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When we played Timperley A at the
start of the season they totally outclassed us, and the match being
held on the all weather playing surface did us no favours whatsoever.
I tried hard to ensure that this rematch was held on grass which
would at least level out that aspect of the game, but the weather
combined to confound us on that.
Also owing to the POP Lacrosse sessions
held on Saturday mornings we were not able to train or warm up on
the artificial surface before the match, despite being ready and
changed 45 mins before the game.
The result was unfortunately predictable,
we were consistent beaten on the face, by the bounce (in particular
the 2nd bounce) of the ball, and our goalie simply could not get
his eye in as his normal blocking moves saw the ball rise over his
shoulder.
Timperley dominated the game, with
quarter scores 6-0, 12 -0, 17 - 1, 21 - 1. Our single goal coming
from James Hackett, while players such as Rick Sharples, Teigan
Bancroft and Nick Warburton found themselves consistently having
to fall back from midfield to bolster and uncertain defence.
One thing that became abundantly
clear as the game progressed is the advantage teams that have access
to all weather training facilities have not only on that surface,
but also in the additional training sessions they are able to hold.
Our players are doing well this year, but are made at times to look
fairly pedestrian by teams with two and even three training sessions
a week. Our lack of coaching support is impacting on our potential.
Unlucky 13 or so it was to prove
for us as the fixture, originally an away game was switched to Beech
Rd thanks to the hard work of Barry Livesey and his crew of helpers.
Their sweat and toil in caring for the pitches has paid dividends
over the last weeks.
We always knew that the Norbury game
would be touch, and we were missing a couple of key players, even
so we were pretty confident when the match began. The boys in green
had an advantage in defence with three big long poles, we were evenly
matched in midfield, probably with Stockport having something of
the advantage, and evenly matched in attack though the Norbury players
were bigger.
The first quarter was very evenly
match with the game being mainly about possession. The Norbury keep
played very well indeed and managed to block a number of attempts
on goal from our boys, while Callum Sutton had little to do. Score
1-1
The second quarter was much the same,
again the Norbury keeper was able to stop some good attempts from
our midis. Our attack, mainly younger players were unable to make
an impression on the physically larger Norbury defence, though our
midfield by running and moving the ball were able to create gaps
and chances. Unfortunately Norbury were able to put together some
excellent fast breaks and went in half time leaders 3-4
Our 3rd quarter was appalling, it
was the Stockport, lets have a nap syndrome! Norbury were all over
us for the first five minutes, and only outstanding defence work
from Tom Davies, Charlie Nicholson-Cocker and Yussef Assi, back
by some brave keeping by Callum Sutton, kept us in the game. We
pulled ourselves back together and closed down the green assault
having conceded one goal.
The final quarter began with Norbury
dominating the face and scoring straight away. The reface saw Stockport
a man down and Norbury took full advantage to score again, and then
again. We then started to play the best lacrosse of the day, stringing
together fact accurate passes, while the defence challenged every
ball. Sam Bailey and Sam Morris, along with Josh Hanley, raised
their game and started to run at the Norbury defenders, and go in
hard to fight for ground balls.
We gained control of the match, despite
a number of hard knocks and tears. We managed to score four good
goals, before our attack started to falter and increasingly players
stopped to pass the ball around, and tried to challenge the defence
loosing possession. When the final whistle went we were still fighting,
and despite Norbury players thinking they had lost the game, they
were in fact victors by a single goal.
Despite its frustrations the game
was a very good game to referee, enjoyed by the players, and the
last quarter was very exciting to watch.
Quarter Scores: 1-1, 3-4, 3-5, 7-8
Scorers: James Hackett 4 (2
assists), Richard Sharples 1 ( 1 assist), Sean Heggs 1 (2 assists)
Matty Bardsley 1, Teigan Bancroft (1 assist)
A frustrating day all round, owing
to a couple of missing players we had to rejig our line up and had
problems particularly in defence which was shakey throughout the
first quarter until Rolo switched Rick Sharples from midfield to
play point which proved effective, but meant cutting down on our
midfield strength.
We were the better handlers of the
ball, passers of the ball, and put together the best moves of the
game, but we failed on too many occasions to slot the final shot
home. Frustration began to show and the effect of running uphill
on an unkempt pitch was to tire our midfield who increasingly failed
to get back to help the defence. This was particularly marked in
the third quarter when Mellor scored 4 without reply.
Our face off men lost only two faces
during the game with Nick Warburton in midfield and defenders Charlie
Cocker and Rick Sharples playing with commitment and energy throughout
the game. Upfront James Hackett and Teigan Bancroft, helped by the
ever improving Sam Bailey maintained the pressure. Unfortunately
Mellor had one long stick defender who was exceptional, he ran all
day and seemed to intercept cleanly every pass that came near him.
Quarter scores were 1 -2, 3-3. 7
-3, 11-7
Scorers: James Hackett 6, Matty Bardsley
1, Rick Sharples 2 assists, Teigan Bancroft 1 assist, Sam Bailey
1 assist.
With a number of key players absent
this was never going to be an easy game, especially as a number
of Poynton players have trained and played with our guys at the
School of Excellence.
And that knowledge became key as
the Poynton defence closed down our more experienced players. The
volunteer referees, on their own admission, were uncertain as to
the correct calls, and let a number of take outs and pushes go unremarked.
This happened both ways so there was no bias, but the effect was
to favour a Poynton team with one in particular stocky, tall lad
who was able to press through our defence.
The said, we outplayed them throughout
the game, losing only two face offs and producing some dazzling
displays of running and passing. Special mention must be made of
Sean Heggs and James Hackett, who both were superb throughout the
game.
Unfortunately the Poynton squad was
larger not only physically but also in numbers and by rotating their
midfield on a regular basis they wore down our middies, who by the
last quarter simply did not have the breath left to get back to
help the defence and Poynton slotted away three quick goals with
only one in reply to come out 8-6 winners.
Quarter Scores: 1-1, 5-4, 5-5, 8-6
Scorers: James Hacket 3 (2
assists), Matty Bardsley 2, Sean Heggs, Rick Sharples (2 assists)
The squad was lacking a few key players thanks to appendicitis,
birthdays and family commitments and this looked as though it would
leave the defence pretty stretched. And we did have a shakey start,
but thanks to some excellent reflex saves from Callum Sutton we
kept the shutters down until our midfield settled in.
Once this happened we were able to
get on top of the game leading the first quarter 0 - 4. Wilmslow
hit back in the second quarter scoring a quick and nicely put together
goal; but again Callum rallied and was able to stop the few shots
that got through an increasingly confident defence directed by Teigan
Bancroft supported by Charlie Cocker.
The third quarter started badly,
we picked up a few silly and avoidable personal fouls and Wilmslow
took advantage of the man up situation to slot three goals past
a replacement goalie, Callum having taken up a short stick. The
quarter finished 4 - 7.
In the final quarter Callum was back
in goal, James Hackett, Rick Sharples, Lewis Curtis, and Nick Warburton
simply took control of the midfield, outrunning the opposition and
passing cleanly and confidently. They were feeding effectively to
the attack and Sam Morris and Josh Hanley both had attempts on goal
directly from passes from the midfielder. Matty Bardsley ran his
heart out up front, while Sam Bailey simply excelled himself, taking
on the Wilmslow defence with prolonged bursts of speed and swift
dodges making space for himself to feed or shoot effectively.
The final score was 6 - 13, and the
match was an outstanding team effort. If we are looking for areas
for improvement it is basic passing skills while on the move, perfecting
the slide in defence, and reining in the uncontrolled check.
Scorers: James Hackett 4, Richard Sharples
5 (3 assists), Matty Bardsley 1 goal (1 assist), Herman Makuwa (1
assist), Sam Bailey 2 goals (2 assists), Lewis Curtis 1 goal (2
assists)
In fine weather the U12s prepared
to meet Cheadle, the team who for the last two seasons had driven
us down to a pretty humiliating defeat in the last game of the season.
However the main strength of the Cheadle team that had done so much
damage in the past had now progressed to U14s, leaving the boys
and girls in Green with an uphill struggle, made worse by having
a squad reduced by school holidays to a bare 10.
Stockport took control from the face,
with Rick Sharples beating the Cheadle faceman and pressing through
the midfield to start a move which led to a goal in the opening
minute of the game. Stockport kept on the pressure and led at the
end of the first quarter 6 - 0. Cheadle were able to pull one back
in the 2nd quarter but this simply drove the boys in blue to greater
efforts, and with Lewis Curtis joining us thanks to a cancelled
football match we dominated the midfield, finishing the half 11
- 1.
Cheadle however, never gave up the
fight, and their keeper played an excellent game that the scoreline
does not really give him credit for. He made some great saves ,
and without him the score for Stockport would have been much higher.
The Cheadle defence also at no time resorted to wild checks or rough
play to hold back the Stockport attack, they were a credit to their
club.
Rolo, gave instructions in the second
half to our more experienced players, not to run through the Cheadle
defence, but to concentrate on passing the ball round, and allowing
the younger and less experienced players to develop their skills
and confidence. This paid off, and Josh Hanley scored his first
goal for the club and gained the loudest cheer of the day (much
to his delight). Josh has worked really hard for the team, and has
come on leaps and bounds in the last weeks, and he deserved his
goal.
Stockport won the last two quarters
2 - 0, and 3 -0, with a final score of 16 -1. A great game, and
one both teams can be proud of.
Scorers: Teigan Bancroft 3, James
Hackett 1 and 2 assists, Rick Sharples 4, Nick Warburton 1 and 1
assist, Sean Heggs 1, Matty Bardsley 1 and 1 assist, Josh Hanley
1, Sam Bailey 1 and 1 assist, Herman Makuwa 1, Lewis Curtis 2 and
1 assist. Goalie Callum Sutton six saves from seven shots
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