators didn’t have to wait too long before The Yellows decided to get involved.
What followed was a very satisfactory thirty four minutes as The Yellows passed their way around the opposition to score five times before the half was up. Josh and Charlie R did all that was asked of them in midfield, as did the superb back four of Blake, Tom, Adam, and Ryan. And as The Yellows controlled these two vital areas, so the goals inevitably arrived.
The first was from a free kick by Josh that arched over the Royston keeper. The second goal came after an outstanding running move, in which Fenton played a pivotal part, putting Luis into space behind the defence with a beautifully weighted pass. The Royston keeper got his body in the way of Luis’s first effort but could do nothing about his determination to beat him to the rebound, which he duly did - netting after twelve minutes.
Fenton continued to be the source of all things good for much of the first half, tracking back with incredible energy, and turning defence into attack with swift passing and great movement.
And on the left side of midfield, the arrival of Charlie J late on in the first half immediately brought dividends as he put in a finely weighted corner that found Tom lurking on the near post to head in after thirty minutes to make it 3-1 to The Yellows.
The best of the goals came from some fine interplay between Lucas and Steven, which Steven finished off with aplomb with a lobbed shot over the Royston keeper that would have made Tiger Woods smile it was so deft in its execution.
And just before the half ended a cross from Lucas found Tom’s head to make it 5-1 at half time.
Lesson Number Two – never lose focus no matter what the score!
Seven minutes into the second half, another good piece of link up play between Lucas and Steven bought the latter his second of the day, bringing the score to 6-1 to The Yellows.
A fine shot from distance by a Royston player made the score 6-2 after fifty two minutes, but Tom decided to top that with a shot of his own from near the half way line, giving him a hat trick and The Yellows a five goal cushion once more at 7-2.
This became a six-goal cushion after a fine passing move found Chris with his back to goal in the penalty area. He quickly turned and hit a rasping shot beyond the flailing arms of the very capable Royston keeper.
But after that The Yellows energy levels dropped, their drive disappeared, and they totally lost their shape and focus. This allowed their opponents to enjoy a well-deserved purple patch as they came back into the match, scoring goals in the second half that should never have seen the light of day.
Ok! So the third Royston goal could have been disallowed. Now running the line, yours truly gave a Royston player the benefit of the doubt, as he broke free from The Yellows offside trap to score a fine individual goal. None of The Yellows defence moaned at me, but I got some right stick from some Under 15 Letchworth players who had arrived for their game!!!
Soon after, The Yellows replied as another great bit of work by Fenton down the right ended with a superb cross to the back post, which was headed into the back of the net by Luis. As with Fenton, Luis is another player who has come charging out of the blocks this season. Both are setting some very high standards for those around to aspire to.
The most disappointing part of the match for The Yellows came in the last ten minutes as Royston scored twice to give a 9-5 result.
It’s not often you see eight goals scored in one half of football and walk away feeling disappointed, but that’s how it felt.
Well done to Royston. You played a great part in this match and never stopped chasing what many teams would have considered a lost cause. And you deserved the goals you scored.
And well done to The Yellows for winning a match you were meant to win, but no team should be happy letting in five goals. Lesson Number Three.
Man of the Match: Fenton – covered every inch of the pitch. Not only that, his movement, passing, and tackling were all first class.
Match 3 - Letchworth Yellows 7 v Baldock Town 1
Four barnstorming minutes early in the second half finally kick-started The Yellows season into gear.
A disappointing start to the season prior to today’s match against recently promoted Baldock Town looked like continuing as The Yellows failed to take advantage of a totally dominant first half performance.
Time after time, The Yellows squandered goal-scoring opportunities until a fine solo effort by Josh broke the deadlock after thirty minutes. So dominant were The Yellows that it wasn’t until a minute before half time that their opponents finally had a shot on goal.
The second half, however, was a completely different affair as The Yellows finally ground down the opposition and started to find the back of the net.
With five goals coming in quick succession from Steven, Charlie R, Tom, Steven again and then Lucas, the game was as good as won halfway through the second half.
But credit must go to Baldock. They had a smaller squad to choose from, exacerbated by the heat and the size of the pitch, but they never stopped running, and gallantly refused to throw in the towel. Their goalkeeper also made several fine saves, singlehandly stopping several attacks from turning into goals.
As a result they duly got their just rewards scoring from a well taken free kick about twenty minutes into their second half.
But before the end of the games, The Yellows stamped their authority on the match once more with a fine goal from Luis to run out winners by seven goals to one.
So, The Yellows get a win under their belts at the third time of asking. They should have won all three games. And if they become more clinical in their approach work and finishing they will start to push the teams higher up the league.
Man of the Match : Josh – fine solo goal and good distrubution led to at least two of the goals for others.
Match 1 - Melbourne 1 v Yellows 1
A disappointing start to the season for The Yellows, missing out on a golden opportunity to post three points in their first match. But “there’s no such thing as a free lunch” and today’s game was proof of the fact.
It all began so well.
Minute One. A lovely bit of passing football found Lucas on the edge of the area. He turned his defender on a sixpence and released Stephen in space to open his tally for the season. One nil to The Yellows.
The Yellows clearly thought they were odds on to build on their early goal. And they could have been right to think so.
A lovely pass by Josh found Charlie R to the right of the midfield. He released Fenton, who worked his way round the defence, only to find his shot saved by the Melbourne keeper.
A Josh free kick came close.
A Charlie R pass found Fenton again who passed to Lucas to come close. And near the end of the half, Adam had a good strike – well saved by the Melbourne keeper.
But these were just moments and they were misleading.
Overall, out play was not intense enough. And the lack of intensity gave Melbourne the confidence they needed to start coming back into the match. And as they did, our passing got poorer, our marking more mediocre, and our movement sadly sub-standard.
It was only a matter of time before Melbourne made The Yellows pay. And after twenty minutes of the second half, pay they did, when Melbourne deservedly equalised.
You could have the heard the groans from the touchline in Letchworth.
Still, the boys huffed and puffed to try and get the win, but it was not to be. Lucas came close when he picked the keeper’s pocket, Caspar had a shot well saved, Fenton started to use his speed on the wing, Sam played some neat first touch passes, and Josh did everything asked of him playing out of position in defence. And Chris hit the back of the net a after a mazy run past several players, but the goal was ruled off side.
But in truth, The Yellows really didn’t deserve to win. They’ve got the talent, but do they have the aptitude?
Only another season will tell. Respect!