Date	Sunday 17th April 2011
Match	Royston Town Youth Colts v BSFC Athletic
Competition	Royston Crow Youth Football League U11 Division 2
Result	Won 3-1
Royston Scorers	Mick 2, Lewis A
Man of Match	Tom F (Controlled, Powerful and Intelligent Defending)

Team – Charlie, Tom T, Jamie C, Jamie P, Tom F, Callum, Matt, Lewis, Rory, Mick, Bruce

The penultimate match of the Colt’s league season saw the visit of BSFC Athletic, a team that had given us a good game at their place, on a day when we only had eleven players available due to injury and holidays. The weather was bright and warm and the pitch looked really good for this last home match.

 

We pre-warned the boys that we had no substitutes available, we urged them to pace themselves on this hot day, let the ball do the work, keep tight to their tricky opponents and to enjoy themselves. We lined up with Charlie in goal, the two Toms at full backs, the two Jamies at centre backs, Lewis on the left, usual keeper Rory on the right, Callum and Matt in the centre of midfield and Bruce and Mick upfront.

 

The first half was a rather scrappy affair from Royston’s point of view with no real quality football on show for the first twenty minutes, all the boys were undoubtedly working hard but with no real cohesion and we gave the ball away on more than one occasion as they all struggled to settle. Charlie kept the boys in it with two good stops in the first ten minutes as Stortford pushed forward. Callum and Matt were getting stuck in but no second ball was being won and this led to a very disjointed looking attack, whilst the defence and midfield were working overtime. Charlie again made a good save as we rode our luck. A sloppy lost ball in midfield was seized upon by the hungry Athletic forwards and three passes later the ball was banged into the Royston net past a helpless Charlie and worse still with him picking up an injury in the process 0-1. Rory went in goal and we were down to ten men. Rory was immediately called into action making a really good full length dive to parry a fierce shot for a corner and the boys defended two corners well. Then finally some proper football from the boys in white, strong work from the deadly Matt and Callum in centre midfield and Mick was found on the right wing, beat a player and delivered a good cross that Lewis finished off superbly to bring the scores level just before the half-time whistle 1-1.

 

We sat the boys down, got some fluids in them and talked about the first half. We were lucky to be level and the Stortford boys were playing some good stuff and putting us under pressure whilst all the while we were struggling to get any real rhythm. We asked the boys to retain possession better, play football and keep the effort going. We loved what the back four had done and asked them for more. Charlie bravely re-donned the gloves allowing Rory to come out of goal into centre midfield this time, pushing Matt out right to utilise his fitness and distribution abilities and give us some width.

 

Football wise it was a much improved half from the Royston boys as they all linked together better. Callum was simply awesome today with his work rate and total effort and this drove his team on. Mick and Bruce were combining better upfront and a few of the quick passing moves were now working. Some strong work by Bruce held the ball up well feeding Mick who created a shooting chance with some quick feet but it went just wide. Tommy T delivered a good free-kick from just inside the Stortford half and Rory met it first with a good sharp shot that was saved for a corner. Foxy was backing up his solid first half with some tremendous work at right back and together with Tom T and the two Jamies were keeping the defensive line high and the pressure all in the Athletic half. Foxy surged up the right wing and found Mick with a cross and he lobbed the keeper only to see the ball cleared off the line by a Stortford defender. This was better all round. More pressure up the right from Foxy and Matt forced a throw and Foxy took it and Callum cleverly flicked it on for Mick to rise in the area to direct a header by the keeper for 2-1. This headed goal was Mick’s fiftieth league goal of the season of nineteen games so far – top effort mate. Bruce and Matt combined again with good back up from Rory and the chance went just be the post. A free kick was won four yards outside the box and Mick stood up to take it. Mick’s accurate and powerful shot gave the keeper no chance and hit the back of the net cleanly for a 3-1 lead. The final attack was a Mick through ball that Lewis ran onto well but couldn’t quite get a shot off.

 

This was a patchy and ragged game that the Colts collectively finally grabbed by the scruff of its neck and dragged it through to victory. Considering we were short of players and it was hot and tough work the boys had kept going brilliantly. Not every game can be pure football.

 

Charlie – important game saving stops in first half.

Tommy T – solid and strong all game, reliable as ever.

JP– superb last ditch tackles and interceptions – kept going well.

JC – powerful and determined all game, encouraging team-mates was spot on.

Lewis – important equalising goal and good all round second half.

Callum – awesome match-winning work rate all game – made me tired watching.

Matt – destructive first half in centre-midfield, creative second half on right wing.

Rory – never stopped trying, lively in front of goal – top effort mate.

Bruce – always in the game, tricky and competitive throughout.

Mick – slow start, really good second half – deadly when needed.

 

Spectator’s Man of the Match – Foxy – Did top job marking tricky player, great overlapping and creative play in second half.