League: Berkhamstead Raiders Blue 0-0 Evergreen Juniors (29th Nov 2009)

What can I say about this one that sticks out... Ermmm, oh yeah, it was the first 0-0 draw that Archie has been involved in. In fact, it was the first draw that he's been involved in. A substantial win would have taken us off the bottom of the table for the first time this season. If it wasn't for the Berko goalkeeper, who was fantastic, and the cross bar we would have run away 5 or 6 nil victors.

Archie started the game in left midfield. He and the rest of the team started well and were stringing along some lovely one-two's but as the game went on, the passes dwindled a bit. Players were either holding onto the ball for too long and passing late or shooting from range. We hit the bar in the first 5mins and then hit the bar again with 5mins to go. Archie was subbed after 10mins of the second half but came back on with 5mins left on the clock. Louis K in goal made a couple of crucial saves, one towards the end of the game which looked to be a certain goal.

Not much else to report on apart from after the game Archie claimed he'd been got by frost bite!!!

GOALS: N/A

Next week we have a home league fixture against Tornado JSC Black.

Preview to Sundays game (29th Nov 2009)

This Sunday Archie and Evergreen Juniors face an away fixture against Berkhamstead Raiders Blue. I'm excited about this one for 2 reasons.

The first reason: Back in 2007, Archie scored his first ever goal against Berko when he played for Herons in the Under 8s. He hasn't played there since then.

The second reason: Archie scored his first goal this season for Evergreen Juniors against Berko. That goal gave Evergreen their 1st win of the season. He will be looking to put some more in his account on Sunday!

Game on.

League table, Cup group table & Goals scored table

League: Evergreen Juniors 3-1 London Maccabi Lions (22nd Nov 2009)

A very good result today for Archie and the rest of the boys played on a soggy pitch against a London Maccabi Lions (LML) team that were unbeaten in their last 3 games (scoring 8 and conceding 0!!). Archie's starting position was left midfield.

The game started at a fast pace and goals could have been scored at either end but it was Archie who opened the scoring. He ran onto a long pass on the right hand side of the field, manged to shrug off the LML defender and placed the ball home with his left foot. Good goal. His celebration was a bit risky, an Arshavin style shaking of the head and a Robbie Keane style forward roll left the parents worried that he'd do himself an injury! The boys kept pressing forward and came close on a couple of occasions as did LML, forcing a few good saves from Louis K in goal. What we needed was another goal and another goal was what we got courtesy of Archie again. It was pretty much a carbon copy of his first but this time hit the ball with his right foot... his celebration again featured the forward roll, to worried gasps from the parents! LML took kick off and got a goal back, and attacked for the rest of the half. The half time whistle couldn't have come soon enough.

The second half was a tense affair, LML got a bit of a talking to during half time and our boys were told to carry on the way they were. Archie was subbed with 10mins to go and came back on with about 2mins left on the clock. While Archie was off the field Adam scored Evergreens 3rd (and much needed) goal. By that time the frustration was showing from the opposition coaches and parents... they don't expect to lose games.

When the final whistle was blown the boys showed the kind of enthusiasm from when they beat Comets 4-0.

On the Evergreen website. Archie was awarded 'Player of the Match'.

GOALS: Archie (2), Adam (1)

That's 2 wins on the trot. Next weekends fixture is away at Berkhamstead Raiders Blue.

Preview to Sundays game (22nd Nov 2009)

Archie and Evergreen Juniors face a tough game against London Maccabi Lions in a later than usual 2pm kick off. LML (as I'll refer to them as) are currently sitting 2nd in the league. Archie has only played against LML once before and was beaten well by them.

This could be a tough one.

League: Evergreen Juniors vs Tornado JSC Black (15th Nov 2009)

Today's game (Sunday) was called off late yesterday (Saturday) due to the bad weather and possibility of water logged pitches. The ironic thing was that when the sun eventually came up on Sunday morning, it was perfect weather for football... the damage was already done! Archie was gutted all day and kept on saying 'I can't believe the game was called off, look at it out there... its lovely'. This fixture will now be played later on in the season.

Next Sunday (22/11) we have a home match vs London Maccabi Lions, k/o 2pm

Saturday training (14th Nov 2009)

At training today the boys spent a lot of time again on playing the passing and moving game. The weather was awful and a little bit of the South way pitches was water logged but Archie wasn't as muddy as he could have been when I picked him up.

The chances of a game tomorrow (Sunday) aren't looking too rosey! Fingers crossed

Preview to Sundays game (15th Nov 2009)

On Sunday we are playing at home vs Tornado JSC Black who have drawn 3 in the league (inc. draw against Chorleywood Tigers), lost 2 (inc. a lose against Comets) and won 1 game (against Berkhamstead Raiders Blue). Archie and the boys will be hoping to carry on with the momentum from last weekends win and play as a team again. If the boys can play with a bit of consistency then we should start to make a steady rise on the league table and put ourselves amongst it.

Last season Archie's old team won 9-0 and 3-1 against Tornado JSC Red and Archie bagged himself 4 goals over the 2 ties.

League table, Cup group table & Goals scored table

League Intermediate Cup, game 3: Evergreen Juniors 4-0 Comets Cougars (8th Nov 2009)

Finally a win, and a convincing one at that. Archie wasn't at training on Saturday as we were celebrating Charlie's birthday with friends. Archie was told that training on Saturday was concentrated mainly on passing.

Archie started the game as the lone striker with Lewis P on the right, Harry F in the middle and Adam on the left. Harry C and James were playing at the back and Louis K was back in goal.

The first half was a very tight one. It could really have gone either way but Evergreen did have more chances. Archie spent the half putting untold pressure on the defence and was denied a long range effort by a well timed tackle. Lewis P and Harry F had a few digs at goal too but nothing came of them. James and Harry C were kept busy at the back and Louis made a couple of good saves. There was a great opportunity for us to open the scoring when Archie broke through the midfield and defence and crossed to Harry F who's shot only just went wide.

The boys were given an extra push at half-time and told not to give up. I made a comment to Archie's Grandad who was watching that if we ended up losing this game as well, it just isn't meant to be! For the second half Archie was moved to left midfield and Harry F was played upfront, although Archie, Lewis P, Adam & Harry F were attacking all half. Arch played a blinder in the second half and created 2 of Harry F's goals. The first was a flick on from a goal kick and the second was pass through the defence. Lewis P bagged himself a goal, dinking his way through midfielders and defenders and smashing home, and Harry F got a third. It was a shame that Archie couldn't get on the score sheet but like i said before he played a blinder and was instrumental... in fact, the whole team was awesome. Louis K in goal kept a clean sheet, James & Harry C kept Comets away from goal for the most part and the midfield and strike force showed just how potent they can be.

GOALS: Harry F (3), Lewis P (1)

This wins means that we have qualified for the next round of the League Intermediate Cup but have to play-off against Comets to decide on who comes 1st and who comes 2nd (goal difference doesn't count).

Next weekend Archie and Evergreen Juniors face Tornado JSC Black in a league game. Hopefully the boys will be itching to get on the pitch and carry on with their winning ways.

Preview to Sundays game (8th Nov 2009)

On Sunday, Archie and the Juniors will be entertaining Comets Cougars in the last of the League intermediate cup games. The boys will be looking to get the win required to stand any chance of going through to the next stage of the competition. The teams in our group have each played 2 games, winning one and losing one apart from Comets who have won both games.

Last season Archie scored 2 goals past Cougars in a couple of games.

League: Chorleywood Tigers 4-1 Evergreen Juniors (1st Nov 2009)

As you can tell by the above scoreline today was not our day. The moment I woke up though and on the journey to Chorleywood i felt like the Tigers were going to get their comeuppance. We had out played them on the previous games and still lost, and only by 1 goal. Apart from waking feeling that we could win, both myself and Archie was apprehensive about the weather as it was raining cats and dogs... well, more big cats and big dogs!

Archie was looking forward to playing football again. Its had been 3 weeks ago that he last played and was itching to get his kit on from the moment he woke up. He was also excited because we had a new player, Harry F playing his debut. We got to Chorleywood and Archie was told that he was playing Left Midfield. The line-up looked pretty tasty but we were missing our goalie Louis K and also defender James. Adam took the place of goalkeeper, Louis C & Harry C were defence, Archie was left midfield with Khalil on the right, Harry F in the centre and Lewis P upfront.

We started the game very well but it was obvious from pretty much the start that the ref wasn't up to the job and seemed to be particularly in favour of the home team. He awarded a handball against Lewis P, a player who is more than capable of controlling the ball with his chest rather than plucking it out of the sky with his arm/hand... Chorleywood must play different rules! He also missed a blatant foul throw from the home team and a couple of crunching tackles against our boys. Archie was hacked down on the edge of the area. I ran on to the pitch to see if Archie was OK and Archie was telling the ref that he was fouled, his answer back was 'He didn't do it on purpose though, it was an accident'. What a joke. We conceded 2 goals in the first half but came out in the second and attacked. We finally got a goal back. Harry F on his debut scoring from his own half! It was a cracking goal with the ball looping over one of the Chorleywood spectators... i mean the goalie. We carried on attacking the game. Lewis P will have a sore throat this week as he was constantly screaming for the ball but never really got the service either because the ball very heavy on the wet muddy ground or other reasons. Archie had a ferocious volley parried by the keeper for a corner. Chorleywood then decided to attack and we kept getting caught at the back. Archie made some fantastic runs and defensive tackles, covering missing defenders. It was at this point that the referee, sensing that we were gunning for an equalizer, ruined a very good game of football for self gain. He decided to award a very harsh penalty against Archie. The ball was rolling away from the Chorleywood attacker who had taken a very heavy touch, Archie slid in from the side. He did get the player but by that point the ball was rolling away from goal and going off for a goal kick. I was furious at the decision and Archie was devastated. It turned the whole game, they scored from the penalty and then scored again although our boys said that the 4th shouldn't have counted as it went through the side netting!

GOALS: Harry F (1)

It was one of those games!

We have our 3rd League intermediate cup game next Sunday vs Comets Cougars. That will be a tough one.