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Tuesday 7th September 2010
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Matches played Saturday 21st November 2009
Play for enjoyment first, improve later.
When new teams are formed, the hope is that the players immediately gel and a winning formula is the norm. Though this may happen on odd occasions, the reality is that teams struggle at first but slowly become a ‘team’ in the real sense of the word and results improve. The speed at which this happens can vary, but the key is for teams to stay focussed, and above all enjoy their football.
The Amateur League Division 2 match last Saturday at Pickering Park between the Duke of Wellington and Kingston Tigers was an example of a team coming through this process, and one starting out, having joined the league late to fill an unexpected vacancy, and therefore at an immediate disadvantage, but hoping to secure their first points of the season.
Kingston started the match looking increasing better organised than previously, pressing for the ball all over the park, and generally in control for the majority of the first half, with the back line lead by skipper Dave Broom holding the Duke forwards at bay which allowed the side’s younger players the chance to express themselves going forward, and both Thomas Rowbottom and Bobby Mills had excellent games in attack - which led more chance being created in one half than have been created in all Kingston’s previous games played this season.
Kingston’s efforts brought a deserved, if fortuitous reward, when Jason Stevens cleared goal wards from his right back position, and Rowbottom pressured the Duke keeper enough to distract him, and the 40 yard effort drifted over his head and into the net.
Kingston were looking capable of protecting their lead to the break but with little time remaining conceded a direct free kick just outside the area. It appeared that the Duke’s Willie Shaw had been practicing Geovanni style set pieces because his left foot delivery saw the ball nestle sweetly in the top right hand corner of the goal, with keeper Liam Pattison unable to get anywhere close.
The second half was hard fought, and with Kingston lacking substitutes to replace tiring legs, they conceded the ball more, but still that elusive first point was beckoning until the last minute of the game when Duke gained a corner and a thunderous strike by Adam Richardson flew in under the bar at the back post, to secure Duke a win which lifts them to a mid-table position.
Kingston finished with no reward this time, but the feeling is that the Tigers have found their feet and will push hard to perform as well again to secure that encouraging end product.
AFC Orchard are relative newcomers who have gradually gained in stature, and faced senior opposition in the League Junior Cup game in Spring Bank Tigers, but were forced to take the field with a much changed side due to a lengthy injury list.
With the forecasted rain holding off, the game got under way and Orchard took control as Chris Jopling and Jamie Lamplough gave the Tigers defence no time to settle, while Ray Edmundson pulled the strings in midfield.
The opening goal duly arrived when Lamplough set up Jopling, and within two minutes the pair had combined again as Lamplough took the ball down the left hand side from the halfway line, and squared a clever pass to Jopling, who, for the second time made no mistake.
The Orchard defence were in a mean mood and the Tigers were restricted to long range efforts which failed to test keeper Paul Creasey.
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With a win seemingly in the bag, Orchard started to slow the game down, but Spring Bank never gave up and scored the goal of the game with a thunderous shot into top corner from Aso Hama Amen which gave the keeper no chance.
The effect of reducing the deficit, however, was for the Orchard team to close ranks and play the game out.
Current Junior Cup holders, Paull Wanderers, suffered a bad day at the office and crashed out of the competition to AFC West Hull B.
From the first whistle, Paull looked out of sorts and West Hull took full advantage, and although Paull looked the better footballing side, they did nothing to match the desire of their opponents, and West Hull stormed through to record a 5-3 success.
Goals from Paull’s Tommy Donnelly (2) and Terry Thompson extended their little scoring sequences, but both will hope for a better result this weekend when the sides clash again in a league match.
Cross Keys Cottingham produced an excellent first half performance against Pinefleet Wolfreton Reserves, dominating in all positions, and, after having one goal disallowed, Wayne Kirk opened the scoring, and this was soon followed by Adam Teeluck’s first goal for the club.
The second half continued the same way, with Keys having the upper hand, going into a three goal lead through Ollie Purcheon.
This almost proved to be a dangerous margin as Keys began to rest on their laurels, and in the last 15 minutes Pinefleet pulled two goals back, the second with five minutes remaining prompting a frantic finale.
Swiss Cottage RBL were probably apprehensive of the League Senior Cup draw against Eddie Beedle, knowing they were beaten 5-1 last time the teams met in the league and therefore faced a tough task.
Swiss held their own in the first half with both sides playing some good football and chances were created at both ends of the pitch, and half time arrived with the game level and scoreless.
Into the second half, and Swiss took the game to Beedle and had a couple of good chances but were thwarted by Beedle keeper Danny Hill, and then against the run of play Eddie Beedle took the lead with fine header from a corner.
Swiss responded on the hour when Mark Wood broke through the centre of the defence to hammer home the equalising goal.
The Beedle side were stung by this effrontery and upped their game and went back into the lead with a well taken goal, and then a mad 15 minutes in the Swiss defence saw a further three goals conceded which put the game well beyond them.
It had to happen!! AFC Preston have strung together a nice winning run, but they cannot rid themselves of their under-performing tag, and in their Premier Division game against Kingburn Athletic Reserves, they had one of those weeks when nothing went right - they could not put their foot on the ball or find any pass, let alone the right pass, despite having a team eminently capable of beating their opponents. But it’s goals that count, and though Preston felt every deflection and bounce fell luckily for Kingburn, Kingburn did not stand around and capitalised, and goals from Chris Lazenby and Chris Mackman-Dalby proved decisive.
Matches between Quaddy Rangers and Pinefleet Wolfreton are always competitive affairs, and it was ironic that Quaddy Rangers were without influential keeper Mark Foster who was serving a one week ban – the result of denying a goal scoring opportunity - from the team’s previous meeting in a tempestuous league cup tie.
Quaddy went into the game confident they could avenge their cup defeat, despite losing their main cutting edge in having to move centre forward Dave Bettney to stand-in keeper, but within 10 minutes their aspirations all changed when a stupid kick out by centre back Rich Wilcox reduced the side to ten men, leaving the side with a mountain to climb!
Quaddy did not let their heads drop and matched Pinefleet for long spells but went behind when Liam Stafford slipped the ball under keeper Bettney.
Still not to be deterred, Quaddy responded when Dwayne Grantley sent over a lovely cross to Mike Nagi who headed the ball home, and broke his recent goal drought, and the scores remained tied to half time.
A prior engagement meant Quaddy lost the services of Mike Thompson at halftime and a team re-jig was required, but still there was no let up in the effort put in by the team.
Pinefleet won a couple of corners in second half and Graham Waudby, on his return to action after injury, took advantage from one to restore his side’s lead, but still Quaddy put in the extra effort and created chances, preventing Pinefleet from ever being able to ease off, but strong defence ensured Pinefleet collected the points needed to enable the side to move back to the top of the league table.
Wilcox, meanwhile, regretted and apologised for his hot-headed actions both to Pinefleet and his team mates whom he realised he had let down once again.
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Match Reports
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24th April 2010
17th April 2010
10th April 2010
3rd April 2010
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