Today's game almost didn't happen for Archie. He suffered a terrible injury whilst at the park with his friends, falling 1.5 metres... or was it 2.5 metres, erm probably about 5 metres (the height slightly more exaggerated with everytime the story was told) off a swing and landed funny on his ankle. Admittedly, his ankle was a bit bruised but nothing a bit of 'deep heat' and support bandaging couldn't sort!. The weather didn't look too good either, but Archie advised me that "drizzly fine rain" was his favorite weather to play football in... 'Great' I thought, 'but Arch, its pouring with rain out there' I told him!
Paul set the team up in a 4-3-3 formation with Archie playing as the left sided striker, which he was happy with. The match got underway and within the first 3 minutes, Herons had gone 1 nil up. Kian (the right sided striker) had shot on goal which was parried by the keeper straight into the path of James S (the central striker) who stroked the ball home. The first half was very well contested by Herons. We were unlucky not to double our lead. Archie almost scored an absolute cracker, a shot from the edge of the area, but was denied by a great save from the keeper. Our goalkeeper, Andre, had very little to do in the first half.
The second half was a different story. The boys were shying away from challenges, not talking to each other on the field and also managed to conceded two very soft goals in the last 10 minutes of the game. In all, the game was very close, a little bit ruined by the linesman who was officiating on behalf of Harpenden. He was flagging absolutely every dash towards goal as offside for no reason. We almost equalised as a result of a desperate goal mouth scramble but the ball found an opposing defender rather than the net... about 4 or 5 times!
The boys got a proper talking too at the end of the game, they have to step their game up if they are going to start winning games. Next weeks game will be a tough one, we are due to play Chorleywood Panthers who are top of the league.
Monday, 4 October 2010
Monday, 27 September 2010
Division 2 results & league table 26/09
Chorleywood Panthers 6-3 Hemel Town Youth
Comets Lions 8-5 Herons
Harpenden Colts Cobras 1-5 Hemel Aces Diamonds
Little Gaddesden 7-2 Evergreen Juniors
Rickmansworth Rebels 5-2 Kings Langley
Comets Lions 8-5 Herons
Harpenden Colts Cobras 1-5 Hemel Aces Diamonds
Little Gaddesden 7-2 Evergreen Juniors
Rickmansworth Rebels 5-2 Kings Langley
League: Comets Lions 8-5 Herons
A very windy morning perched up on Comets' home ground, Gadebridge Park in Hemel. Looking back through my records, it would appear to be a pitch that Archie has had mixed results on in the past. The most recent match he played here was for Evergreen Juniors in the semi-final of the league cup which ended in defeat (albeit due to a couple of extenuating circumstances already discussed on this blog). Archie started todays game upfront alongside Kian, but spent most of the game in midfield.
I'm not really going to write much about the first half of this game as none of the lads (Archie included) really turned up until the second half. We went in at half time 6-1 down! Our only goal of the first half was scored by central defender and captain Liam, from a free-kick. Good goal, but the Comets keeper was at fault really as fumbled the catch.
Herons' manager Paul gave the boys what for during the half time team talk, I chipped in too with some advice. The second began and we got straight back into the game. Archie had a couple of half chances against the Comets keeper but nothing came of them. Nothing really seemed to be going his way. Archie's confidence picked up a little and manage to set up two of our second half goals. The first was for James S's goal. The ball came to Archie with his back to goal, he turned the defender brilliantly, took a touch and James (who was running at speed) kind of took the ball from Archie in his stride and took it around the keeper and planted it in. He then set up Kian's goal. He ran with the ball down the left wing, muscling his way past a couple of defenders, looked up and absolutely spanked the ball. The keeper got over it, took some of the speed off and deflected it a little but Kian was there to mop up.
The highlight of the game for me, apart from Archie showing one or two glimpses of his previous outstanding season with Herons, was Riccardo's performance in midfield and Connor P's second goal. Ric put the mileage in, took some lovely touches and made some wonderful passes. As for Connor P's second goal... Corner floated into the edge of the box + fantastic movement to lose his marker = powerfully place header right into the top right corner of the net. Early contender for the goal of the season award I think.
I'm not really going to write much about the first half of this game as none of the lads (Archie included) really turned up until the second half. We went in at half time 6-1 down! Our only goal of the first half was scored by central defender and captain Liam, from a free-kick. Good goal, but the Comets keeper was at fault really as fumbled the catch.
Herons' manager Paul gave the boys what for during the half time team talk, I chipped in too with some advice. The second began and we got straight back into the game. Archie had a couple of half chances against the Comets keeper but nothing came of them. Nothing really seemed to be going his way. Archie's confidence picked up a little and manage to set up two of our second half goals. The first was for James S's goal. The ball came to Archie with his back to goal, he turned the defender brilliantly, took a touch and James (who was running at speed) kind of took the ball from Archie in his stride and took it around the keeper and planted it in. He then set up Kian's goal. He ran with the ball down the left wing, muscling his way past a couple of defenders, looked up and absolutely spanked the ball. The keeper got over it, took some of the speed off and deflected it a little but Kian was there to mop up.
The highlight of the game for me, apart from Archie showing one or two glimpses of his previous outstanding season with Herons, was Riccardo's performance in midfield and Connor P's second goal. Ric put the mileage in, took some lovely touches and made some wonderful passes. As for Connor P's second goal... Corner floated into the edge of the box + fantastic movement to lose his marker = powerfully place header right into the top right corner of the net. Early contender for the goal of the season award I think.
Sunday, 19 September 2010
Division 2 results & league table 19/09
Evergreen Juniors 2-6 Chorleywood Panthers
Hemel Town Youth 0-1 Comets Lions
Kings Langley 1-3 Harpenden Colts Cobras
Little Gaddesden 4-1 Rickmansworth Rebels
Hemel Town Youth 0-1 Comets Lions
Kings Langley 1-3 Harpenden Colts Cobras
Little Gaddesden 4-1 Rickmansworth Rebels
Saturday, 18 September 2010
Changes to the league
After the first weekend of fixtures, West herts youth league have been forced to reduce the amount of divisions in the under 11's age group, this is due to a handful of teams withdrawing from the league.
There are now 3 divisions, with Herons being placed in the 2nd. This means that the win we picked up last weekend is null & void as the league campaign begins (again) next weekend.
Division 2 lines up as such:
There are now 3 divisions, with Herons being placed in the 2nd. This means that the win we picked up last weekend is null & void as the league campaign begins (again) next weekend.
Division 2 lines up as such:
Monday, 13 September 2010
League: HTYFC 1- 2 Herons
Archie's first season of competitive football, 2 years ago, began against the same team, Hemel Town Youth, on the same pitch as the match today. Today was Archie's first competitive 11-a-side match and it also started with a win.
Herons kicked the game off and Archie started the game in left midfield alongside his good mates Connor (right wing), Riccardo (left wing) & Frankie (right mid). At first, the game was a little bit messy, lots of bundles running after the ball but it soon calmed down and some good passing football was played by both teams but it was Herons that look the team that was more likely to open the scoring. Archie was linking up really well with his fellow midfielders and also with the strikers and it was Kian (up front) who opened the scoring with a shot that sailed to the top left corner. 0-1.
HTYFC battled back but never really tested the Herons keeper, who incedidently was very vocal and very confident between the sticks. Around 10 minutes passed, Archie was switched to play up-front alongside Kian, and Herons were awarded yet another corner. Ric floated the ball across the goal mouth, there was a touch and the ball found its way to Archie on the far post. Needless to say, Archie being as clinical in front of goal as ever poked the ball home. 0-2.
The home team bagged an equaliser in the first half, a little before the half time whistle, but they didn't really pose a big threat during the second half. Archie was subbed for 5 or 7 minutes during the second half and was used as a striker and left mid throughout the game. The final whistle went, Archie and the boys were pleased to have bagged themselves 3 points. Frankie was awarded the Man of the Match medal.
Herons kicked the game off and Archie started the game in left midfield alongside his good mates Connor (right wing), Riccardo (left wing) & Frankie (right mid). At first, the game was a little bit messy, lots of bundles running after the ball but it soon calmed down and some good passing football was played by both teams but it was Herons that look the team that was more likely to open the scoring. Archie was linking up really well with his fellow midfielders and also with the strikers and it was Kian (up front) who opened the scoring with a shot that sailed to the top left corner. 0-1.
HTYFC battled back but never really tested the Herons keeper, who incedidently was very vocal and very confident between the sticks. Around 10 minutes passed, Archie was switched to play up-front alongside Kian, and Herons were awarded yet another corner. Ric floated the ball across the goal mouth, there was a touch and the ball found its way to Archie on the far post. Needless to say, Archie being as clinical in front of goal as ever poked the ball home. 0-2.
The home team bagged an equaliser in the first half, a little before the half time whistle, but they didn't really pose a big threat during the second half. Archie was subbed for 5 or 7 minutes during the second half and was used as a striker and left mid throughout the game. The final whistle went, Archie and the boys were pleased to have bagged themselves 3 points. Frankie was awarded the Man of the Match medal.
Monday, 23 August 2010
West Herts Youth League Under 11's division 3
This season Archie will be playing 11-a-side football for the first time, complete with the Offside rule (which should be interesting!) and playing on a junior sized pitch. There are now fewer teams competing this season in the West Herts Youth League at Under 11 due to a lack of players available to squads. There are now only enough teams for 4 divisions.
The new leagues are finally out and on the WHYL website. Archie and his Herons team have been put into the 3rd division alongside his old team, Evergreen Juniors. Here is the line up for the division:
As you can see, Archie's old team, Evergreen Juniors are in the same league. That'll be interesting.
The new leagues are finally out and on the WHYL website. Archie and his Herons team have been put into the 3rd division alongside his old team, Evergreen Juniors. Here is the line up for the division:
As you can see, Archie's old team, Evergreen Juniors are in the same league. That'll be interesting.
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