After a productive training session last night, the 6 young tigers braved the miserable conditions and got about their day with beaming smiles and excellent team moral evident. After a slowish start, the lads heads didn’t drop (as may have been the case in matches gone by) and things began to click. An inspired substitution by Manager of the Year nominee, Al Healy, saw his lad Zak nab a first time finish, then 2, then the hat-trick to find ourselves 3-2 up. Largely thanks to absolute selfless play from the team, notably Sonny Richardson with 3 x assists, the lads were in full flow. Beau was unlucky not to grab one before the break, showing a strikers instinct of ‘right-time, right-place’. The opposition got one back and ensured the game was all square at the break, thanks to some excellent defending from Aiden and the midfield of Sonny & Reuben tracking back - confident in knowing our first rate keeper Ethan was always there to make some tremendous saves. Free kick maestro Reuben was so unlucky not to see one go in, hitting the bar and afterwards smashing a certain top corner (Leighton Baines style) blinder, only to see the FC Northern keeper pull off an unbelievable save - for 2 x 7 year old kids to strike a free kick and the other to make a save like that was advanced to say the least.

A quick half time pep talk and change of keeper, Sonny for Ethan, the lads burst even more into life second half. I could pretend to tell you how it went but all I know is we were 7-4 up, then 8-5. A further 2 goals for Zak Healy, the wizard of dribble, 2 great finishes from Ethan and 1 for the ‘Fox in the box’ Beau. Lots of great saves by both keepers, hard luck again hitting the crossbar and some excellent last ditch defending. The last kick of the game saw them get it back to 8-7, and a sigh of relief was heard by coaches and parents as the ref blew the whistle.

Everyone of the lads could have been MOTM today, it was decided to be given to Sonny who spearheaded the spirited comeback in the first half.

Take away points:
I think we need to stop doing ‘crossbar challenge’ in training as they seem to have taken it into the game, ?? so unlucky!

Excellent effort by all today, the focus shown in training showed on the pitch and a lot more passing, positional awareness and team ethos was clear to see.

I know we don’t record/keep scores of football at U11’s and below, and it certainly isn’t about scores for me, but ask any kid in a drenched FCFC Orange kit what the score was at the end and they will have told you. In a nutshell, seeing both teams kids shaking hands and smiling at the end after an absolute end to end game full of incident and goals, is why I/we coach the kids football!!

And relax.......[b][/b]