Eagles u12 Yellows - 07/08 Season
Contact: Terry Morris - 01462 626692 - terrymorris@sky.com
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THE YELLOWS ARE LOOKING FOR THE NEXT JOHN TERRY OR A BUDDING RIO FERDINAND
Due to a desire to strengthen our squad, The Yellows (under 13 – School Year 8 from September 08) are looking for one or two defensive players to play in the Royston Crow Division One next season. Players must have proven ability to compete at this level and anyone interested should contact Terry Morris at terrymorris@sky.com with a brief footballing history. If you are five foot ten and faster than Christiano Ronaldo, then all the better!!!
Match Reports
Match 21 - Buntingford 3 v Yellows 2
When I saw Ian Poulter shank two shots in successive holes in the PGA a couple of weeks back, I was surprised by the reaction of the TV commentators. If I had been playing, I would have been hoping for a thunderstorm to force me from the course, but the pundits had a different point of view. They said that both of Poulter’s shanks were very close to being great golf shots. The margins are that close.
And today, at Buntingford, we saw a perfect example of how a game can be won or lost on very tight margins. The important thing is that The Yellows are really close to being very good. And with this in mind, we can look forward to next season with renewed optimism.
The Yellows dominated the first half of this match. Their play for the first thirty minutes was a reflection of the type of game Terry has been preaching all year. They tackled, they communicated, they passed, and they played with IMAGINATION. It was a fantastic display from a squad that are finally reaping some rewards from a very difficult season. But with their coaches loyalty comes a team that are fabulously loyal to each other. The first half was their best display of the season.
Today, Josh finally gave us a display worthy of his undoubted talent. He found the perfect balance between beating players and releasing the ball to his teammates. It was a stunning display, capped off with a wonderful individual goal that has to be a contender for goal of the season.
Personally, I can’t wait to see him develop. He could become a very, very special player.
The Yellows had plenty of chances to win the game before half time. The midfield of Charlie P, Josh, Fenton, and Chris were all on the top of their game. And with Jordan and Caspar displaying an almost telepathic understanding of each other’s play, it was only a matter of time before they took the lead. The only surprise was that it took so long. Jordan attacked a ball out on the left, ghosted round the goalkeeper and laid it into Fenton, who put the ball in the back of the net.
Still, Buntingford continued to try and play balls over the back of the high pressing Yellows defence but were repelled by Adam, Michael, Oly, and the irrepressible Ryan G. Ryan is also a standout player at the moment, and his positional sense at right back, as well as his distribution are first class.
The second half was greeted by rain, and a crazy ten minutes that saw the Cougars score three goals in quick succession. I would rather praise their players, than find fault in ours. They took their goals well, and their team spirit came to the fore after their first half grilling.
But then The Yellows have a team spirit too, and the last twenty minutes saw them launch attack after attack to try and salvage the game. Amazingly, only one goal came their way, but Caspar, Alex, Lucas, Jordan, and Chris all came agonizingly close to giving The Yellows the win they so obviously deserved.
Ten minutes before the end, Josh took the ball in the Buntingford half and decided it was time for The Yellows to score. With astounding skill and dogged determination he found himself on the edge of the area with just the goalkeeper to beat. He lashed a shot across the keeper and into the net.
Unfortunately the next goal never came, and a fabulous game of football came to an end with Buntingford winning by three goals to two. Congratulations to our opponents. Despite an equally hard season as our own, they have continued to develop a football side, and they will benefit as a result in the years to come.
So the season comes to an end. A season, we knew would provide a huge learning curve, and it did. But there have been plenty of highs to match the lows. And as the team is strengthened, and as they continue to prosper under Terry and Warren’s guidance, so they will improve.
This term has all been about competing in Division One, and that has been achieved. Next year will be very different. And I, for one, have seen passages of play that prove what a good footballing side The Yellows could become.
Well done every one of you.
Man of The Match – Josh.
Match 20 Yellows 1 v Bedwell 1
As the season draws to a close, I’m going to own up to a few things.
I love watching football. As long as there is a ball, two goals, and a bunch of people running around a patch of grass, chances are I’ll stop and watch.
I watched The Blues lose the County Cup this morning. No reason for me to be there, but it was a game of football, so I went.
I’ve watched The Yellows play countless times this season, and even though I’m a season ticket holder at Stamford Bridge, I still have to think long and hard about missing watching my son play a match in favour of the best team in West London.
So I think I have the right to say I am passionate about Youth Football and passionate about watching The Yellows.
Last year, they won a title. This year has been very different.
It’s been hard, frustrating, and at times downright disappointing.
But, there is a good reason I am most proud of this team. And that is because it is managed by someone who believes in development, above results.
I have no shame in quoting from an American football site to ram home the importance of this point:
Manny Schellscheidt – U.S. Under-14 Boys’ Development Program
“At this level, we shouldn’t be so concerned about the results, but rather the players’ performance. We want kids to love the game, enjoy getting better and get more comfortable with the game. We should be putting our emphasis on players’ development not on trying to create the most winning team. It’s all about the basics that we so often skip in favor of the quick result. Playing well is the key, and, eventually, if you know how to play the results will come.”
So as I gathered my thoughts on the touchline this afternoon, I had to remind myself that I was watching two Under 12 football teams. Because these boys, and I include our opponents in this, play football in a manner that is way beyond their years, and makes us parents very proud.
They fight hard, but they play fair. They battle for the ball, but they do so in a spirit that should be commended.
Today, both teams ran their proverbial socks off for sixty minutes, but not once did I see a player disrespect another, or a parent step beyond the boundaries that we all know to be acceptable.
I wanted to say this because there are so many bad things said about Youth Football, and often with good reason. But I, for one, am proud to be one of those people who still sees beauty in this game of ours and lessons for life being learnt by our boys whenever they take to the field.
And we should all be very proud of that.
The game was dull in the first half save for a superb strike by Alex that was good enough to win the match on its own.
How it failed to find the net is as big a mystery as how Olly failed to be dismissed for handling the ball in the first and how a Bedwell player survived being sent off for a blatant foul on Caspar in the second.
Both of them should have had their marching orders, but I’m glad they both stayed on the pitch.
Bedwell scored first, from a corner, badly defended. Well not defended at all. And Chris equalised in a much more entertaining second half.
The Yellows need to improve and they need to strengthen, but Terry’s belief in development will play dividends.
In a world where only winners are feted, the refusal for the quick fix is a bitter pill to swallow.
I, for one, think it’s well worth it.
Match 19 Yellows 0 v Stevenage Barca 2
Another frustrating tonight for The Yellows, as yet another potential victory turned to defeat.
On a very cold evening at Pixmore, The Yellows had the lion’s share of the possession but failed to capitalise on several opportunities to score, while their opponents proved far more profligate in front of goal, making two of very few chances count.
The first half was a pretty dull affair. Adam was placed in a holding pattern just in front of the defence, and stuck to his guns so doggedly that Barca were fairly quiet in the first half.
But yet again, The Yellows determination to give the ball to their opponents as often as they can was their ultimate undoing. Football is a game of possession, and even though The Yellows possess ball players by the bucket full, they are a little short of ball winners. So when they lose it, they can be hurt.
But let’s look on the positive side. Two games to go, after a long, hard season. The Yellows have survived intact and they are a much better outfit than they were at the beginning of the season. Progress, and development have been the two winners for this team. And another year in division one means more stability, which will be very welcome.
And with Terry at the helm, their passing game will flourish and they will beat teams next year that they haven’t beaten this year. But a little like Terry’s beloved Arsenal, they lack a bit of bite. And I’m sure one of Terry’s tasks in the closed season will be to find a couple of strong ball winners who will enable The Yellows to progress to the next level, which they so richly deserve.
Man of the Match : Adam. Ran and ran and ran, until he dropped. And then he got up and ran some more. Excellent first performance as a defensive midfielder/attacking defender!
Match 18 Yellows 2 v Bishops Stortford 4
One day this team is going to live up to their potential. And when they do, woe betide the team they are playing that day. I, for one, hope that day comes very soon.
Today was a perfect example of how the season has run so far. Quiet for the first ten minutes, exciting for the next ten, inept until half time. And, of course, the period of ineptitude led to Bishops Stortford taking the lead. The Yellows had three chances to clear the ball, and refused each of them. One goal to nil to the visitors.
And for the first ten minutes of the second half, The Yellows continued to gift the game to their opponents, and as a result Bishops Stortford went three goals clear.
Then a wonderful thing happened. The rain came. And with it a never say die attitude emerged as The Yellows pulled themselves up of the floor, dusted themselves down, and scored two excellent goals; one from Jordan and one from Kyle.
With the score at three goals to two, this game was there for the winning. But The Yellows retreated into their comfort zone, and handed the initiative back to their opponents, who went on to score a fourth goal and wrap up a deserved victory.
But let’s look at the positives.
Some wonderful interplay between Chris, Caspar, and Jordan in the first half that almost led to two goals.
Alex, using all his skill and composure to bring the game to life in the first half. He is blessed with so much skill. And as his belief grows, so does his impact on the team.
Ollys header off the line in the second half.
Adam’s attitude in the second. He seemed to be a lost cause and then out of the blue, he was everywhere. Determined running, great chasing, good passing.
Jordan’s determination. He ran, he closed down. He scored a magnificent goal. He even gave a few lessons in tackling.
And then there was Josh. He was a step ahead of everyone else today. Continuing his great performance last Wednesday, he is really stepping out if his shell and showing us all what great potential he has.
So I’m laying down a challenge to the boys. All of you, show us what you’re really made of. Step up to the plate. And win some matches. You deserve it. You are good enough. You just need to turn up – all of you on the same day. And when that day comes, I would not want to be the opposition.
But today The Yellows were beaten by a team who wanted to win more than they did.
And for the third time this season, you gifted them three points when you could have had them for yourself. Time to wake up. Time to put together all that you’ve learnt this season in one wonderful sixty minutes.
Man of the Match – Josh. Just Brilliant. Well done. Come on you Yellows!!
Match 17 LGCE Yellows 1 v Blues 5
The Blues ran out victors by a sizeable margin in the third meeting with their neighbours this season . But the Yellows have every right to be positive about the future as they finally competed with their illustrious neighbours for a large part of this game.
The Blues aren’t County Champions for nothing, and their strength and possession play guaranteed this victory. And as a group of parents and players, we must hope they go on to win the league and retain the County Cup. They deserve it. They are the best team in Division One, and the standard they set is something The Yellows will fight to match.
Let’s get the first two goals out of the way as quick as possible, because they settled the result, but they had a little help from the Football Gods.
The first was laughable it was so bizarre. Charlie R cleared a ball outside the Yellows area, only to find it cushioned by the referee into the path of a Blues player who went on to score.
The second was a stunning dead ball strike, but as not one player claimed a foul, it’s hard to know why a free kick was awarded in the first place. But what a shot it was. No blame can be levelled at Sam in goal. If you play under 12 football with full sized goals, this can happen. They should be confined to the scrap heap, as they are in Continental Europe.
But the strength of the Blues is in their ball retention and their determination to get to every second ball, and the Yellows ended the half with not much more than a well struck volley by Adam for their efforts.
The second half, however, was a very different affair.
The Blues scored their third goal shortly after the restart, but it was The Yellows that then went on the offensive and completed on a level footing for the first time in the game. Praise must go to Kyle, who was tireless in his efforts as he dragged The Yellows back into the match.
He was ably assisted by Josh and Adam, who are really starting to blossom under Terry’s tutelage. Their passing was first class, and about fifteen minutes into the half, a lovely passage of play culminated in a great pass by Fenton out wide on the right, who found Caspar just outside the area. Caspar took the ball on his chest, lost his two markers and hit an imperious volley into the Blues net.
For the next ten minutes, The Yellows put some great, flowing, passages of play together with Lucas, Josh, Kyle, Fenton and Adam all involved.
And at the back, there was a tireless performance from Ryan and Michael, ably assisted by Charlie, Ollie, and Ryan F. And special credit must go to Sam in goal for his performance. He made some very good saves, and was unfortunate to concede five goals.
But that’s the mark of champions. Even when you think you’re getting close, they hit you with some cracking goals. And that’s what happened today.
But The Yellows silenced anyone pitch-side who doesn’t think they are good enough to compete with The Blues. They most definitely are. And they will continue to improve and close the gap, as long as their desire to learn and improve remain undiminished.
And I, for one, believe the day they match the Blues for goals as well as effort is not so far away.
Man of the Match shared between Caspar, Josh, Kyle, Adam and Sam.
Melbourne Panthers 1 – Letchworth Yellows 3
Being greeted by an early morning blanket of snow in April is not the best preparation for a football game, and maybe this explains the stuttering first half performance by the Yellows against an ever-improving Melbourne team. But a very impressive second half display saw the Yellows over-run their opposition and run out victors by three goals to one.
Both sides have seen a vast improvement in form over the past weeks, and both sets of players deserve great credit for their perseverance and hard work in what has been a testing season. And so it was no surprise that this third encounter of the season was a much tighter affair than the previous games. Melbourne have been coached the right way, so they play the ball on the floor, they pass it well, and they keep a very tight formation. All of this makes them quite a hard side to beat. And added to this, they now have the confidence from their recent victory against Bedwell, and it shows in every part of their game.
The Yellows have also had some excellent results recently, and the addition of Charlie R has made a real difference to their midfield play. And so the first half reflected both sides improvements of late, and as such it was a fairly dull affair. Not many chances created, not many mistakes made. A little like a cup final. No one really prepared to grab the game by throat and lay claim to it.
Having said that, The Yellows had more possession than Melbourne in the first thirty minutes with Fenton continuing his excellent form of late. He has gained in confidence over the past few weeks. His control of the ball is matched by his turn of pace, and excellent crossing. I counted four runs in the first thirty minutes that could have led to goals, only to be thwarted by excellent defensive work either by outfield players or the Melbourne keeper. Josh, Lucas, and Adam also recorded shots on goal as did Kyle and Charlie R but none of them managed to find the back of the net.
At the other end, Melbourne also created scoring opportunities, but The Yellows defence was in a determined mood today, especially Ryan G who just hates to let man or ball pass him by. On one occasion he tackled four Melbourne players in quick succession to thwart an attack.
After the break, and against the run of play, Melbourne were awarded a penalty. For the second week running, our boys looked shocked by what seemed like a harsh decision. But it goes that way sometimes, and it is to their credit that once the penalty had been converted, they got on with the game, found another gear and over ran their opposition.
Lots of credit goes to the midfield for gaining the upper hand in the next fifteen-minute spell. Charlie R was everywhere, and fully deserved his Man of the Match award from Terry. Adam also showed a massive improvement in his game, and Josh just took it upon himself to run the left flank and gave his opposite number a torrid time.
And so the inevitable happened. Goals from Lucas, Jordan, and Josh gave The Yellows a much-deserved victory. They just refused to give up, and once they levelled the score, there was no doubt about the eventual outcome.
The Yellows, like their counterparts at Melbourne, have had a difficult few months, but for both teams the positives are there for all to see. And for The Yellows a strong finish to the season will be the perfect reward for all their hard work, and the support of their coaching staff and parents.
30 March 08 - Knebworth Wildcats 4, LGCE Yellows 4
In a thrilling encounter Fenton Hancock starred for the yellows today in what was without doubt their best result of the season against league leaders Knebworth. All this despite being short today of an ill Adam Morris and Striker Caspar who has taken the ‘Scribe’ away for the sun of La Manga! Back to yours truly for the report. Kicking uphill first half the yellows midfield had very clear instructions and set about their strong opponents with determination and no shortage of skill. There was no real surprise when Letchworth opened the scoring on 5 minutes when some fine passing and movement by Chris set up Fenton on the right, via Charlie R, and Fen smashed home a fine driven shot.
The 3 man yellows centre midfield of Kyle, Josh and the outstanding newcomer Charlie Richardson were pretty much dominating things and a great ball by Charlie gave Jordan a one on one with the keeper that was superbly saved. This however seemed to gel the wildcats and they quickly equalized when striker Levi struck a fantastic shot over Sam who had no chance. A goal of real quality. 1-1. The game then continued in the same pattern until the yellows had a purple couple of minutes. Firstly another superb through ball by Charlie set up Fen who struck a superb cross that Jordan could not miss from close range, 2-1. Only 2 minutes later Kyle moved forward from the right of midfield before hitting a fantastic dipping shot over the stranded keeper. The yellows were 3-1 up and threatening to run riot.
This Knebworth team are however not top of the league without reason, the team is packed with classy players in every position and are always dangerous around your area. They play the game right in your face and are ridiculously strong for an under 12 team as well as playing some fine football. A couple of shots missed the target before Sam pulled off an outstanding save, high to his right. Deservingly though they pulled one back on the stroke of half time when a couple of weak clearances was met in the box and easily slotted home. HT 2-3 and probably a fair reflection of the first half.
Yellows kicked off the second half down the slope with a slightly changed formation to try and push Knebworth back but despite going close through Josh, Jordan and Charlie the wildcats started the half very strong and equalized early when the yellows defenders failed to deal with a long ball that was met and superbly slotted home by striker Jack who’s strength and pace was hard to cope with. The game was now wide open and could go either way. It looked however that the game was handed to Knebworth when they were awarded a penalty for what was at best accidental handball by Ryan Gillham. A shot struck him on the arm but the ball had only travelled about 6 feet, at pace. Nobody from Knebworth appealed for anything and initially the Knebworth players thought it was a free kick outside the area but a penalty it was, which was put away simply to Sam’s right. The yellows were not out of it though. They seemed to up the tempo slightly and had far more width to their game than their high flying opponents. This seemed to be more and more evident as the wildcats just could not cope with the raw speed of Fenton down the right. Finally he latched onto another through ball from midfield and slotted a shot under the keeper to give Letchworth a deserved equalizer. A couple of late corners caused concern for the yellows but a draw was certainly a fair result in a game that was a great advert for under 12 boys football in North Herts. Both teams deserve high praise. Fair play to some Knebworth parents who were very generous with their comments to me afterwards, fantastic, especially as these dropped points seriously dented their title ambitions.
What the boys need to do is draw confidence from this performance. They are far better than their league position shows but need to play with the belief that results like this can give.
Man of the match was Fenton who was absolutely brilliant today. Scored two, set up one and was a real handful for the Knebworth team. Only question is…. Why can’t he play like this every week!! Finally, big hats off to debutant Charlie who slotted into the team as if he had played all season. He hardly knows the players names but his effort today was fantastic, well done Charlie.
Match 14 - Yellows 1 v Blues 6
This time last year, The Yellows drew 3-3 with Thaxted Rangers to stay at the top of Division Two. This time last year Chelsea and Manchester United both progressed to the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
This weekend The Yellows got beaten 6-1 by our lauded neighbours, The Blues. This weekend both Chelsea and Manchester United got dumped out of the FA Cup.
In football, there are no absolutes. Nothing stays the same for very long.
In less than six months, this fine bunch of lads has had to try and adapt to football in Division One. Eleven points from fourteen games isn’t what they’d hoped for. But nobody said it would be easy, and there’s plenty of teams who’d give their eyes teeth to be in this division. The gap between the Blues and The Yellows looks pretty big. But the Yellows squad are still there, still fighting, and still learning.
Easy to forget, but the vast majority of them are still only eleven years old, and in a world where the instant fix is everything, this squad of sixteen players can be incredibly proud of what they are achieving. They’re still smiling, and they’re still enjoying their football. Sometimes that is worth far more than winning every week. Lessons are being learned.
Playing the Blues was never going to be easy. Second in the league, through to the semi finals of the League Cup and the County Cup, they are blessed with plenty of strong, hard working players, who fight to be first to every ball. They also have no shortage of skill and tactical nouse. And today, the Yellows simply failed to compete in the key areas where matches are won and lost at this level.
That said, there were flashes of play, not least a quite brilliant goal by Alex, rounding off a great passage of play, that give hope for the future.
Sticking with the positives, the Yellows Man of the Match was Charlie. He was at his belligerent best today, and he just refused to give up. He tackled, he blocked, and he put his body where it has to be, right in the face of the opposition.
Second worthy of a mention is Jordan. Put into a five-man midfield, he spent the entire game working his proverbial socks off. Up against some very big players, Jordan deserves special mention because he prefers to play much higher up the pitch, but there is a real team spirit in the Yellows, and he gave up his strikers berth to try and help stifle the Blues midfield.
As well as scoring the best goal of the game, Alex returned to the fold after injury to show us what we had been missing. Amongst the wide attacking players, he showed the greatest composure on the ball. Unrushed no matter how many players were bearing down on him, Alex continues to improve at an impressive rate.
And as with the Barnsley’s of this world, The Yellows are not sitting on top of the pile at the moment, so mid season transfers are probably beyond them. But effort, aptitude and application will bear fruit in the end, as Chelsea discovered to their cost.
There are no absolutes in football.
Unless, of course, you count Liverpool failing to win the Premiership year after year after year!!
Herts FA County Cup Quarter Final
Knebworth 3 – The Yellows 1
The two teams I support both lost today, but that is where the similarity ends. The first team I watched left me feeling proud, knowing that I had witnessed a performance full of guts, tenacity, and no small amount of skill. The second team I watched left me feeling flat, knowing that I had witnessed a performance bereft of guts, tenacity and skill. One of the teams I support put on the performance of the season and deserved to win, the other one didn’t. The Yellows may not have won as many matches as Chelsea this season, but if they build on today’s performance, next season could see them challenging the likes of Knebworth week in, week out.
Reaching the quarter final of the county cup was an achievement in itself. To hold the lead against a very good Knebworth team for forty minutes was the stuff of heroes. To say that they bossed the first half would be no insult to our opponents. For the first thirty minutes, the Yellows out-thought, out-fought, and out-scored Knebworth.
Massive credit should be given to the whole squad, and I don’t think this is the day to dwell on individual performances, but a special mention must be given to Jordan. He chased every ball, every man with the ball, and even those without it!!. After six minutes, he also scored a peach of a goal. Rushing forward onto a ball ten yards inside the Knebworth half, Jordan brushed aside the Knebworth defenders, steadied himself, and blasted the ball past the hapless Knebworth keeper.
Ten minutes later, he had a chance to make it 2-0. Believing the Knebworth defenders to be closer to him than they were, he shot a little further out than was necessary and the goalkeeper made a good save. Never mind, Jordan, you deserved far more today, but your time will come.
Sam also made several fine saves and narrowly avoided decapitation at the hands of a Knebworth attacker. Both Sam and the Knebworth player had their eyes on the ball so there was no blame to level at either. But Sam bravely continued and made several fine saves.
The second half continued much as the first. Knebworth seemed bereft of ideas in the face of such strong opposition. They started to shoot from distance, they started to lose their shape, but credit to them, they never lost their belief. And so in one Knebworth attack in the Yellows box, the ball bounced around in several directions before finally finding its way into the Yellows net and the score was 1-1.
This gave a lift to Knebworth and they finally managed to unlock the Yellows defence. A couple of beautiful passes by their striker arced over the flanks of the Yellows defence and led to goals two and three. Both the result of good football by a skilful player blessed with a footballing brain.
The Yellows also showed their fighting spirit wasn’t going to die and shortly before the final whistle, a great pass by Josh found Fenton out wide running at the Knebworth defence. His shot demanded a great save from the Knebworth keeper and he didn’t let his side down. But the Yellows had moved the ball with skill and panache from their own half to opposition goal in seconds. And the ball had barely left the ground. Great, great football.
The Yellows will have better days than this. But today was a milestone. They competed, they fought and they out thought a very good team. They got praise from their parents as well as a couple of Knebworth parents I spoke to, and they deserved it.
Well done - every last one of you.
Man of the Match – Jordan at one end and Sam at the other.
Match 12
Stevenage Town Barca 1- 0 Letchworth Yellows
A cruel last minute goal gave Stevenage Town a 1-0 win over an injury ravaged Yellows at Knebworth Cricket Club.
With two players laid up in bed, and a subs bench that wouldn’t have looked out of place in A&E on a Friday night, this was a very fine performance by those players fit enough to play.
Suffering from what sounded like an awful smokers cough, Kyle dragged his weary body across the white line and provided everyone with moment after moment of great skill and energy. One run in the second half ended with a beautiful drop of the shoulders and a fierce shot that the Stevenage goalkeeper did well to push out for a corner.
During the warm up Adam also went down injured, and even though he bravely took to the field, he was struggling throughout. Without a regular midfield, Jordan dropped back into unfamiliar territory and ran his socks off, not only harrying and tackling, he gave Lucas two passes of real quality that split open the Stevenage defence and could have seen the Yellows two up at half time. To his immense credit, Lucas never dropped his head and continued to play a great line along the opposition defence, and gave them lots to think about through out the match.
Both the wide men played a key part today. Chris and Fenton were a constant threat going forward and a constant presence in defence. Several times, Sir Charles went on a foraging run, and every time he did, there was Chris dropping back to cover for him. And Fenton was great again today. Ignore the mistimed tackle, Fenton, we know you were trying to get the ball.
The first half really belonged to the Yellows. Their superior passing and movement should have been converted into goals, but Stevenage are a well organised football side, and even though they were denied the opportunity to play by the Yellows superior first half performance, they should be credited for sticking at it even when things weren’t going well for them.
Josh also had a fine match and had to work twice as hard as normal as his regular midfield partners headed for the increasingly large sick bench. Even Caspar found time to join them, having tenaciously closed down the opposition defence at every opportunity, he got a nasty kick to the ankle which will see him miss next weeks game.
Oli was great again today. His calmness in defence is something all players should aspire to. He’s always there, in the right place, nicking the ball off an attacker and crucially finding a pass to a team-mate. Sam also made several fine stops today and even took upon himself to leave his area to rob an attacker of the ball. His kicking from the hand was much improved today. Ryan F found himself playing in several positions, and had to play with a painful injury through the last ten minutes.
But the biggest performances of the day were the two centre backs, Ryan G and Michael B. Both of them were immense and their covering, tackling, and passing were first class. The more they play together, the better they get.
And then, right at the last, Stevenage got a lucky break just outside the area, got in behind a tiring defence and scored their goal. And you can’t take anything away from them. They play the game the right way and they took their chance. Had we done the same, the score would definitely have been in our favour.
But the football Gods have given us a chance to put things right when we play them at home next weekend.
And thanks as ever to Stevenage Town Youth for their wonderful hospitality, along with their lovely bacon rolls.
Only one question remains. Who was the mystery woman who bought Terry a cup of tea at half time? Answers on an e-card to courland@dircon.co.uk. To the funniest answer, a cup of tea and a hot beverage of your choice at next weeks game. Hey!! You can’t get much better than that.
Joint Man of The Match – Ryan G and Michael B .
Herts FA County Cup 4th Round.
Yellows 3 v 2 Buntingford Cougars
The Yellows progressed to the quarter-finals of the County Cup after a highly competitive encounter at St Christopher’s School. On a beautifully prepared pitch, both sides rose to the occasion and provided those lucky enough to be watching with an entertaining match packed full of fine passages of play from both sides. There were quality performances all over the pitch and the game was played in an exemplary spirit.
Bias as I may be, I have to say that Letchworth were quickest out of the blocks, with the midfield trio of Adam, Kyle, and Lucas providing plenty of penetration for Alex and Jordan up front. And with Charlie and Oli both immense in the tackle and providing quality ball to the midfield, this looked like being the day when everything was going to click into place.
Several times, the Yellows went close, and when the goal finally came, it was one of real quality. A sweet through ball by Adam in the centre of the pitch, found Alex who twisted the defence one way then the other and then back again before slotting it past the goalkeeper to make it 1-0.
Lucas also went close in the first period, but a great reply by Buntingford put them level. Apologies to the player because he deserves a name check, but he took a ball wide out left cut back and shot high past Sam with what looked like the outside of his foot. 1-1 at the break.
The Yellows started out the second half as they had in the first but disaster struck a few minutes later when Buntingford took the lead. Their number ten in midfield had been orchestrating some fine moves and the pressure began to tell. With the Yellows defence at sixes and sevens the goal was bound to come. For the next few minutes, the visitors piled on the pressure as their midfield took charge and Letchworth couldn’t get out of their own half.
But as with the visitors’ goal in the first half, the Yellows found something out of nothing and the scores were level once more. Caspar took a ball on the inside right and hammered a shot across the goalkeeper, who could only parry it into the path of Fenton who slotted it home to make it 2-2.
Buntingford weren’t ready to lie down yet and they still gave it everything in an attempt to win the tie, but with Michael and Ryan calmly taking charge in the middle of the defence and Oli continuing his fantastic first half display, it looked like the tie may go to extra time.
But back came the Yellows with one final foray into the Buntingford half. The ball came to Jordan who hit a lovely shot only for the ball to screw back off the post, and there was Fenton again, alert as ever, to slot the ball into the back of the net to give The Yellows a hard earned quarter final berth.
Both teams deserve enormous credit for playing the game in such a fine manner. So much of youth football seems to end up being nothing more than oversized ping-pong. Whenever they could, both teams passed from the back, played the ball along the ground, and worked their way up field with fine passing and tactical awareness.
And finally, we must thank St Chris for allowing us to use the pitch, and in particular to Paul Kelly and Alistair, the Head Groundsman at the school.
Man of the Match – Oli P Immense in the tackle and quality on the ball.
Match 11
Letchworth Yellows 3 - Melbourne Panther's 1
The Yellows continued their recent run of form by beating an improved Panthers team by three goals to one at Shepreth.
You'd never know Melbourne have failed to win a league game all season.
Their movement, passing, tackling, and sheer effort got the better of a poor first half performance by Letchworth. As such, it took a real second half burst by The Yellows to break free from their tireless opposition.
The first half was open and entertaining, with both teams creating good chances. The Yellows had their fair share with lots of good work coming down the right hand side, with good interplay between Fenton, Caspar, Jordan and Alex.
Lucas replaced Fenton on the right after about twenty minutes, and he also looked dangerous. Ryan G was ruthless as ever at the back as was his defensive partner, Michael B. But special mention should be reserved for Ollie who has come on so much of late. Several times, he shadowed players on the attack, before nicking the ball off them and distributing expertly up field.
For all their combined efforts, it looked like being scoreless at the break, but in the 28th minute Melbourne had the temerity to take the lead and a shock victory was on the cards.
But in the second half , The Yellows finally began to play to their potential and they started to put pressure on the opposition all over the pitch.
Chris found his feet and tormented the defence, Kyle started to run the midfield and push his attackers forward with some fine tackling and great distribution.
All the central midfielders deserve praise today. They worked much better as a unit than they have of late, covering each other well, and making it difficult for the opposition to find space in the middle of the park.
Caspar had a fine second half, and it was his skill that earned the Yellows a penalty ten minutes into the second half. Having been brought down once by a rugby tackle, he tried to continue goal-wards until a second foul sent him back to the turf. Up stepped Kyle to smack it hard and high into the net.
Credit is due to Melbourne, as it would have been very easy for them to drop their heads at this point but they stayed in the game, even as the pressure from The Yellows increased. A corner by Josh after fifteen minutes led Terry to shout "back post next time Josh." Another corner followed and this time Josh placed it exactly where Terry had instructed him to, and Chris headed it home, providing irrefutable proof that adults do indeed know best!!
Several chances then went begging before The Yellows wrapped up the game with a lovely burst out to the right by Jordan and a perfect pass across the front of the goal for Chris to hit home. Distance between his foot and the goal line, maybe six inches. The timing of the volley, priceless.
Man of the Match: Caspar - led the line well and provided some lovely lay offs for fellow strikers to attack.
Match 10
Bedwell Rangers 4 v Letchworth Yellows 0
After three weeks without a game, the Yellows were back in at the deep end with a tough game away to Bedwell Rangers. With a pitch that should have been declared unplayable, and a flag happy linesman, this was never going to be an easy game. And so it proved, with Bedwell running out deserved winners by four goals to nil.
This really was a game of two halves. For the first thirty minutes, we were entertained by two enterprising teams, determined to rise above the state of the pitch and play a match dominated by good passing, good movement, and some strong defending.
But a couple of minutes from half time, the game swung in Bedwell’s favour. As Sam went to claim a ball on the edge of his area, it stopped dead in the mud, and left Sam stranded as a Bedwell player collected the ball and slotted it into the net. Soon after, a lovely ball by Kyle was met first time by Jordan who struck a crisp shot just wide.
As the teams turned for the second half, this was anyone’s game, but the sun that had made defending for Letchworth so difficult in the first half disappeared behind the clouds as the referee restarted the game. And out on the left wing, poor Chris was hampered by a furrow of mud so deep along his touchline that he looked like he was playing beneath the surface of the pitch! Still he battled on bravely, but it’s such a shame that a creative player such as Chris has to play on such a poor surface.
Ten minutes into the second half Bedwell scored another fortunate goal and effectively put an end to the Yellows’ chance of getting back into the match. Still, we saw several nice moves through the midfield to Josh out wide on the right end with Jordan and Caspar being unfairly flagged for offside just as they moved into threatening positions. Where did the idea that attackers would get the benefit of the doubt go!!
But with Bedwell scoring their third and fourth goals in quick succession the game simply drew to its unfortunate conclusion.
It was a disappointing start to the year, but praise needs to be heaped on Ryan G and Man of the Match Michael B. They were superb today and none of the goals could be attributed to them.
In fact all the defenders played well today, but unless the central midfielders ahead of them learn some discipline then no matter how hard the defenders defend or the strikers run, the Yellows are going to struggle.
I don’t know how many Letchworth goal kicks came straight back at them because there were no midfielders occupying the central part of the pitch. They’ve got great defenders behind them, and some real talent ahead of them, but unless they stick to their part of the pitch, there will be troubled times ahead!
And one final plea to the team to take into the New Year. If you beat a man and the players ahead start to make a run, release the ball and the runner. I don’t know how many times I saw a striker set off expecting ball to be played through, only to turn round disappointed to watch a midfielder go through their repertoire of tricks before losing either the momentum of the move or worse still, the ball.
Man of the Match – Michael B. Superb.
Herts FA County Cup Round Three
Hemel Aces 5 v Letchworth Yellows 5 (AET)
YELLOWS WIN ON PENALTIES!
Three superb saves by Sam helped The Yellows to victory in this thrilling county-cup tie on penalties.
As the game ended 5-5 after extra time, Sam stepped up and showed us what a fine shot stopper he is. It’s totally to his credit that Hemel failed with every penalty, while The Yellows made sure of the result by dispatching their shots with confident aplomb.
On the smallest pitch they’ve played on all season, The Yellows struggled to impose themselves on a team that they should have beaten in normal time. But great credit is due to our hosts, Hemel Aces, who twice fought back from two goal deficits to take this game all the way.
For a game that ended with such drama, the first twenty minutes had so little quality to it that a goal, any kind of goal, would have been a welcome distraction. A minute or so later, we got one, and what a goal it was. A lovely lay off from Alex found Adam about twenty five yards out. A couple of seconds later, it passed by the Hemel goalkeeper faster than Santa on his sleigh to make it 1-0 to the Yellows. And before half time, a great run by Alex gave him a scoring opportunity which he confidently despatched to make it 2-0 to the Yellows.
As the second half started, it was clear that The Yellows had switched off, and within a few minutes this lack of concentration saw Hemel get two quick goals in succession. In an immediate response, Terry pushed Caspar up front alongside Jordan, and within minutes Caspar ended a jinking run with a fine left footed strike and The Yellows were back in front. Clearly thinking he’d scored the winner, Caspar entertained us with one of the season’s strangest celebrations. It was half James Brown, half MC Hammer. How I wish, I’d had a video camera to hand.
Five minutes later, the game was surely wrapped up by a fabulous free kick from Kyle to make it 4-2. But back came Hemel and in as many minutes they scored twice and extra time was upon us.
In the first half of extra time things went from bad to worse when Hemel took the lead for the first time in the match. As Terry tried to cajole the team at half time, it looked very much like a lost cause as The Yellows looked like a team who’d already lost.
But you write this team off at your peril, and somehow they managed one more huge effort in the last period of extra time. All the team deserve a mention for their desire as time ebbed away, but it was Jordan who brought his team level with a well-deserved goal to take the game to penalties.
So a cup-tie of epic proportions ended with The Yellows progressing to the next round at the expense of our hosts who never gave up the fight. But as we move into the Xmas and New Years break, I hope never to witness a linesman embark upon the type of verbal threats made against Terry during this match. If a linesman can’t handle his decisions being questioned, as is bound to happen, then he shouldn’t be given the flag. There may come a time when the only option is for coaches and supporters to be mute at youth football, which would be a shame, but is surely preferable to the kind of language that came out of the linesman’s mouth today.
So congratulations to The Yellows. You never gave up and you got your reward in the end.
Man of the Match: Penalty Hero Sam, who else!!!!
Yellows 2 Buntingford Cougars 1
At the end of a depressing week for English football, two young teams showed us the reason we love this game. In an evenly matched and entertaining encounter, The Yellows eventually came out on top thanks to a lovely Lucas strike just minutes from time. But for the most part, the match was a fast flowing game that hung in the balance right until the end.
For the Yellows, the match started in a perfect fashion. Quick to the ball, with great movement and passing, it looked as if The Yellows would have an easy victory. And within ten minutes, you would have placed a handy bet on a home win. A peach of a pass from Kyle inside the right hand side of the Buntingford defence saw a fine run by Fenton result in a sharp shot and a goal for the home side.
But for the rest of the first half, The Yellows seemed content to sit back and enjoy their lead, which is a disastrous thing to do in football. Where Buntingford had been edgy, they became confident. Where the Yellows had been sharp, they became sloppy. And a few minutes from the end of the half, Buntingford were level. Sloppy defending out on the right allowed a Buntingford player to push behind the Yellows retreating defence. A smart cross and the ball was pushed beyond Sam in goal.
All square, and all to play for. As the Buntingford players awaited for The Yellows to return to the pitch you could see they had the belief to win this match. And for a good portion of the half, they created enough movement in midfield to do so. But yet again, Ryan G as magnificent in the centre of defence. With Michael B, his able Lieutenant at his side, and with Sam solid behind them, they were determined to let nothing pass them by. Chunks also had a very strong second half today. Several times, he brought attacks down his flank to a halt, and his distribution was excellent.
Up ahead of him, Chris was at his tireless best. I lost count of how many tackles he made, and he was a constant threat with the ball at his feet. And in one five minute passage of play, Kyle showed us how much running is expected of a midfielder. He was up and down the pitch so much I thought he was going to collapse. But he just aimed a comedic verbal volley in our direction and off he went again.
But as a draw seemed more and more likely, and as Terry nervously paced the touchline, a ball was played over the Buntingford defence and there was that goal from Lucas to give The Yellows the three points. No easy victory, but well deserved from a group of young players who could show the ones lucky enough to wear an England shirt a thing or two when it comes to determination and passion.
Man of the Match Michael B
Cheerio Mr Mclaren, you will not be missed.
Herts FA County Cup – Round 2
Yellows 3 v Watford Youth Sports 0
On a bitterly cold and windy morning at Pixmore, The Yellows progressed to Round Three of the County Cup beating Watford Youth Sports by three goals to nil.
The wind was always going to be a contributing factor in this match, and so it proved. Much of the first half consisted of two teams struggling to cope with the conditions. And with the wind behind them, it was the visitors who had the only real chances of the first half, unluckily striking the woodwork twice in the first half. You had to feel for them today. If either of those goals had gone in, the result may well have been different.
But apart from those two incidents, there was so little play of any significance that the page on my notebook was completely blank, apart from the fact that we played a 4-4-2 formation!
But in the second half, with the wind behind The Yellows, the tide slowly turned in their favour. The first goal was an unfortunate deflection off a Watford defender, but it came as a result of some good Letchworth pressure, and a smart shot from Lucas. No one wants to see a young defender suffer, so I’ll give the goal to Lucas.
The second and third goals should be attributed to Wednesday night training. The Yellows possess a number of very skilful individuals, but the tendency to try and win a match single-handed often works against them. Today, we saw the benefit of players’ skilfully making quick passes into space for a player to run onto and score. Really simple. Really direct. Really difficult to defend against.
Twenty minutes into the second half, Kyle took possession of a ball in midfield, looked up, saw Fenton out on the right and played a beautifully weighted pass into space behind the defence. Fenton, quick as ever, latched onto the ball and one touch later it was in the back of the net.
About five minutes later, Caspar took a ball in a similar position and deftly passed to Josh, who saw Caspar moving for the return and placed another peach of a pass behind the defence for Caspar to latch onto and score. Game over.
Two moments from the training pitch. From first pass to goal no more than twenty seconds. The best bits of attacking football played all season.
Other players worthy of mention include another superb performance from Sam in goal. Buoyed by the experience of working with a goalkeeping coach for the first time, Sam made several saves at the feet of Watford players, and he should be commended for his first clean sheet of the season. Fenton also deserves another mention. If his confidence levels matched his ability, there would be no stopping him. But with every game, he shows us more and more what a talent he is. Ryan F also showed what a player he can be on his day. Blessed with a strong right boot, he is now realising he can use his strength not only to beat players, but find a team mate with a neat pass or a ball over an opposition defence playing high up the pitch.
And at the heart of everything good as usual was Man of the Match Ryan G. Several times he kept Watford attackers at bay. His positioning and his tackling just get better and better. Well done Ryan.
So the Yellows progress in the County Cup, and if they learn from today’s second half goals then more success will follow. And commiserations to Watford Youth. An early start, a miserable day, and a loss can’t have been the happiest of Sunday’s but they played their part and were very unfortunate not to get on the score sheet.
Match 8
Melbourne Panthers 2 v Yellows 7
A brace apiece for strikers Jordan and Caspar led to a well-deserved first victory in the league this season for the Yellows. With goals also coming from midfielders Josh, Kyle, and Fenton, this was a game that has been a long time coming.
But to their credit, Melbourne never gave up, and for a team that has lost so many of their best players since last season they played a very positive part in a highly entertaining encounter at Shepreth.
On an otherwise gloomy day some of the Yellows play really deserves credit. But there is still much to do if they are to compete with teams higher up the league. But let’s enjoy the taste of victory while we can and give the boys credit for their attitude today and over the past few weeks.
The surprise package of the day was definitely Danny. Thanks to his fathers desire to take the trip to Melbourne via his old University in Cambridge, Danny missed the warm up completely, but he was a revelation today, tackling well, and distributing good, clean ball from his midfield position. So no need for warm ups Danny. Whatever works for you is fine by us if you carry on playing like that!
Rumour has it that Michael has been utilising the services of Buntingford’s top sports psychologist over the past couple of weeks, and it’s clearly paying off. On several occasions, our dependable central defender popped up on the right wing doing a creditable impression of Lionel Messi, not only bamboozling the opposition defenders, but also doing it at pace. I don’t know where the extra speed has come from, but it’s a fantastic addition to his game.
And the physio department has also worked miracles over the past week bringing back Ryan G well before expected. I think we can proudly boast the most innovative medical team in the league.
Ryan F took up where he left off last week, and Lucas continues to impress up front. But today’s heroes have to be the midfielders.
Although Adam clearly thinks a running feud with Terry makes the game more entertaining to watch, he still managed to engage in several fine passages of play. And as vocally impressive as he is skilful, Josh also had a fine game, continually fighting for the ball, space, and the chance to go on another foraging run up field.
But special praise must go to Kyle who played his best game of the season, although you’d never know it if you listened to him berate himself every time the tiniest error came into his game. Not to be outdone in this department, Caspar did a good impression of someone threatening to resign from life altogether, either side of scoring two goals and almost grabbing three more. The pair of them should form some sort of society. They could meet after training and discuss how to get over not being perfect on the football pitch. It is tough but it is one of the downsides of being human!!
But the two wide men of the team, Chris and Fenton both deserved their joint man of the match award, not least for staying out wide. Because that is where they do most damage. Fenton was a real live wire today, and it was great to see him get on the score sheet near the end of the game. And Alex in midfield, and Ollie and Chunks in defence also chipped in with fine performances. And how nice for Sam to see the opposition keeper picking the ball out of the net for a change.
So, well done boys, a good day at last, and thoroughly deserved.
Man of the Match was jointly awarded to Chris and Fenton for their superb play, although I have to say someone else got my vote simply because he added another dimension to his game today, something never seen on planet Jordan, the fine art of the assist. Yes, you read it here first. Like a London bus, you wait a lifetime and then three of them come along all in one game.
Yellows 0 v Bishop’s Stortford Town 5
League Cup.
A disappointing day for the team, but congratulations to Bishop’s Stortford on a fine display of football. The good news for the Yellows is that they refused to let their heads drop, and in every game they play, I see signs of improvement from all the players.
It’s never easy learning while you lose boys, but if you stick at it, I’m absolutely sure you will start winning some football matches. You should be proud of your desire and commitment. I know I speak for every one of the parents when I say how proud we are to watch you working your socks off every time you cross that white line.
All the players deserve credit today, but I think Sam deserves more than most. It’s not easy being a goalkeeper and it’s not a lot of fun being one when you’re losing. I know he won’t be enjoying his season a great deal, but Sam never gives up, never shirks his duties, and he never blames those around him. He deserves a medal, or maybe a couple of tickets to a Chelsea game for his efforts. I’ll have a word with the team sponsors.
Ollie continued his good form of late and Danny again showed us how well he can defend against very good opposition. Ryan Fells, deputizing for Ryan Gillham, did himself proud today. He tackled well and he’s never scared of putting his boot through the ball to give the strikers something to chase.
But Man of the Match has to be Ollie. As Terry said to your roving reporter after game “ I thought he was outstanding today, he held up attackers,
showed them away from goal and tackled and cleared very well.” Well done Ollie. There’s a bottle of champagne in the post.
But there is one lesson the players must take from today PLAY TO THE REFEREES WHISTLE. IF HE DOESN’T BLOW IT, KEEP PLAYING UNTIL HE DOES. At the same time, simply ignore any players involved in Drogba-esque histrionics. They should be ignored and left to their own embaressment.
The Yellows have endured a very steep learning curve over the past few weeks, and have had to play all the top teams in quick succession. This was our third game against the same Stortford team.
And just in case you thought this learning curve is a little painful, imagine how you’d feel if you had spent the whole of your life playing the game, and still said things as painfully stupid as the quotes below:
“Michael Owen has got the legs of a salmon” Craig Brown, Scotland Manager and part time poet.
“I've had 14 bookings this season, 8 of which were my fault, but 7 of which were disputable", that great mathematician, Paul Gascoigne.
“When you're 4-0 up you should never lose 7-1" Laurie Mcmenemy, Southampton manager and another one who can’t count for toffee.
"A game is not won until it is lost" David Pleat, Spurs manager and no Einstein.
In a year's time, he's a year older" Bobby Robson. Former manager of England and part time statistician.
And not to be outdone, here is an absolute gem from one of the greatest players of our time, the boy genius David Beckham “Alex Ferguson is the best manager I've ever had at this level. Well, he's the only manager I've actually had at this level. But he's the best manager I've ever had"
So boys, keep working, keep learning, but most of all have fun and keep your sense of humour. As footballers, you’re going to need it.
Match 7
Letchworth Yellows 0 – Letchworth Blues 7
Terry got a good idea of how much work the Yellows need to do if they are going to progress in this league. Playing their neighbours, the Blues, was never going to be easy and so it proved.
It may be unfair to other teams in the league to say the Blues are the best there is, but they gave the Yellows a little lesson in football today. The important thing for the boys and their coaching staff is to take form the game what they can, move on, and work on the areas of their game where they are currently struggling.
The game started well enough for the Yellows as they matched the Blues for effort and commitment, something they can never be accused of lacking.
Early play by Chris on the wing, Ryan G in defence, and Jordan up front, all gave the Yellows supporters hope that they could compete against the Blues. But an early injury to Kyle Males meant that Terry had to change the shape of the team much earlier than he would have liked.
In hindsight, which is a marvellous thing sitting at home writing this on a computer, it may have been better to leave Jordan leading the line, where his strength and commitment is far better suited. But his gutsy performance last week encouraged Terry to have him drop back into a part of the field he’d rather avoid!
But at around ten minutes, the game changed for the worse for the Yellows. Just by watching the Blues style of play, encouraged by a strong following wind, the midfielders and defenders should have known to close down the opposition much much quicker. The first two of the Blues goals came from players with good, strong feet being given far too much time on the ball. The resulting goals knocked the stuffing out of the Yellows, and for the rest of the match they were playing catch up.
As the half progressed certain players started to find their feet and there were glimpses of good play by the Yellows but when they had the ball they seemed to lack enough composure to really use it. 2-0 at the changeover would have been a creditable performance, but it was not to be.
A couple of minutes before half time, the game was as good as over when the Blues earned a penalty which was converted to make it 3-0.
With the wind behind them, the Yellows hoped to peg back the Blues in the second half, but this just didn’t happen. By sticking to 4-5-1, Caspar was isolated up front, and however hard the midfield trio of Adam, Josh, and Jordan tried, they just couldn’t get enough good ball to him.
Danny McCarthy deserves a lot of praise as he played his best game of the season. He tackled well, he passed well, and he kept his concentration for every minute he was on the pitch. Keep playing like this Danny, because your team needs you to perform like that every week.
And if any of the Yellows want a lesson in how to play football they only had to watch (the Blues midfielder) Luke Shimell’s performance today. He never held onto the ball for more than a few seconds, putting players into space with one good pass after another, and the moment he released the ball, he was off searching for another bit of space to receive a pass.
But as with every game they play, the Yellows continue to show glimpses of what they are capable of. They just need to keep working hard, learn from every match they play, and raise their game to the same standards as the teams around them. And how better to do that than by knocking Bishops Stortford out of the League Cup next weekend.
MATCH 6
KNEBWORTH WILDCATS 4 V LETCHWORTH YELLOWS 0
For the second week running, the Yellows gifted their hosts a three-goal lead. Whatever, it takes, they need to find a level of sufficient intensity before the game starts or they are going to be playing catch up all season.
The game began with the Yellows in a 4-5-1 formation with Jordan up front on his own. And within two minutes he’d laid off a lovely ball to Alex cutting in from the right to shoot just wide.
But then the Yellows just stood back and watched Knebworth take a three-goal lead. Nice movement and passing from the Wildcats, nothing from the Yellows. Twenty minutes in and a drubbing was on the cards. But then the Yellows decided to give it a go and give it a go they did. Jordan dropped into midfield and Caspar came into the game as the lone striker.
And with just a few minutes of the half left the Yellows went toe to toe with Knebworth, and surprise surprise, they didn’t like it one bit. One highlight was a gut busting tackle from Jordan that showed Knebworth that the Yellows finally meant business.
The second half belonged almost entirely to the Yellows. The biggest improvement came in the shape and attitude of the midfield. Adam came back into the game, Kyle put a games worth of effort into half and hour, Josh continued to harry and battle, and Jordan, Fenton, and Alex all made telling contributions.
One word of constructive criticism must be levelled at all of them though. By all means, beat the first man, and if you must, beat the second. But you must get in the habit of making a pass before the third. Release the ball and the runners. I don’t know how many times I saw a great bit of play come to absolutely nothing through a midfielder not releasing the ball quick enough.
At the fulcrum of everything that was good in the second half was Caspar. He followed Terry’s instructions to the letter. Time after time, he held the ball with two or three Knebworth players snapping at his heels, unable to get the ball from him. And when he got into space, he was a constant threat. In one splendid move half way through the second half he rose high in the air, clipped the ball over the Knebworth keeper and shot at goal, only to see his efforts cleared off the line by a Knebworth defender.
Another star of the second half was Ollie. He’s such an unassuming young lad, but he played his heart out in the second half today. He tackled, he blocked, and he never gave up. His concentration never wavered. He provided a lesson for the other midfielders in fact. Tackle, move, a quick look up, and a pass to a team-mate. Simple and effective, and immediately putting the opposition on the back foot.
Sam also made several good saves again today and was desperately unlucky not to save the only goal of the second half to make it 4-0 to Knebworth.
And you only had to listen to the ever-increasing anxiety in the voice of the Knebworth coach to know how well the Yellows played in the second half.
So boys, read this and read it well. Its time to get stuck in from the first whistle, or you’re in danger of becoming a registered charity. Stop treating the pre-match warm up as a bit of a laugh and realise it’s there to get you focussed for the battle ahead. Whatever it takes, get yourself into gear before the match starts and not thirty minutes into it.
Man of the Match: Caspar – stuck to the task in hand for every minute he was on the pitch, and with a little bit of luck would have scored.
MATCH 5
Bishops Stortford Town (U12) 3 v Yellows (U12) 2
It’s the wonderful thing about football. It doesn’t matter whether you play professionally or as a youth, the game is basically the same. So I turned to a national newspaper to help me out with this weeks report. The game I chose was Leeds United v Leyton Orient. It ended 1-1. No controversy there surely. Well, read on. The Leeds manager, Dennis Wise, said “we had some luck today” after their draw with Orient. The Orient manager, Martin Ling, had a different opinion “I’ve spoken to defenders, stewards and fans, and they all agree the ball was clearly over the line” fumed Ling. Sound familiar to what we saw today!!!. You bet. Chuck in “yours truly” being shamed for voicing a quite polite opinion of the refereeing, and you might as well have been at Elland Road watching the professionals!
And all the while, two really good sides played the game in a spirited but very fair manner. The one thing we can all agree on, it was a very exciting game to watch.
The first ten minutes belonged to the Yellows. With Fenton’s great work from last week continuing down the right, and Adam putting in a real captain’s performance in midfield, this looked like a game for the taking. But then the Yellows were caught napping and in no time they were 3-0 down. All avoidable goals, but in this division they are learning that you get punished for your mistakes.
Then a remarkable thing happened. Terry’s half-time team talk concentrated on self-belief and on closing down the opposition and not letting them play unimpeded. And out came the Yellows and played the best competitive football I’ve ever seen them play. I hope this turns out to be a real coming of age for them. They were giants, every one of them. They battled, they closed down the opposition, they tackled, and when they had the ball, they used it intelligently. The second half belonged to them completely, and a win was not beyond them.
I think it’s unfair to mention individuals for such a collective effort, but you’ll have to excuse a couple of name checks. Ryan Gillham was again outstanding in defence. He even shocked his Dad a couple of times who didn’t realise how agile he can be. Second up is Fenton. He was fantastic yet again. Now he’s realised he is good enough, he’s showing us what a lovely player he is. And then there was a heroic performance by the captain, Adam. He came flying out of his shell today and dominated the midfield. He broke up play, he put his body on the line, he passed well, and he hit three amazing free kicks. The first two came from fouls on Caspar, cleverly tempting the Stortford defenders to impede him. Up stepped Adam and hit a great shot, which was angled in to the far post and found the head of an unfortunate Stortford defender. 3-1.
The second free kick was another beauty, this one found Josh lurking to head it past the goalkeeper. 3-2.
And now the pressure was all Letchworth. Yet again, their determination resulted in a free kick just outside the area. Adam hit another beautiful free kick over the defence, bouncing off the stanchion and down and over the line and into the keeper’s hands. But as the Letchworth half of the crowd celebrated, the referee decided the ball had not crossed the line, and the game continued. So if you choose to read Martin Ling’s words again, feel free to do so.
With time running out the Yellows pushed forward again, but they were denied the point they deserved for their second half performance.
And despite the disappointment, this game could well be a turning point in their season. The Yellows have finally understood what a bit of passion and controlled aggression can do for them. If they continue to play in this way, then their undoubted talents will surely bring them success.
Man of the Match – Adam, his best performance by far this season and magnificent in midfield.
Yellows 7 v Nascot Wood Rangers Youth F.C. U12 Red 0
Herts County Cup
A simple enough victory with the Yellows denied a much bigger win by a very brave Nascot goalkeeper, helped by several players shooting right at him, rather than take advantage of the full size goal.
Nascot should also be praised for trying to play a good passing game for the whole match, and they continued in this vain right to the final whistle, denied several scoring opportunities by Sam's excellent keeping, and some lovely, intelligent defending from Michael and Ryan G.
The first goal took a while to come, with one particularly good left foot cross from Caspar finding Chris to volley just over. But after eleven minutes, the reward for some good passing play came, with Chris placing a lovely shot past the keeper from the edge of the area. Four minutes later, Caspar broke free down the left, took it to the edge of the area and hit a fierce shot, which was parried away by the keeper, only for Caspar to shoot back across the keeper with his left.
2-0.
The third goal came from a lovely pass from midfield over the Nascot defence with Caspar taking it on his left and volleying over the keeper. And with a few minutes left of the half, Fenton finally had the confidence to attack a defence, and his speed and control started to create Nascot all sorts of problems.
The second half became a personal battle by Lucas to get his first goal for the Yellows. Several times, he was through on goal only to be denied by the keeper, but he never gave up, although when Jordan broke free from a lovely Fenton run and pass to score the fourth, I did wonder whether Lucas might have to wait another week or so for his goal. But finally it came with a Caspar header finding Lucas inside the area and through on goal, which he finished off with a lovely shot into the Nascot net. I¹ve never seen a team celebrate a goal with such enthusiasm, but it says a lot for Lucas¹s attitude and the teams spirit that they celebrated as they did.
And before you could blink, Fenton had made another great on the right and Lucas had another goal to celebrate. Leading into the final minutes of the game, Fenton completely bamboozled the Nascot defence with his flight of foot. He deserved a goal for his efforts today, but he was the making of so much down the right that he can be very proud of his efforts today.
Hopefully today will kick start his season.
Both Lucas and Caspar had chances for their hat trick, but it was Josh who finished off the game with a fine individual effort to make the final score 7-0.
Man of the Match LUCAS fantastic attitude when it didn¹t work out, and the biggest smile seen on the pitch this year when it did.
Match 4
Yellows 1 Bedwell Rangers 1
The Yellows and Bedwell Rangers shared the spoils in a very entertaining match at Pixmore. Unfortunately, the game was delayed for thirty minutes near the end by a serious injury to the Bedwell player, Robert Shaw. Both teams showed us adults how to behave as they gave him their generous applause as he left the pitch in an ambulance. From all of us at Letchworth, we hope his injury is not too serious, and we wish him well.
On with the action.
The first few minutes of the game weren¹t the most promising from a Letchworth point of view. Two very quick attacks from Bedwell showed the Yellows that they would have to raise their game to stay in the match. And with the Yellows midfield failing to hold their shape, the Bedwell number 14 soon found himself in enough space to launch a beautiful shot into the top corner of the Letchworth net.
But this was the springboard for the Yellows to buckle down and fight their way back into the game. Several times excellent pressure from Caspar, Jordan, Fenton, and Chris led to chances being created by the Yellows. And slowly, the Yellows midfield started to gain in confidence and the game became a very tight contest indeed.
Throughout the first half Bedwell kept attacking with every opportunity but the excellent Ryan G was tireless in defence and looked like an absolute walk over for man of the match. And close to the end of the half, the Yellows found their excellent play getting the reward it deserved. A lovely chip over the Bedwell defence by Adam was spotted by Alex and dispatched with aplomb into the Bedwell net. 1-1.
With half time over, and Terry¹s (or should we call him Rafa!) rotational policy in full flow, the team produced the best spell of football ever seen from them. The passing between midfield and attack led to several chances being created.
With no disrespect to Bedwell, the Yellows should have wrapped up the match at this stage. Several chances went begging, but the positives of the style of play that created these chances far outweigh the lack of goals. Olly, Alex, and Lucas all had opportunities to score - which were saved or missed, but it was their willingness to get into the right positions following great passing play by them and their teammates that we should praise.
They all played an excellent part in today¹s game, and should be congratulated. And a left footed volley from a corner by Kyle deserves special mention. It missed by the width of a lick of paint, and would have been a contender for goal of the season had it not gone over.
But Bedwell should be praised for not giving in and they had another great spell when the game shifted back their way. Only this time they had Sam in imperious form in goal. Two saves were top class, one from point blank range, excellently pushed over the bar. And some excellent defending by Danny out on the right repelled several Bedwell attacks.
But with Michael injured, and the ever improving Ryan Fells filling in at centre back, Terry brought Caspar and Jordan back on, and it seemed like a matter of time before a goal came. And that, unfortunately, was when the injury to Robert Shaw happened. Unlike their professional counterparts, when a youth player stays down for more than a minute or so, you know something is wrong. And so it proved.
After a lengthy delay, the excellent referee, Warren Shimell, restarted the match with six minutes left on the clock. The final score could have been 3-3, but both goalies played their part in denying their opposition attackers.
Another excellent match, and from a Letchworth point of view another big step in their first season in the top flight. As I said, the first half performance by Ryan G made him a shoe in for Man of the Match. That was until those fantastic saves by Sam. Sorry Ryan.
Man of the Match Sam. Goalkeeping of the highest standard.
Game 3
Buntingford Cougars 2 v Letchworth Yellows 2
The Yellows rediscovered some of last year¹s form but had to settle for a point after a thrilling encounter at the home of Buntingford Cougars. And with two disallowed goals, another missed penalty, and more chances created in this game than in the past 120 minutes, this was a game they should have won at a canter.
Quick off the mark, the Yellows were full of positive energy, but it was Buntingford who took the lead shortly after five minutes. With the hard pitch causing the ball to bounce high over defenders, the Yellows defence was caught out and it was 1-0 to Buntingford.
But the spirit the Yellows displayed last season was back in abundance, and along with some quality play from Chris, Josh, and Kyle supporting Jordan and Lucas up front, it was only a matter of time before the Yellows drew level. And so it was. A lovely run by Chris on the left, a quick look up, and a beautiful through ball to Jordan made it 1-1. Finally, the boys putting Terry¹s drills into practice and having belief in their ability to move and pass.
But just before the half ended, Buntingford went back into the lead. Sloppy tackling, sorry boys there is no other word for it, by three different players let the Buntingford player in on goal to make it 2-1.
Turning into the wind for the second half, The Yellows completely dominated the play with attack after attack on the Buntingford goal.
Some of the highlights included a Josh header against the crossbar from a corner, a Chris header against the post from a lovely Caspar corner, a run through midfield by Kyle that ended in a sweet volley from Alex, a lovely run from Adam leading to a mazy dribble from Josh that almost led to a goal, and several scrambled clearances that should have seen The Yellows well ahead.
Buntingford had a couple of moments, but Sam was excellent in goal yet again. And halfway through the half it was Jordan Leech-Levy that brought Letchworth level with a lovely crisp strike.
More fine movement and passing midfield and attackers almost led to more goals. Others worthy of praise include Ryan Fells, using his strength to break up play, and moving it forward again with several fine passes.
The Yellows had another chance to take the lead when Caspar was harshly judged to have fouled the goalkeeper for Chris to put the ball in the net.
And then a foul in the box led to a penalty that Josh placed beautifully, only to see a fine save from the Buntingford keeper push it wide.
A marked improvement in last week, and with a bit of belief back in the ranks, and their qualities shining through again, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Man of the Match Josh. Marshalled midfield excellently throughout.
Match 2 v Knebworth Wildcats
A mystery bug hit the Yellows this weekend, and it had a debilitating effect on their play, leading to missed tackles, little composure on the ball, and a lack of fighting spirit.
Up against a very good Knebworth side, they were a shadow of their normal selves, but provided that they recover from their malaise soon, they should be able to put this result to one side and get on with the rest of the season.
And despite being out of sorts there were moments near the end when the boys showed the kind of spirit they displayed last year. If they can take that into the next game, then they can get their season back on track.
On a good note, Jordan scored a great goal, unfairly claimed as offside by the opposition, and Sam was his usual brave self in goal, never letting his head drop and determined to the very end.
Man of the Match : Sam
Match One – RCFL Division 1
Yellows 2 v Bishops Stortford Town 3
First day out for the newly promoted Yellows against one of the leagues top teams from last year was always going to be a tough ask. But if the players had any doubts about their ability to compete at this level, then this game showed they have nothing to fear.
The game was played in a good spirit between two teams determined to play fast running football. And right until the final whistle, the result was still in doubt. Bishops Stortford have lost some key players to academies over the summer, but they showed themselves to be a very competent unit, quick on the break, and solid in defence.
A fine display by their goalkeeper was probably the difference between the two teams, especially in the first half.
The Yellows started the game in a very positive fashion and within the first two minutes Alex Garbas came very close by cleverly pulling away from his defender. On the other wing Christopher Moore was causing problems for Bishops Stortford in attack and his tracking back was an excellent feature of his play.
But it wasn’t until twenty minutes into the half that the first goal came. A free kick just outside the area was dispatched into the top right corner by Kyle Males. 1-0 Letchworth.
Before the half was out, Bishops Stortford were back in the game. Sam Luck made an excellent save but he couldn’t quite reach the ball before the Bishops Stortford player and a collision took place, which resulted in a penalty. 1-1 and half time.
The second half continued to bring opportunities for both teams. Sam Luck was predictably brave on several occasions and continued to control his penalty area for his team. Josh Galpy-Nelson started to get more and more into the game and the defence continued their sterling work of last year and excellent tackling and distribution by Charlie Smith Ryan Gillham, and Michael Bentley gave the Letchworth midfield an excellent base to work from.
About fifteen minutes in, Galpy-Nelson was brought down in the area and skipper Adam Morris stepped up to take the penalty, but unfortunately struck it right at the keeper. Penalty saved.
Seven minutes later and an excellent left footed strike put Bishops Stortford into the lead. However, the rules concerning injured players on the field of play continue to cause confusion. As Kyle Males lay injured on the pitch, a couple of Letchworth players clearly thought the game was going to be stopped, but it wasn’t. There needs to be consistency with this ruling or there are always going to be contentious goals like this. No matter, it was a very well taken goal.
But Letchworth weren’t finished yet, and three minutes later they were level after an Adam Morris cross was put into the net by an unlucky Bishops Stortford defender.
The game continued on a knife-edge with both sides coming close. But in the last minute, a free kick outside the Letchworth area was dispatched into the goal by Bishops Stortford. 2-3 the final score.
Both teams deserve great praise for an exciting match that went right to the wire. For Letchworth, there was disappointment, but there will be more to come from this team now they know they can compete at this level.
Man of the Match Christopher Moore