Under 13's latest

Sunday September 17th Division 3

Hanslope Hornets 0 v New City Saints 6 (HT 0 - 3 )

Team
Colban Day, Simon Harrison, Jake Nunnari, Jack Barkus, Lewis June, Chad Everitt, Kyren Driver, Grant Chilton, Luke Present-Collins, Matthew Dillow, Ben Nesbitt.

Ref David Toone Attendance 59

Daddy Long Legs, in those three words summed up the whole day, the useless things were all over the place, getting everywhere, annoying everyone and achieving nothing and then there were the Daddy Long Legs. Only joking boys.

When I arrived I was impressed to see most of the team were there and ready to go, however at the rec there is more to organise than at the school and I’m grateful for all the help from Neil, Trevor, Ruth, Michelle and Scott.

I wandered around the back to unlock the kitchen and I have never seen so many of the aforementioned DLL critters in my life, as I walked through literally hundreds if not a thousand of them swarmed up in the air. Like a mini version of an Alfred Hitchcock film.
Yuck

It has just gone 10.00 and Karl is not around, I try calling but to no avail and so Joe wanders around the corner to get him up, he’ll be coming but we’ll have to start without him. Following his admission at training that he had let the team down at Deanshanger it was not what I’d expected.

Anyway so to the match, a big crowd gathered and New City Saints arrived in a ‘blue’ kit was as near to black as you could imagine, I was hoping the ref wouldn’t object.
Some were seated and the drinks had already started, Michelle and Ruth are very good at the corporate catering.

The opening minutes were fairly even as the two sides sparred with one another sizing up the task in hand, before NC Saints created the first real chance and a shot drifted past the post.
In the 5th minute the first corner of the game and they are starting to apply some pressure.

In both the 8th and 9th minutes we had two opportunities as the ball is hit long and Matthew Dillow is away after it, but on both occasions the keeper is aware and beats him to the ball to clear. As if seeing our technique as a good game plan saints start pushing the ball over the top through the middle, and on 13 minutes it is unlucky hornets, as they pile through the centre and straight at goal, Colban is once again seemingly stuck on his line with super glue and they score with ease. 1-0. Where’s Karl?

Strangely the linesmen, or assistant referees, are running the opposite fall backs, which is unusual, it means you flag, or in this case, don’t flag when your own player is offside. Some debatable decisions from one side of the pitch whereas Trevor is repeatedly flagging the Hornets who keep drifting offside.

Matthew is again put through and this time beats the keeper and a chasing defender to the ball to poke in a shot which agonisingly evades the net. The Saints are still looking dangerous down the middle but it is not all one way traffic and from a corner we get another opportunity, not one of grants classic booming kicks, more of a grubber to the near post which is swept upon by Luke, who’s shot is repelled at the near post, and the rebound fell invitingly to Ben who fires a shot just over the bar.

It is a shame it didn’t find the net because on 20 minutes the Saints lead is doubled. The ball is again forced through the middle and Chad does well to push the player wide but cannot get a clean tackle in and their tricky number 7 gets to the by-line and puts a little ball back into the six yard box where two Saints pounce whilst the rest of the defence are doing a good impression of statues! 2-0.

Grant gets in another shot before a calamity, an aimless ball is played from midfield and poor Simon goes to clear only for an air shot in golf terms, as the ball escapes beneath his flailing boot, a Saint pounces and races through on goal, once again Colban does not close him down and it is now 3-0 after only 23 minutes. It’s not looking good and we still have not seen Karl, he must be having a full English breakfast!

Matthew Dillow is getting more chances, before Grant hits a screamer from way out, he is just in their half when the ball falls nicely for him, with excellent balance he launches an Exocet which tragically for the Hornets just dips over the bar, if that had gone in then the story could have unfolded differently. Our next chance is a freekick on the half hour, again it is fired in by Grant, but the keeper catches the ball very well.

NCS keep pushing at us and when they get a corner only a fine defensive header from Lewis clears the danger. Their keeper shows he is no mug in goal as he plucks Chad’s fierce shot out the air like picking an apple off a tree.

Hanslope have two more opportunities before the break, grant goes on a long run round the outside of the defence, but through either wanting to get nearer to the goal or not wanting to fire with the left peg, he is eventually closed down and only wins a corner, whereas Kyren it’s a good shot but it needs to be placed better to beat this keeper who again save well.

The referee, who has handled the game well blows for half time, it is 3-0 but it is not as if we have not had chances.
The boys are gathered for the team talk, which has clear messages to get the tackles in early, be first to the ball and to watch the offside. Colban is instructed to get off his line and cut out the long through balls.
Meanwhile the most activity of the day is in the tea hut, thank you very much Ruth and Michelle!!!

The second half starts and I have given up on Karl, Ben has our first real chance, getting clear like his strike partner had in the first 35 minutes he bears down on goal, but disappointingly cannot hit the target.

On 40 minutes Colban rushes off his line and saves well, at least he is moving now. Plus the defence seem to have also listened and are pumping up the tackles. Jake clears well and Jack is getting more involved.
Then on 48 minutes it is 4-0, he looked well offside before hammering home, but there is no flag, mumbles of discontent are shared amongst the Hanslope coaching team.

Jack is getting into the game much more in this half and calls for a pass from Grant and plays a great ball over to Luke, but he takes his eye of it and the chance comes to nothing.

Our next chance falls to Lewis, but he looks worn out and there is not enough power in the shot to trouble the goalkeeper. Then just before the hour Grant has another shot that is brilliantly turned around the post, great save keeper. We cannot capitalise from yet another corner though.

Ben tangled with one of their team and it looked a bit nasty, the ref sees it, but allows play to continue, I wish he hadn’t as the ball is flying towards our goal again, it’s all over as it is knocked home for the fifth, no way back now as it’s 5-0 and only seven minutes remain.

To rub it in they score a sixth goal four minutes later when a free kick is knocked over the top of the defence and the player runs through again. 6-0 but that really isn’t a fair reflection on the contribution the boys have made to the game.

Grant tests the keeper once more, it is just not going to be our day.

The game fizzles out and the hornets have worked really hard, with no substitutes available they have all played the full 70 minutes on a warm morning. The difference once again has been our finishing, they were ruthless, whereas we were a little wasteful on good through balls, more pleasing to see the longer efforts though.

Back to training on Thursday and we’ll give it another go next week.

Next Fixture Sunday 24th October 10.30 versus Newton Longville Reds at Hanslope Recreation ground.

Shot of the match, Grant’s 35 yard effort that narrowly missed.

Save of the match Their keepers smart near post save from Grant to preserve his clean sheet.

Gaff of the game, Simon’s missed kick that led to goal number 3

Football’s funniest moment, Their coach substituting two players furthest away from him in true
Premiership time wasting style, when they were 4-0 up with ages to go.