The Promise Of Youth Tuesday 4^th April 2006 ____________________________________________________________________

For once it was a sunny day. As we had so many and it was a tour game, we elected to play 8 v 8 and 30 minutes each way. We played both games at the same time so Maurice & Mark took charge of one game with Dick and Tom taking charge of the other. Joining us for the game were Luke Glover and Ryan Carreyett, and later Callum Churches!

Game 1 - The line up was:

Jamie

Jack Mark (Callum P)

Spike Josh Josef

Dan Joe

Rolling Subs: James & Callum C

Straight away Jamie was in the wars with a ball to the head, but he recovered and was able to carry on. Dan won the ball and went down the line before finding Joe and he shot, but it went for a corner. From the corner they cleared and the break was on. Jamie came out but the ball spilled loose and as their player was about to put it into an open net, Jack slid in and blocked it out for a corner. Josef made a great tackle and hit down the line for Joe, but he was crowded out. Andy had to watch both games for the Match Report and Photo’s, and had asked Steve Batt for the key moments. At this point he felt that Josh had been outstanding for the last 20 minutes of the game, even though only three had elapsed!!! They hit a powerful shot, which hit Jack and fell kindly into Jamie’s arms.

The ball then came loose in our area after they had attacked and a Weymouth forward buried it into the bottom right 1-0. From the kick, we lost possession and their player advanced five yards and blasted it again into the bottom corner giving Jamie no chance 2-0. After ten minutes, James made his entrance. He went straight into a tackle, the ball spun up, hit him in the nose, blood everywhere, James’ game over after less than ten seconds. This pitch now had no subs. Another melee led to a shot which beat Jamie but took Jack in the stomach and he was poleaxed, but he soon recovered. From the resulting corner, they rose highest to head the ball into the net 3-0. Joe was put through one on one with the ‘keeper. He did the intelligent thing and went around the ‘keeper and shot, only to find that two of their defenders had raced back and one got his foot to it. They attacked again and we cleared it but not far enough and the Weymouth player drilled it hard into the net, giving Jamie no chance 4-0.

At this point, Mark went across to the other pitch and Callum came over. Maurice pushed players forward to try to get a goal from a corner, but they broke quickly and Callum couldn’t stop two and they gave Jamie no chance 5-0. They went down the right and hit the ball from a very acute angle and it hit the stanchion, rebounded out and a Weymouth player was following up and gave Jamie no chance 6-0. They attacked and Callum, Jack and Jamie converged on the ball, but their attacker slid in and got his toe to it ahead of all three and it rolled into the net 7-0. They had a speculative shot, which Jamie seemed to have covered, but he must have taken his eye off of the ball and it rolled past him into the net at which point we heard "Oh Jamie!" No names mentioned Alex!

We attacked and Josh got injured, and at the time it looked like it might be the end of his game, so we grabbed Callum Churches from behind one of the goals, gave him James’ top and Mitchell Glover’s shinpads and on he went! The ball broke loose in the middle and from about 30 yards Callum P hit a strong shot, but the ‘keeper saved it. Callum C then won the ball and got it to Spike. Weymouth had left Dan and Joe on their own and Spike found Joe who took one touch and hit it hard and high, the result never really in doubt 7-1. They then had a high shot, which Jamie left (perfectly judged) and it flew over off of the crossbar. They won the ball back however and hit a rasping shot 8-1.

Dan defended well as they attacked, but it came loose, they beat Jamie, but Jack made another cracking goal-line clearance. They crossed it in and Jack headed clear very well and we were on a break, Josh through to Josef, through to Joe. He crossed in the middle to Spike who laid it off for Josh wide and he crossed back in, but they just got there ahead of Spike and it was cleared. They broke again and we were outnumbered 9-1.

Man of the Match – Chosen by Fran Glover for excellent play and continuous effort – Jack

Game 2 - The line up was:

Ryan

Mark (Callum P) Sam B

Jim Max Jordan

Luke A Sam K

Rolling Sub: Luke G

Andy asked Jon Bane to give him the salient points on this pitch as well, as he had to photograph. Sam B and Callum defended well and then Sam B went on a run forward and had a shot but it didn’t trouble the 8 foot 6 ‘keeper. Max went up for a ball, clashed his head and had to come off. He took no further part in the game. This pitch now had no subs. Sam K was put through and dived in as the ‘keeper came out and it was cleared, but Sam went down injured holding his back. Luckily he was able to recover and carry on.

Sam K then played a lovely ball forward to Luke G whose shot was saved onto the post and out. They then had a shot, slightly against the run of play which Ryan parried, but couldn’t hold onto and they reacted the fastest 1-0. Luke A ran well with the ball and he found Sam K, who in turn got it to Jim, but Jim’s touch took it just too far and the ‘keeper got it.

At this point, Callum went across to the other pitch and Mark came over. Their first attack of the half saw a rasping shot which beat Ryan, but he watched in relief as it hit the post and bounced out. Mark played a lovely ball forward and Sam K was through, but their ‘keeper really was massive and he came out and blocked. The ball rebounded loose and Jordan followed up with a high shot, but the ‘keeper had got back on his line and made the save. Jim was through on goal and went down under a tackle and stayed down. We assumed the ref’ would stop the match but he didn’t. The ball was cleared and Mark held off their attacker and as it came to Ryan, he seemed to be watching the ref’ and waiting for him to stop the game. Because of this, he took his eye off of the ball and it rolled through his legs 2-0.

Ryan kicked long which Luke A used to find Sam K wide, and from a very acute angle he found the side netting. Luke A won it and found Sam K, and he slid in Jim, but his shot was well saved by the ‘keeper. They attacked down the right and crossed hard, which Mark headed clear very well for a corner, although I’m not sure how much he knew about it! We then had a shot, but in the melee, their ‘keeper was able to claim the ball. They won a corner and a bit like Phil Neville for Everton against Liverpool a few weeks back, Jim dipped his head to try to clear but only succeeded in steering it inside Ryan at the near post 3-0. From the kick off, they won it and ran through, but Mark stood strong and made the clearance. Sam K won the ball wide and hit a high shot which the ‘keeper tipped over.

At this point Sam B picked up a knock and had to come off, leaving us to play the final minutes a man short. Weymouth had three shots in a row to which Ryan responded magnificently all three times, the last a diving save to concede a corner. A great kick from Ryan was controlled by Sam K and he passed wide to Jordan. Jordan then played it down the line to where Sam K had made the run and he crossed in for Luke A, but his shot rolled agonisingly wide.

More photos in the Gallery

The Weymouth team that beat us 3-0 beat the 9-1 winners twice this season! Nothing against Jamie, but that is what a ‘keeper two years more experienced can do! We were all proud of the way they battled, despite the scoreline and the mounting injuries. Well done to all who played.