League: Evergreen Juniors 3-3 Hemel Stags Aces Black (7th Feb 2010)

A tough game today against a team that is not only top of the league but also a team that Archie is yet to beat. He likes playing against Aces, he knows that they are a good team.

Needless to say that after the last encounter that they had on the field (vs Tornados), the boys were well up for this and the prospect of actually playing a game of football. The weather was perfect as was the pitch, great conditions. It was however, top vs bottom.

Archie was playing in-front of some extra spectators in the form of his Nana and his Aunt and also new Archie fan, John (a friend of the family). This worried him a little bit because when people come to watch him, he doesn't usually play too well but today was clearly the exception.

The match started at a fast pace with some good defending coming from both teams along with some sound goalkeeping. Tackles were going in nicely too, both managers appreciating the nature of the game (that isn't a dig at anyone...). The boys were passing the ball about when they had the opportunity but it was Aces who made the breakthrough via a cruel deflection off Harry C. 0-1. We battled hard and finally the equalizer came. Evergreen were awarded a free-kick which had to be re-taken due to an Aces player charging the ball down before the kick was taken. The ball trickled its way through the defence and Lewis P was on hand to poke the ball home. 1-1. Archie had a tremendous first half and seemed to be suffering from a slight stitch.

The second half was much the same. After 5mins, Aces made it 1-2 through a very well worked goal. The boys' response was furious. Harry F beat a couple of players and gave a superb cross which was met by Lewis P who struck the ball and hit the post. We had them worried and a couple of minutes later we equalized again. There was a shot which the Aces keeper couldn't keep hold of but Archie was there to mop up and put the ball into the back of the net. 2-2. Archie didn't really celebrate the goal as he was too busy checking to see if the Aces keeper was ok... good sportsmanship and a good attitude shown by him. It was clear that the boys were going for the win. Lewis P hit the post twice more just to put the frighteners on them and then we managed to take the lead. A fantastic ball from Lewis P played down the left flank to Archie. He ran with the ball, holding the defenders advances off, looked up and shot the ball across the Aces keeper and into the net! 3-2. I missed his celebration as I was too busy jumping about myself!

Aces took kick off and put a lot of pressure on the boys and responded with another cruel equalizer. The ball taking a bobble and passing under Louis feet and into the goal. Neither team gave up after that and it wasn't long until the final whistle had gone.

A good result for in fairness. On paper, looking at the league, most people would have said it would be an away win but it is clear from that performance that Evergreen Juniors' league position doesn't really mean a thing. Another positive would also be that fact that Berko lost so Evergreen are now off the bottom of the table! GET IN.

Next weekends game vs Hemel Panthers is due to be played on Saturday. Archie will not available for selection for this game due to a family wedding.

League table, Cup group table & Goals scored table

League: Hemel Panthers P-P Evergreen Juniors (31st Jan 2010)

This weekends game postponed due to a frozen pitch!

Results & Fixtures

League table, Cup group table & Goals scored table

League: Evergreen Juniors 1-0 Tornado JSC Black (24th Jan 2010)

A bit of an anti-climax this one. Right from the start of the day it wasn't looking good. I'd washed Archie's boots on Saturday late afternoon and left them out to dry, checked them in the morning and they were still damp and stunk! I had to put them on the radiator in the kitchen in order to hurry along the drying process which didn't please Dena! One smelly kitchen later we had some dry boots.

Boots dry and Grandpa Glyn lacing them up on the way to the game, I received a text advising me that today's game was going to be at home due to Tornado JSC's pitch being waterlogged. Change of direction.

The match was due to kick off at 11am but the game didn't get under way until just after 12. Archie started well and was unlucky not to convert a chance early on, after that, his head went down and didn't look that interested. He was subbed off after 10mins. Right from the start, the opposition manager decided that his favorite sport was touch rugby and I think he thought we were playing the same rules only using our feet instead of hands. He didn't like ANY of the tackles that were being made by the boys on his team and threatened to remove his players from the field on numerous occasions and argued every decision with the ref (i felt sorry for Mark). It was clear to me and every other person watching the game that Evergreen were winning pretty much every 50/50 there was (fairly) and their manager didn't like it.

At some point during the 1st half Harry F opened the scoring. Harry C had won the ball in our area and after beating a couple of players, looked up and played a fantastic ball across the field to Harry F who converted easily. 1-0.

Archie came back on for the 2nd half and looked much more interested, but once again failed to add to the lead with a one-on-one with the keeper, he was unlucky. With a little more than 5mins of the second half played there was shoulder barge from a Tornados player. The ball looked to be rolling out of play. This happened in front of the Tornado JSC's manager who wasn't pleased at all. He promptly called his players over to him and said that he doesn't expect them to play "like that". Play resumed and after a while, with the game taking a turn for the better, Evergreen were awarded a throw in. From the throw in, all hell broke loose. The ball was lofted over a couple of players and made it's way to Archie. He went to flick the ball on with a volley but the top of his foot met with the studs of an opposition player instead. Archie being Archie (he's been described as feisty before) then, wrongly, kicked out (and missed) at said player. It was unfortunate that this was done right in front of their manager. That was that, game over, children crying, parents bemused and Evergreen coaches looking for Jeremy Beadle.

Shame, Myself and Archie were looking forward this game....

According to the West Herts Youth League website, It would appear that the result has been awarded to Evergreen Juniors.

Preview to Sundays game (24h Jan 2010)

On Sunday we are playing at home vs Tornado JSC Black who have drawn 4 in the league (inc. draws against Chorleywood Tigers & London Macabbi Lions), lost 2 (inc. a lose against Comets) and won 2 games (against Berkhamstead Raiders Blue and getting one back on Comets). Archie and the boys will be hoping to hit the floor running and make it 5 games in a row unbeaten. 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.