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OLD CATTON v TAVERHAM - 4th October 2009
Yet another away, afternoon fixture this time at Catton. With no rain to speak of, the pitch was again bone hard, although the day itself was pleasantly sunny. We had lots of changes, due to various injuries and absentees, and the boys knew they would be in for a battle against Catton who are always big and strong.
Straight from the kick off we exerted pressure in their half. The game was being played at a frenetic pace, and with the hard pitch, good football was very difficult. Dom and Tom looked comfortable in open play, but from a corner, Catton utilised their superior height and Oliver had to make a good save high to his left. We then built well down the left, Mark finding Brad who was unlucky to see a good cross cut off by their keeper. Jack G and Reuben were linking well together, but the surface was seeing the balls carry through to the keeper on numerous occasions. Catton again threatened from a corner, this time heading over when well placed. After 20 minutes, Jack G quickly closed down their defender, nicked the ball off him and ran into the penalty area, finishing well with a firm strike to give us a deserved lead. Catton made a rare attack down the left, crossed into the 6 yard box where the attacker looked to have slipped. Amazingly, the referee pointed to the spot, and although getting close, Oliver couldn’t quite reach the well placed penalty kick. We went straight on the offensive, with Will and Brad both working hard. From a Freddy throw, Reuben flicked on to Jack G, who back heeled superbly into the net to make it 2-1 to us. Soon after, Jack G latched onto a lovely through ball from Charlie, cut in on the left, but fired the ball just past the far post. Half time:- 1-2.
The second half kicked off, and the game fell into a predominately midfield battle. Mark and Charlie were coping well, and with Dom and Tom now winning more of the aerial battle, we were looking comfortable. Jack G sent Will away, but the linesman flagged despite Will being in his own half when the ball was played. Catton had a couple of long shots which were deflected for corners, but our boys had listened well at half time, were all making good headers clear. We still continued to look dangerous at the other end, but the pitch made constructive football difficult. As a team we were competing really well, with Catton unable to make real progress, other than from long throws or the occasional corner. Towards the end, Brad and Mark combined well to set Jack G free down the left. He skipped past a defender and headed for goal. He passed to the onrushing Will, who was unlucky to see the ball bobble at the crucial moment. Play became fairly midfield based after that, and with no further scares, we saw out the game for our first victory against Catton since playing 11 a side football. Full time:- 1-2.
Man of the Match:- Jack Garwood.
Diss v Taverham – 11th October 2009
Straight from the kick off we were having most of the play. The midfield were looking busy, and from a Reuben throw, Jack G crossed to Will whose shot went across the goal with no-one to finish it off. With the pitch being small, a big kick from Olly saw Jack G hit a shot which flew over the bar. On a rare attack, Diss were awarded a free kick, but this was headed wide. We continued with our pressure, and from a Charlie corner Jack G scored with his right foot to put us one up. Straight away Diss equalised, a defensive mix up between Olly, Dom and Freddy gifting them the opportunity.
It wasn’t to be long before we took the lead again, this time Reuben scoring following another long kick from Olly. The midfield was battling well, with Will and Reuben combining especially well. Ben came off to be replaced by James, who slotted in at right back. From a Jack G cross, Brad hit a shot which the keeper did well to keep out. The resulting corner saw Jack G hit a powerful shot over the bar. We were having periods of good pressure, and Reuben headed the ball just over before Brad scored to make it 3. After this, Will made a strong run down the right, and Danny put the ball just wide, and Charlie had a shot on goal saved. Half time score:- 1-3.
It was carry on as before at the start of the second half, and following some good work from Jack G, Danny made it 4-1 to us. It really was all Taverham now, Charlie had a shot cleared off the line, and Jack G took the ball round the keeper but was unable to finish. At the other end, Diss shot wide, before they managed to score a second goal – their striker doing well and staying strong to put the ball in the net.
Other than the two goals they scored, Diss were very rarely troubling the defence, and it was no surprise that our good play continued. Dom and Reuben combined well and Jack G hit a shot over, Brad headed wide, and a Danny shot was well saved by the Diss keeper. Our fifth goal came from Will, a good finish following great work from Jack G and Danny. Ben came back on to replace Reuben, with Will now playing up front.
One of the Diss defenders took the ball off Brad as he was about to fire in a shot. Will took the corner, and Charlie put the ball in the back of the net to make it six. There were some borderline offside decisions which on another day might have gone our way. Great play from Jack G saw Mark have a shot. We then had a series of corner, most of which came to nothing, apart from one which saw Jack G hit a powerful shot wide. Diss had a couple of late flurries into our half, but Freddy tackled well under pressure, and Olly made a good save late on. Final score:- 2-6.
Man of the Match:- Dom Pyatt
Taverham v Hellesdon – 18th October 2009
Finally, we got to play our first home match of the season. With the boys all recovering from their assorted knocks, our only absentees were Jack G who was with the Academy, and Mark who called off at the last minute. Jack L, Tom and Stevie started as subs.
Hellesdon kicked off, but straight away it was our boys that were on the offensive, looking to capitalise on the fact that the visitors had suffered a couple of heavy defeats. Sam and Brad linked well down the left, which ended up with Will scuffing his shot when well placed. We took the lead early on, Will crossing the ball to leave Brad with a simple tap in. Charlie soon made it 2, following some great work by Reuben. We were totally dominant, and Reuben again got the ball through to Charlie, whose shot went just over. Danny and James were very strong in the centre, and this was enabling some good football to be played. Sam and Brad continued to combine well, and Charlie again got involved to lay off the ball to James who shot powerfully wide. We were having all the possession, and it was no surprise when Reuben made it 3 nil, after a great cross from Brad. Stevie and Tom came on to replace James and Will just before half time, which came with us 3 goals ahead, and in total command. Half-time:- 3-0.
It was carry on as before at the start of the second half. Stevie was looking good down the right, and a great cross resulted in a corner for us. Charlie swung the ball in, but nobody could get their head on it. We then got our fourth, Stevie capitalising on a defensive mix up to put the ball in the net. Reuben hit a powerful free kick which came back off the wall. Time to change things around, and Will, James and Jack L replaced Ben, Freddy and Brad. On the few occasions Hellesdon made it into our half, the defence was strong, and Oliver was largely redundant. Stevie had a shot that looped over the top of the goal, and Danny shot over from another Charlie corner. Jack L shot well from a Stevie cross, and James did well which resulted in Will hitting a fantastic volley which deserved a goal. The Hellesdon keeper was playing well, and made a couple of great saves from Charlie and Reuben. Sam headed wide from another corner. The 5th goal came from Will, although it may have come off a Hellesdon player. Hellesdon were awarded a free kick when Oliver clipped their striker just outside the box, but this came to nothing. With the Hellesdon players tiring, and their heads dropping, it was always likely that we would increase our goals tally, and we scored 3 goals late on, via Charlie, Stevie and Reuben. Full time:- 8-0.
Man of the Match:- Charlie Gibbons.
Taverham v Thorpe – 25th October 2009
Another big test today saw us entertain the reigning champions. We were almost at full strength, Tom the only absentee. A fine, dry, autumn day greeted us, perfect for football.
Straight from kick off, the boys were into their stride, forcing Thorpe onto the defensive. With Charlie and Danny dominating in the middle, Stevie and Brad were seeing lots of the ball down either wing. Stevie raced past his opponent and put in a great cross which we couldn’t convert. Brad also got to the by-line, again just failing to find a forward.
Stevie then played Jack in out wide, he beat his defender and put in a great cross from which Charlie was unlucky to see his shot go just wide. Jack then beat two defenders and delayed to see his shot charged down for a corner. Thorpe were struggling to get out of their own half.
Another good ball from Danny saw Stevie beat his opponent yet again and cut in, hitting a fierce shot which the goalkeeper saved well, however, Jack was first to react and hammered the ball home for a deserved lead. Almost immediately, Brad played a lovely ball to Reuben whose shot was again very well saved by the keeper. Jack then had a header cleared off the line from a corner.
At the other end, the defence was dealing well with the little Thorpe were offering. However, from a breakaway, a cross came in leaving the forward with a free header, he hit the bar and then headed again unchallenged to level the score. Yet another poor goal to concede. Half-time:- 1-1.
The second half saw a more even start than the first, although again we looked dangerous going forward. Mark was getting better as the game wore on, making numerous interceptions then bringing the ball forward well. Sam, Dom & Freddie were also strong and in control. Danny was now looking much more central to the play, winning the ball and using it well, next to Charlie who was really dominating things. Reuben and Jack continued to work hard up front.
Stevie broke down the right for the umpteenth time, and shot just wide. Thorpe broke and Freddie got caught the wrong side of his opponent, but Mark made a great tackle to clear the danger. From the corner, Dom headed clear to Brad who played a lovely ball down the line to Jack. He in turn turned well, and played a lovely ball out wide to Stevie who ran clear of his defender yet again. This time he cut in and hit a fierce shot which the keeper let in at his near post, 2-1 to us. A really well worked, fast moving goal.
Brad was injured, so Will took his place. We still felt we needed another to settle the boys. This nearly came when Stevie again got past his defender and this time, instead of shooting pulled the ball across to Jack who shot over from a good position.
We moved into the last quarter of the game, with play becoming more even again. Thorpe created a couple of half chances with intelligent through balls. Oliver made a great save from a fierce shot, and the defence were alert to clear the danger – Sam stopping it from crossing the line. Thorpe then won a free kick 30 yards out. The ball was chipped into the box and amazingly our defence froze as three forwards found themselves clear on goal. A forward got there before Oliver, but lifted his shot over the bar, which was a real let off.
Mark then played a nice ball out wide to Jack who did well to hold it up and win a corner. Charlie swung in a beautiful corner which swirled into the net with the keeper under pressure, our 3rd goal. We dealt comfortably with the match in the last minutes, and we had beaten yet another team we had not beaten before. Full-time:- 3-1.
Man of the Match:- Freddy Steele.
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