Date	Sunday 16th September 2012
Match	Berkhampstead Raiders Youth v Royston Town Youth Colts
Competition	Hertfordshire County Challenge Cup U15
Result	Won 1-5
Royston Scorers	Rhys 4, Bradley

We arrived at Berkhamstead to find the ref pacing the pitch out which when we walked over was no surprise as it was the smallest in length and width that I have seen for a game at our level with the only thing full size about it was the goals but as the saying goes its the same for both sides.

We asked the boys to be positive and not to be afraid to go backwards to keep the ball and it was also important for the wide men to stay out wide, we did not know anything about them so it was important to assert ourselves on them as early in the match as possable.

We started really well and as asked we got the ball out wide and were very positive, the break through came five minutes in, a good move down the right involving James R and Callum ended with a pin point cross from Sam and there was Rhys to head home unchallenged from five yards, we then completely dominated for the rest of the half but some excellent goalkeeping and missed chances meant that we only had a one goal lead at half time.

We were really pleased with the football being played but we needed to take our chances, we also warned the boys not to get involved in the verbals Berkhamstead were dishing out and to just stay focused on there jobs.

Not sure what the Berkhamstead manager said to his team but from the start of the second half they put us under pressure and forced a corner which we did not clear properly and a goal bound effort was brilliantly cleared off our line by Callum.To our credit we went straight up the other end and the impressive AJ found Ross and his cross was turned in by Rhys.Number three soon followed a move down our left ended with Bradley reacting quickest to score. We then conceded a poor goal for our standards we feel asleep from there throw down the right and there forward ran in unchallenged from an angle and left Robbie with no chance. Again to the boys credit the reaction was good first Rhys completed his hat trick with a shot from out side the box and then good work from Ben allowed the same player to score our fifth and his fourth and that was us into the second round.

We won this game because we let our football do the talking and did not get involved in the spoiling tactics Berkhamstead tried to use to upset us, we should have won by more but it was a good performance.