If you would like to place a report of your teams match on the web please e-mail Danielle at dhonour@btinternet.com and I will add your report to this page
10th February 2008
Dartford v Beacons White u12 ( SHIELD)
Leigh Tech. Dartford
Score 0 - 12
This week we entered the 'Green Shield ' competition against Dartford in a group of 5 teams with the winners of the group going on to the final so it was important that the boys took on board the lessons of last weeks game and the instructions from Thursday nights training. If we did not come out of the blocks firing on all cylinders then we would be heading out of this competition early so the boys took to the pitch with these words ringing in their ears.
Encouragingly the boys flew at their opponents and found themselves 1-0 up in the first minute as our hosts sat back and let us run through them. This was to be the pattern for the rest of the first half as we finally re-discovered our belief and started to play patches of flowing football as we began to notch up the goals with only the odd counter attack from Dartford for our defenders to deal with. In games like this it becomes very easy to forget to play football and a few of the team began to get caught up in this trap as instead of taking a touch they wildly punted the ball forward. Some very good passages of play occurred with Frazer and Ronnie linking well on the left leaving Dartfords right sided players dizzy and Cogs putting his foot on the ball and sliding short controlled passes into the forwards. Dartford could not get a grip on the game and as the half time whistle blew we found ourselves in the unfamiliar position of being 7-0 to the good.
The second half continued as the first had ended with our boys throwing everything at our opponents which led to further goals. Despite telling the boys to play football throughout the half we only really played for the first ten minutes before we reverted back to individuals forgetting that football is a team game and trying to score from anywhere despite team mates being in better positions. The final whistle blew and we had recorded our best win and performance of the season with a thumping 12-0 win.
There were some excellent performances today with Terry turning in a solid display between the sticks with his constant calling and good handling and Ronnie's quality running and neat crosses creating havoc for their defenders. Cogs was calm on the ball and Tommo took his chance to play up front in the second half as he used his strength to attack their goal. Stephen F played out of position but also looked comfortable .
Well done to everyone and as I can't remember who scored, and when, a massive well done to all of the goal scorers today. We must now move on and take this performance into next weeks game but remembering it is a team game.
Trevor
Ronnie 4, Rhys 2, Jack 2, Ola 2, Ricky 1, and Tommo 1
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3rd February 2008
Beacons White u12 v Teviot u12
Crown Woods School
Score 1 - 10
Today we came up against one of the stronger sides in the 'A' division in the shape of Teviot a team made up of select players who have experienced Academy football and all are technically strong players. The boys knew that it would be tough and that they would have to work hard from the first whistle if they were to stand any chance of competing in this match.
Unfortunately we didn't start quickly and sat back as the Teviot boys ripped us apart and within minutes we were three goals down and this set the pattern for the rest of the first half. Although we never gave up it took 22 minutes before the whole team and not the usual 3 or 4 players sprung into life but by this time we were 7-0 down and in desperate need of the half time break.
After some encouragement at half time we set the boys the task of trying to win the second half and trying to improve on their first half performance. The boys began to show glimpses of belief and started to attack the Teviot goal with renewed confidence and despite letting in another three goals we still managed to pull a goal back as Stephen F. tucked away a neat finish from a corner. With a little more luck and belief we could of pulled back a few more but we were beaten on the day by a far superior team.
Today's game was tough but it is still encouraging to see the boys never give up and I thought that a lot of the boys stood up well in the second half and competed with a lot more effort than in the first half.
A MASSIVE THANK YOU TO SEAN FOR RUNNING THE LINE AGAIN
Trevor
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27th January 2008
Teviot Blue v Beacons White u12
Swingate lane
Score 6-4
The short journey to Swingate lane saw us up against our old friends Teviot Blue who in the previous match had beaten us 2-1 so we were looking forward to today's game . The pitch was small but in good condition so we knew that there would be a limited amount of football being played and a lot of battling through the middle of the park.
Frazer was making his debut at left back for us today and what an excellent start he made as his no nonsense strong tackling set the scene at the beginning of the game . We shut down well from the first minute and made the early openings as Rhys opened up their defence as he tore down the right hand side and his persistence paid off as he shot across their keeper to give us an early lead. We still worked hard shutting down their dangerous forwards and with the defence looking the strongest it has done all season we looked comfortable but for 10 seconds we switched off and forgot the basics and found the ball in the back of our net. This goal lifted the home team and shortly afterwards we stood off again and their winger scored the best goal of the game to make the score 2-1 to the Blues. Despite this setback we kept our shape and our midfield slowly got their act together as we pushed our opponents back into their half creating a few half chances just prior to half time.
The second half saw us getting caught cold in the early minutes as the Blues center forward latched onto a through ball and poked it past the hard working Terry. At this point the boys could of buckled but they rolled up their sleeves and set about dragging themselves back into the game. Ronnie pulled a goal back as he broke free down the right and hit a fierce shot inside the keepers near post to make the score 3-2. As we pushed forward it looked only a matter of time before we would draw level and so it was as Cogs rose high to nod the ball into the corner of the net to make the score level at 3-3. At this point i was feeling confident that we could get something from the game as we pushed hard for the winner but as we pushed forward we let their forwards in behind us to give the lead back to them and a few minutes later a penalty was awarded to the home team to make the score 5-3. A few minutes later their center forward broke through and hit another but still we would not give up as Tommo hit our best goal with a 20 yard thunderbolt that the keeper could only watch as it flew into the back of the net.
The game ended 6-4 to the Blues but i was proud of the boys today as they managed to shut down better from the start and they started to believe that they should be playing in this division. Frazer made a big difference to the team as we worked as a unit at the back with all four defenders producing a quality performance.
Thanks to Demi today for running the line today and for his celebration as we scored our third goal as he ran wildly onto the pitch to celebrate with the boys.
Thanks to the management of the Blues for todays game.
Trevor
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13th January 2008
Phoenix Lions v Beacons White u12
Mayplace Road
Score 2 - 6
Today we came up against the Lions who like us have struggled to get a grip at this level but have never thrown in the towel and today both teams new that after our previous encounter, a 0-0 draw, two points were up for grabs. Today we had the luxury of a new player joining us and so we were all looking to see if 'Big Stephen' could help us to get the points that have evaded us this year.
We started well by taking the game to our opponents and using the slope to attack down the wings and the early chances fell to us but once again we fell behind to an excellent free kick on the edge of our area . It was not long before we hit back with Tommo breaking down the right wing and sliding the ball inch perfect past the Phoenix stopper. A few minutes later lightning struck twice as another free kick was awarded on the edge of our box and duly dispatched into the back of the net. Little Stephen entered the battle at right back and made an immediate impression as he released Rhys who duly leveled the scores. We were now looking more settled and began to take advantage of our forwards speed as Ronnie broke free and hit a screamer into the back of the net to give us the lead for the first time in the match. Ronnie struck again just prior to half time to send us in 4-2 up and with hope of our first win.
The second half saw the Introduction of Big Stephen playing up front and this seemed to unsettle their team for the first ten minutes thus allowing us to grow in confidence. As we applied the pressure we were awarded a corner which Tommo struck sweetly onto the stooping head of Little Stephen who buried his header past their keeper . We kept the pressure on and were denied another goal when Big Stephen slotted home the ball to be denied by a harsh offside decision It was not long before Big Stephen celebrated his first goal for the club as he smashed the ball home after the Lions keeper became entangled with Rhys.
The game ended 6-2 and so we finally managed to record our first win of the season and now we must build on this and try to start believing that we can win more games.
A Big thanks to Demi for running the line AGAIN !
Trevor
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6th January 2008
Beacons White u12 v Phoenix Flyers u12
The Oaks
Score: 2-2
A new year and new hope as we entered the second half of the season with our first fixture against the high flying Phoenix team that had on their last outing defeated the 'Reds' so we new that we were in for a tough game.
An icy pitch and a sunny morning meant that it would not be long before the pitch would cut up so the best of the football would be played early on and i was pleasantly surprised as we started strongly with Tommo leading the way as he used his strength to push us forward , carving open their defence, creating a few early chances. As the boys settled it became clear that they had returned from their Christmas break full of confidence and determination as we matched our opponents in the early stages. Despite our encouraging start we fell behind after 12 minutes yet still the boys remained calm and with the defence turning in their best performance of the season we slowly regained control. Carlos, Sherriff, Stephen, Thomas and Raj all showed tremendous character as they intelligently played the ball through to our central midfielders , Cogs and Tommo , to distribute quality passes to our wingers Ricky and Ola . It was one of those passes that led to our equaliser as we were awarded a free kick just outside their 18 yard box which meant Ronnie stepping up to dispatch a peach of a shot into the top corner to bring the scores level. The game remained quite even but again we fell behind as we switched off and let their forward dispatch a fierce shot into the back of the net to leave us trailing at half time.
With the pitch becoming heavier it was a credit to both teams how they managed to produce such a fine second half as the action swung from end to end with both teams having chances and although Terry had to make a few saves he was probably the quieter of the two keepers in this half . We continued to play some of the best football that i had seen this season as Cogs began to take control of the midfield sliding balls through to Ronnie and Rhys to run onto testing their keeper constantly. It was not long before our efforts were rewarded as Ola picked up the ball and ran at their defence , sliding the ball through to Rhys who hit an inch perfect shot across their keeper into the far corner to bring us back level, at the same time sending the Barmy Army into wild celebration as they knew the boys deserved the goal for their amazing efforts. The last ten minutes seemed to last forever as we begged the ref to blow his whistle and as he did we celebrated like the day we won promotion last season .
It was magic to see not only the Boys smiling faces and the happy parents at the final whistle but most of all it was a special day for the management as we skipped onto the pitch to celebrate with the boys because to say that this season has been tough would be an understatement . The boys deserve all the plaudits as it could have been so easy to walk away when things were really going against us but you kept on turning up for training week in week out and despite some great performances earlier in the season we could not get the results we needed to kick start our season but today you produced an excellent display and hopefully you can take this into next weeks match and go one better.
Thanks to Demi for running the line again.
Trevor
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16th December 2007
Beacons White u12 v Welling Wanderers u12
Score 1-7
Crown Woods School
Seven – One sounds and looks like a disaster but that is so far from the truth after watching us turn in a much improved performance , one that had us playing flowing football through the middle of the park but we were unable to capitalize on our excellent build up play.
The first half started in typical Beacons White fashion as we let in an early goal but this time we still looked strong and started to put pressure on our opponents defence with Tommo leading the way with a no nonsense display as he took the ball and drove the team forward with his strong physical approach unsettling their defenders and releasing our forwards to try their luck. Rhys and Ronnie were released by Tommo's determination to set them free on goal but despite hitting the bar the chance was ruled out by the lino's flag but we did not have to wait much longer for the equaliser as Ricky launched a cross into the area and the ball was headed home courtesy of one of their defenders.
Sadly we were unable to maintain parity for more than a minute as we let the Wanderers break upfield to restore their advantage yet still we never looked out of the game and the boys responded well taking the game to Welling as we realised that their weak spot was their defence . Despite our efforts going forward we contrived to let in a third goal before the break leaving a much bigger task in the second half playing up the slope.
The second half started in a similar fashion to the first with us conceding two quick goals despite the magnificent efforts of the impressive SHERRIF who seemed to pop up everywhere on the pitch today whilst playing as sweeper for the first time. Now with the scoreline looking top heavy we signaled for Cogs to push forward and take the ball to our opponents to try to open up their tight midfield, which was compensating for their defence, with some defence splitting through balls. After a few minutes our tinkering began to show dividends as we produced five guilt edged chances which unfortunately were not dispatched into the Welling net but we were finally showing the type of football that i know we can play. It is still a mystery to me how we did not convert these chances but it was a pleasure to see the boys making the chances again as they never ever gave up trying to get something from the game. Despite letting in two more goals we pushed on to the final whistle with some of the old confidence coming back and despite the disappointment of loosing again the boys should build on this performance and come back after Christmas and try to upset a few of these teams.
Well done to everyone and a MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Thanks for your continued support.
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9th December 2007
Beacons White u12 v Phoenix Lions u12
Score 0 - 0
Crown Woods School
Basement Battle
Two teams without a point all season, low on confidence and desperate to kick start their respective seasons met today on a wet windy morning with the pitch in very good condition considering the recent downpours over the past seven days. Both teams knew what was at stake and this clearly showed as the game got under way with both sets of players taking time to settle as they tried their best to kick the 'Granny' out of the poor ball for the first few minutes but it was not long before the pattern was set for the first half. We managed to start to put the ball on the deck and tried to pass the ball but still panicked when it counted most in front of goal a sure sign of the confidence problem both teams are suffering. From a neutrals point of view this was probably an exciting game to watch with both teams giving 100% in effort but unfortunately the skill level required in this division was missing but this did not deter the boys as they made the early running attacking down the hill with Ronny and Rhys trying to get in behind their defence but still we could not get a shot on target. Phoenix were restricted to counter attacks up the hill and on several occasions got through on goal but were stopped by the fast improving Sheriff as his exhilarating pace saved the day or the cool defending of Carlos blocked their through balls to keep our goal in tact.
Slowly our midfield duo of Cogs and Tommo began to take control of the middle of the park with their probing through balls setting off Ola down the left and Ricky on the right but still we could not provide enough crosses to hurt our opponents and force a save from their keeper. Despite our efforts in going forward we still need to improve on our shutting down as we watched the ball drop on numerous occasions before attacking it hence loosing the ball and having to struggle to regain possession. Both teams struggled to get a serious shot on target so despite our efforts we went in all square at the break with the advantage of the slope now going to our opponents.
After many words of encouragement at half time the boys started well and adapted to the slope quickly as we found Ola had listened well during the break and got himself down the left flank more and started to run at the defenders creating a few early chances . Still the game swung from end to end but with a little more composure we could of kept in their half for longer periods if we had managed to relax and keep the ball instead of kicking it at the first opportunity but this will rectify itself as we improve. Despite our constant pressure we still had to stay alert as the long ball down the slope was causing problems so Terry, who turned in a decent performance ,had to keep his defenders on their toes throughout the second period.
As the half wore on we applied constant pressure to their goal and shots from all angles were being fired in the general direction of the goal but still the keeper had not made a save and then the moment came when i thought my prayers had been answered, as Ola who had a magical second half, beat three players and crossed the ball leaving the keeper stranded and the simple job of tapping the ball into the back of the empty net to any one of three of our players but as luck would have it this season it ended up the wrong side of the post . This minor set back did not stop the boys as Tommo went close , Rhys shot just over and Cogs finally made their keeper pull off a save which resulted in him needing treatment from the physio but i think that he was in shock at having to save one of our shots instead of watching it go flying wide.
Phoenix still hit back and applied constant pressure to our goal for the last five minutes and it was a pleasure to see us stand our ground this week and finally get a point on the board.
Today was an improvement for both sides but it showed that to play in this division you must have a mixture of players that have played at this level and players that are willing to roll their sleeves up and fight for every ball.
A big thanks to Carlo and his team today as it was a pleasure to be able to chat before and after the match and to play in a game that both teams could enjoy.
Thanks to Sean and the Phoenix Linesman today for running the line.
Trevor
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25th November 2007
Phoenix u12 v Beacons White u12
Score 6 - 4
Perry Street
After the major disappointment of last weeks 5-0 drubbing at home to Parkwood we set out on the short journey to Crayford to play the Phoenix 'A' team . We all knew that things had to improve and quickly if we were to regain the confidence of the players so we started by getting the boys into the right frame of mind in the warm up and then left the rest down to them as they took the field against one of the established teams in this division who have had a couple of decent results over the last few weeks.
Again we tinkered with the shape of the team with Jack S playing at right back as i was hoping that his ability to bring the ball out under pressure would bring the midfield more into the game and he proved me right as he went on to have an excellent game and with Rhys and Ricky out on the wings giving us the width which has been missing allowing Ronny and Ola to attack their defenders. The first half started well but still the nerves were showing but at least they had responded to my instructions as they got the ball down and tried to string the passes together . Unfortunately we fell asleep at the back after ten minutes and got caught out by the long ball over the top which found our defence in a flat line as the Phoenix forward broke free to ram the ball home. This was now going to be the moment that would determine if the boys really wanted to play for Beacons and it was up to them to show the character that has been missing to dig in and fight to restore parity. The boys did just that as the midfield pairing of Cogs and Tommo began to get the ball on the deck and break up our opponents attacks as we mounted our fight back and soon we found that we were level through Ronny who man handled the centre back out of the way and slotted the ball into the back of the net as we all then looked at their ref waiting for the foul to be given but for some unknown reason he awarded the goal a decision that was met by amazement by our supporters and shouts of derision from his own supporters who were fed up at this point of the game with the lack of big decisions that were being made correctly a problem that blights junior football throughout the country week in week out due to the lack of qualified people.
As we were still celebrating our good fortune Phoenix broke quickly and scored two goals in two minutes to leave me with a touch of De-Ja-Vue but our boys were not in the mood to roll over and Rhys responded with a long punt across their area which some how found itself nestled into the far corner to bring the score back to 3-2. As our opponents had done to us earlier we scored another goal soon after and this was a great goal as Ronny flicked the ball over the centre backs head and coolly slotted home the equalizer with only a minute to go to half time. This minute again proved to be a problem as we let them in again and went in 4-3 down feeling a lot happier than in previous weeks but knowing we should have been level if our concentration levels and decision making had been better.
The second half saw us pick up where we had left off in the first and it only took a few minutes for the prolific scoring talent of Ronny to strike again as we scored the best team goal that we have scored all season as we had the confidence to play out from the back and through the midfield up to Ronny to complete one of the best hat tricks i have seen at Beacons not just for the way he scored the goals but for the tremendous effort that he puts in trying to drag this team back to where it belongs. As the game went on we began to tire but there were some tremendous performances out there today with Steven, Carlos and Sherriff running themselves into the ground and Terry pulling off some great saves when our back line was breached and distributing the ball intelligently. Ricky had run himself into the ground and was never afraid to try and create space for the forwards and when he went off injured Thomas stepped up to the mark and threw himself into the action with some well timed tackles and managed to nip in for a shot just after he came on. Raj who had turned up despite having a severe bout of flu came on late in the game as we threw Sherriff up front as we now had let in two late goals and were prepared to try and get the score line looking better as we gambled for the last few minutes and were unlucky not to of pulled another goal back. After some neat play Cogs found himself in the area and pulled back the trigger to shoot but found his legs cleared clean away so we awaited for the penalty but you guessed it Cogs was adjudged to of jumped over the players legs rather than score by the ref so as the ball bobbled about Ronny lashed the ball onto the underside of the bar and as in 1966 the ref and Russian linesman blew it again as the ball clearly crossed the line leaving the final score 6-4 and Cogs laying on the floor needing treatment.
This was a great improvement on the previous two weeks and we all could walk off the pitch with our heads held high as we showed that we still have got something left in the tank and with a little bit more effort we will get that elusive win but we must not let one good performance turn our heads.
To finish I want to have a little moan, as despite what we all feel as individuals about the reasons why we have struggled this season the boys are under strict instructions to listen to only PAUL and MYSELF and only to listen to encouragement from the parents and despite our results most of our parents can still be heard screaming with enthusiasm as the boys try their hardest even on the bad days. So please if you want to help them, pick up the flag every now and then, and let me get on with the job that I need to be doing, as you can see that with a little bit more confidence and vocal support from the touchline these boys will begin to settle down and play the type of football that we all want to see. So come on and let me decide the tactics, and you all pull together, as I do not want the boys listening to other people on the touchline !!!!
Just to finish I would like to take this opportunity to wish TJ good luck, as he has moved on and to thank Liz for her support and friendship throughout the last few years.
Trevor
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11th November 2007
Beacons White u12 v Teviot Blues u12
Score 1 - 2
Crown Woods School
If ever a game was going to be important to our season this one was to be it as we knew our opposition well and they are in the group of teams that were promoted this season so ensuring we got at least a point to kick start our season was crucial.
Well we started excellently with the ball being kept in their half for the first fifteen minutes with Ronny coming close with a shot from a through ball from Cogs and Rhys running at their back four but despite our pressure we could still not get past their impressive sweeper . Our boys played with confidence and kept control at the back moving up well under the control of the outstanding Tommo who for the second week running played out of position to try and gain some stability to our defence and to be honest i could run out of words to describe how well he has performed over the past few weeks.
As time ticked by i knew that if we did not take advantage of our superiority then we would get punished and the inevitable happened as we found ourselves 1-0 down to a well taken goal from the edge of our box- slightly against the run of play but in this division you have to stay switched on for the whole game. Now was the time to keep playing our football and continue the good work of the first fifteen minutes but this was not to be as we pushed the panic button and let our opponents nick a second goal sending us in 2-0 down a score line that we did not fully deserve.
Although Teviot have got one of the best centre forwards in the league i believe we have found one of the quickest players in the league in the shape of Sheriff who like Tommo has turned our defence into a much more solid back four and as this is his first season he will turn into a very handy player as he restricted their centre forward to a few shots all game which is a credit to Sheriff.
The second half started well for us but it was not long before we lost our way again with the boys not putting their foot on the ball and the forwards were not prepared to try something different by holding the ball up and playing the ball backwards or sidewards to enable the midfielders to slide passes in behind their defenders instead of trying to kick the granny out of the poor dizzy ball which spent most of the match being kicked as hard as we could in any direction . We do not train this type of football on Thursday evenings so i do not expect to see sixty minutes of it on a Sunday. Some players did not even try to win the ball and just stood watching as the few workhorses ran their bodies into the ground because they believe that we can pull ourselves through these awkward times.
Ten minutes from time we were thrown a lifeline as Ronny scored a classy goal to give us some hope of getting the much needed point discussed previously but to be honest i did not see the desire or the effort put in throughout the last ten minutes to convince me that we wanted to get a second goal. The last ten minutes drifted away and although we only lost 2-1 and did not concede four goals as in our previous games i walked away disappointed as i knew that with a little more effort and belief we could and most definitely should of taken a point from this fixture. Week in week out i have backed our boys as we have had to play some tough games but i am not prepared to molly coddle the boys when they turn in a performance as poor as the last 45 minutes of this game. It is now time for the boys to stand up and be counted, throw their bodies into a few more tackles , put their foot on the ball when required and most importantly stop feeling sorry for themselves when they are asked or told to do something on the pitch that they don't agree with as i am fed up at listening to stupid comments from individuals who do not want to hear the truth from their own players. Now is the time to decide if you want to dig in deep to try and pull our season round or is it time for you to take your boots and play in the B Division where you can turn up week in week out and go through the motions winning 9-0 and learning NOTHING.
Whilst i always knew this season was going to be tough and that we would loose more than we would win and could easily of stayed in the B Division i still believe that if we all pull together and muck in on a Sunday we can still make this an enjoyable season. On a Sunday Paul takes control of the team and i advise him on Thursdays after i have completed training and on the following few days as to how to approach the game taking into account any injuries and any knowledge i have of our opposition. We have changed it to ensure that we do not confuse the players on the day. To enable me to assist Paul on Sundays i find it impossible to get messages to him and the players if i am running the line constantly so i would appreciate it if the parents could either pitch in and help or inform me that they don't want to help. As for the idea of Saturday training an idea that is being discussed by a few, i don't think that in my opinion it will change the situation especially as we would only get half the team there .
Today was a tough day but i know we can turn it round with a bit of hard work and all of the parents pulling together.
A big thanks to the ref today and to our opposition as it was a pleasure to run the line without receiving torrents of verbal abuse and shouts of 'CHEAT' from players and parents alike as i had in the past few weeks.
Trevor
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28th October 2007
Athenlay u12 v Beacons White u12
Score 4 - 0
Homestall Road
Now with four games gone in the league and with two of them against two of the top teams we found ourselves up against the talented Athenlay team again over at their ground on a dark damp day on a pitch that is very condensed and waterlogged on the far side - a problem with a neighbours fishpond we were reliably informed turning the pitch into a swamp near the halfway line.
I had decided that to turn our slow start to the season around we must change the way we went about our business and start to believe that we can compete with the teams in this division so with Ola man marking their main playmaker and the boys defending with belief we kicked off and immediately I could see the confidence returning as we threw ourselves into tackles doubling up where necessary.
Today was never going to be easy but the boys operated as a unit supporting each other in defence and moving up to frustrate our opponents by catching them off side time and time again. What we must remember though is that we must move up as a unit and not to let the odd player stay back as this will continue to undo all your efforts-- get the talking going and this will improve . Athenlay had previously torn us apart in the first match so Ola man marked their main ball player and did a brilliant job in restricting his through balls today, which helped our stand in left back Sheriff find his feet early to give him the confidence to turn in an excellent performance using his pace to keep their winger quiet. Twenty minutes into the first half Athenlay finally broke the deadlock as they got round the back of our defence to slip the ball past the impressive Terry in goal to make the half time score 1-0.
The second half started with our hosts bringing the game to us but our battling was still keeping them at bay and with Tommo playing the best game I have seen from him all season tackling hard , popping up as the last man and clearing the ball and still trying to open up their defence whilst being battered by their players I knew that the boys had started to believe that they had a chance of getting something from this game. As the half went on Athenlay grew stronger and started to open up our tiring defence and it was not long before they increased their lead with two quick goals but still we tried to get a goal back with Ronny settling in on the left and tracking back winning the ball for the lone figure of Jack S up front to try and create a goal for us. With a few minutes left we let in a fourth goal to end the match with a very creditable 4-0 defeat.
Today proved to me that the boys were prepared to roll up their sleeves and try to fight for their place in this division and although we lost it was the manner in which you played with a positive attitude which impressed me most. Now I am not saying that we played anywhere near our best but to be confronted so early on in the season by quality teams we must take as many positives from this performance and start to use these games to learn to shut down early and to dig in deep because soon the' fixture fairy' will put us up against teams at our end of the division and it will then be down to you to have the confidence and desire to get the points that you deserve to stay in this division.
A big well done to everyone - lets all be at training on Thursday to prepare for our next easy fixture (only kidding Reds )
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14th October 2007
Parkwood u12 v Beacons White u12
Score 4-3
Bexley sports club
Back to league action this week with a game against Parkwood who also got promoted to this division this year and a game that both sides needed to get something from as points are hard to come by in this division. Paul had set his team out strongly from the beginning and it was now down to the boys to up their game from the previous week and throw everything at Parkwood from the first minute.
The boys started quickly and moved the ball well and it was not long before we took an early lead as Rhys took a throw to Cogs who played the ball back to Rhys on the wing who in turn hit a long cross into the area which the keeper failed to hold and we found ourselves 1-0 up . Now alarm bells must of gone off in our boys heads as we were in front for the first time this season and to be honest we froze and let Parkwood walk through us without any opposition as we backed off and invited them onto us and the inevitable happened as they outpaced us and drew level within five minutes.
Parkwood who have a few decent players began to grow in confidence as we refused to attack 50/50 balls and continued to stand off and they took the game to us as we struggled to get into their half and their second goal came prior to half time sending us in 2-1 down at the break.
The belief was still there at half time and as we are low on confidence at present we knew that most if not all of our football would be route one until we get the confidence back into the team we asked the forwards to have more mobility up front and to gamble on through balls from the two Jacks in midfield and this paid off immediately in the second half as Rhys latched onto a ball from Jack S to score with an excellent finish to score his second of the game. Straight away we attacked again and with a similar ball from Cogs Rhys completed a well deserved hat-trick as he tucked the ball away with a super finish.
Even at this point we still looked shaky but with Ricky turning in another top class performance at right back and Steven having a solid game in defence we were far improved on the previous week but still we refused to put our foot on the ball and control the game or shut down their players and this failing turned out to be our downfall as we again gave away another sloppy goal to make the score 3-3 and let Parkwood back on top. Our discipline finally let us down as we started to question the refs decisions on a regular basis and we gave away a free kick near our 18 yard box which was dispatched far too easily into our net by the talented left foot of the best Parkwood player on the pitch but to be honest we should have been a lot braver with players on the line throwing their bodies at the ball.
With nine minutes left we tried our best to come back but we had lost our shape and with our heads slightly down we could not manage to salvage a point as the game ended 4-3.
Today was tough especially when we had picked ourselves up so well from the previous week but the boys must now start to believe in themselves as i believe in them and take all the top quality work they do in the gym and use it on the pitch on Sundays. The hardest job that I have got is to convince the boys that they can make an impact this season and with one win the confidence will come flooding back . It will take time and it is soul destroying not winning on a Sunday morning but after a good rant and rave as you walk away fed up dust yourselves down and get back to training on Thursday and show me that you all believe that we can do it.
Today we found that not all the decisions that could have gone our way did actually go our way but I want the boys to concentrate on playing football and to get on with the game regardless, as the more critical you are of a Club ref (who is only a dad helping out) will lead to even more decisions not going in your favour as you place the ref under pressure to give us something. This does not mean we cannot appeal or nor does it mean we accept all of the refs decisions but you must keep your mind on the game or these decisions will cost us at the end of the season.
A big thanks to Lak and Demi for running the line today.
Well done to everyone today.
Trevor Cogley
7th October 2007
Lewisham Youth u12 v Beacons White u12
Score 7-1
Warren Avenue
London Cup
7-1 sounds really drastic and in some ways we deserved to get beat by such a large score as some of our team did not approach this game in the right frame of mind but on the other hand we carved out as many if not more clear cut chances in the first half that we could have been and should have been level at the break.
We started very slowly and found ourselves on the back foot from the first minute as we stood off and let an average team attack us resulting in an early goal for our hosts. Some of our players had still not switched on as numbers two and three hit the back of our net to leave the Barmy Army looking on some what bewildered as we all knew that this team were not as good as the teams we meet week in week out. Slowly we hit back and with the introduction of our new signing Ronnie starting on the right wing we showed our class as we tore their defence apart and created multiple chances and on another day we would of buried them but today was not to be our day. The fact that we made so many chances really pleased me as we stuck to our own game going forward despite us being 3-0 down. Tommo continued his battle up front making intelligent runs and latching onto great through balls and i commend him for his positive attitude as he never once gave up the ghost throughout the entire game working tirelessly trying to get the one goal that would put the belief back into the team. Again we got caught out at the back and went into the break 4-0 down but i still believed that the game was still within our reach---but did the boys ???
The second half started similar to the first and immediately we let the fifth goal in and i now wondered if the floodgates were going to open but the boys dug in and with Ronny having a 'never say die' attitude we started to try and recover some pride with more attacking football . It was strange that although we were attacking we did not create the amount of chances that we did in the first half but Tommo was rewarded for his efforts with a goal made by a ball out to the left by Cogs into the path of Ola who crossed for Tommo to score. As we pushed on we left ourselves wide open at the back and let in two more goals to make the final score 7-1.
Today we let our discipline drop which in my opinion is not good enough especially when I am talking about our verbal discipline as well as the shape and attitude of the team . At one point a player started arguing when he was given a stern piece of advice by two of his team mates, behaviour I do not accept on the pitch especially when the advice was needed . This type of behaviour affects the whole team and I will deal with this situation in the proper place which is in the gym at training on Thursdays.
Defensively we were poor today but with the amount of players we have in the squad i know that there are players with the pace and ambition to grab the opportunity to show us what they can do and get us back on track. We must now put this result behind us and get back to basics by shutting down quickly and fighting for every ball.
Although you boys produce the football on the pitch we still must ensure that we put out the strongest team possible to ensure that you have a fighting chance each week and this will mean that some boys will be disappointed but we are a team and we should not forget this point.
Thanks to Danny for running the line today and a big well done to Ronnie.
Trevor
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30TH September 2007
Beacons White u12 v Athenlay u12
score 1-5
The Oaks
For the second week running we were up against one of the top three sides in the division and i knew that we must continue where we left off last week shutting down quickly and playing quickly as i knew that Athenlay were quick on the attack but not so quick at the back.
As we were a few players missing at the start a couple of the boys had to play out of position and as in the friendly against Haydon where we were put in the same position with players running late we failed to get to grips with our opponents from the first minute and relied purely on panic football which is not our game. Balls were being miskicked throughout the pitch and mistakes were being made all too frequently as we forgot the basics and only a bit of poor finishing from our opponents kept the score level until the 17th minute where the left winger had loads of time to pick his spot and bury the ball from long range. A few changes had been made but the team was still unbalanced and the inevitable happened as we watched their winger collect the ball on the right and run unopposed through to our goal and that was 2-0.
The half time break could not of come at a better time as our boys needed some guidance and although they felt sorry for themselves you could tell that they wanted to make amends in the second half . Coming out pumped up for the second half the tackles started to go in earlier and confidence was creeping in as we took the battle to our opponents and were rewarded for our efforts as Tommo scored with another good finish to make the score 1-2. The boys had the bit between their teeth now and pushed on for the equalizer but again undone all their hard work as we failed to shut down again as their tricky winger flashed a ball across our area and into the net.
Some heads dropped at this stage but not all and we played some good football in patches but contrived to gift Athenlay two more goals to make the final score 1-5.
We learnt a few good lessons today as we backed off allowing good players time to play and didn't fully believe in ourselves for 60 minutes. There were some strong performances with both RICKY ad COGS digging in deep for the cause and the front three working hard to make something out of nothing as they did not receive the service that they deserved. A couple of injuries to our central defenders also threw the team out of shape so we did pretty well to cope today. We must learn to believe in ourselves as a team as we look forward to the next few weeks where we will play teams that i feel we are more than capable of beating.
Keep up the hard work and we will get what we deserve.
Well done to everyone
Trevor
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23rd September 2007
Beacons Red u12 v Beacons White u12
Crown Woods School
Score 4-1
There is always the other teams view of our game and I was waiting for the Whites view of our game with anticipation.
This was the Whites first game in our division and probably one they would of preferred to play at a later date.
However I thought they were going to be a force that needed respect and not take lightly. This proved to be true and I think their management have put together a more skilful set of players that will only continue to improve.
Now to the game seen from a different angle. We pressurised early on and should have taken the lead on numerous occasions. Something we will need to address with more shooting practise I think. Anyway our first goal finally come when the Whites gave away a corner and the pinpoint accuracy from Archie put the ball over to our new signing Adam and he slotted home from 6 yards. This should have been the stepping stone and we should have killed them off. However the Whites had other ideas and it was not long before they had equalised. The ball coming through the middle on the extra hard ground and the bounce beating our defence. Probably the only error that our defence had made. All four boys at the back putting in a strong performance and keeping the
opposition attacks down to the minimum.
Sean again pulled off a stunning save and there was a great turn round the post from Mitchal that spoiled the rest of the Whites strong efforts. Then came the on onslaught We left it late and a little too late for my liking but our football is played over 60 minutes and it does not take long to score a goal or three.
The tempo increased and we began to dig in and strive for the winning goal. We thought we had our second but Harry V was stopped in his tracks as he sprinted past their centre half from a on-side position. The flag went up and we were denied an almost certain goal. Instinctive reaction from the lino I hope. He must have thought that
Harry V must have been offside as he could not have left the defender so far in his wake but he had.
Our second goal was from a superb through ball from Harry Venables that was latched onto by Adam reintroduced because Harry F who had been playing well had to come off through injury. The problem I have with
substitutions is who to bring on because they are all so talented. Adam took the pass and nonchalantly chipped their goal keeper who had kept them in the game previously. Mr Beckham himself would have been proud of this one. After that we were a constant threat from either wing and we quickly added to our tally. A sharp turn by Max totally outfoxed their right back and a quick pass into Danny who turned superbly and passed the ball to Harry V. His shot was well saved only for the extra powerful Connor to turn in the rebound. Our final goal coming from another superb move down the right and Harry "Bugsy" once again being in the right place turning it in.
We should of had more goals but a strong effort come from the Whites. Not surprising and good to see. Red boys you have a slow start to the season but we are still winning when we are not playing that well which is great. Remember Red boys we have nothing to gain from this game. We were expected to win and when we do people say "as expected". We can only go one way in these games and that is down. NOT something that is going to happen.
Bring on the return.
Jason
23rd September 2007
Beacons Red u12 v Beacons White u12
Crown Woods School
Score 4-1
Where do I start ??? This was our first game in the 'A' League and the fixture secretary must have been smiling when he chose our fixtures, as our first two games are to be against two of the three Big teams in the division and with our team only having played together a few times we knew that we had to dig deep and get the best out of our boys.
With only 12 men to choose from, we set out our game plan attacking our hosts instead of packing our defence which could have been the easy option to take. The first few minutes saw the Reds come at us strongly but we weathered the early storm and then began to take the game to them with the impressive Rhys tearing down the left as he did for the whole of the game terrorizing their defence shooting at every opportunity. We now found ourselves in a strong position as we pushed on against a well organized outfit looking for the early goal but we found ourselves 1-0 down after we failed to clear an early ball into our 6 yard box.
At this stage I was worried that our heads would drop but I didn't need to worry for long as we got back to playing our own game playing quick balls through and over their defence which was clearly working as chances came our way with Jack S latching onto a ball down the right wing cutting in and shooting across their keeper with the keeper making a great save at full stretch to deny us the goal we deserved. The reds hit back at us and had chances to stretch their lead but our defence stood strong with T.J. turning in a massive performance at sweeper but the most outstanding defender today was RICKY who slipped back into defence early in the game to replace the injured Thomas and did so without any problems at all and his speed was a major asset to the defence as he totally outwitted their winger . It was not long before our efforts were rewarded as Sheriff played the perfect ball from midway in his own half along the right wing and Tommo latched onto the ball out pacing the defender and sliding the ball onto one post and watching the ball spin agonizingly slowly into the back of the net to spark wild celebrations from both the players and 'Barmy Army' .
After an upbeat half time talk my only concern was could we keep this pace up for another 30 minutes ? We carried on where we left off and this truly was a game worth watching as people gathered round the pitch from the other games being played to watch a really entertaining match full of end to end football, near misses and some quality football from both sides. As time went by the Reds were becoming nervous as they began to argue amongst themselves and started to up their tackles some being a little too enthusiastic but we kept asking the questions as we again got around the back and Jack S was unlucky as his shot was cleared off the line and Rhys had a tremendous shot saved by our old keeper Sean who had an excellent game .
SIX minutes remained when the Reds bought on the one player I knew could win the game Adam our old captain . The biggest surprise of the day was that a boy with his skills was sitting on the bench for so long but the script was wrote for him as he picked the ball up in space and lobbed our keeper to give the Reds the lead. Now the boys were out on their feet and two more quick goals made the final score 4-1 but this was a brilliant game to be part of and both teams contributed 100% to a fantastic game of football .
I have not mentioned many boys today as they all deserve to be congratulated on producing the quality football and outstanding physical effort against one of the top sides in the division and I bet their management was wondering just where the winner was going to come from as we kept to our game plan and frustrated them and hit them hard down the flanks.
I am proud of you all but this is the first of many tough games so enjoy the moment you deserve it but deep down we all know that we could and should of walked away with some points on the board today but if you had asked me before the game I would have been happy keeping the score under 5 so you far exceeded my expectations.
Thanks to Demi for doing an excellent job on the line and the 'Barmy Army' for their deafening support today.
Thanks to Sean Tolley of the Reds for stepping in and reffing today.
Trevor
16th September 2007
Russellers u12 v Beacons White u12
London Cup - Preliminary round
Elmstead Lane.
Today we got down to the nitty gritty as our pre- season friendlies had now been completed and the London Cup was to be our first real test as we took to the field in our new first team strip hoping that the boys would turn in the performance we required from them to get our season off to a winning start.
The boys started strongly in the first ten minutes moving the ball swiftly to feet over the excellent playing surface of this large pitch playing probing balls as we started to ask questions of their defence. Rhys was once again in top form as he tore down the left wing destroying their right back time and time again trying to find the opening goal that we needed to settle any early nerves. With Ricky keeping up his strong start to the season we had the width that had been missing in the friendlies with his clever balls down the line finding the industrious Sharky who began to send in the crosses that would eventually undo their defence.
As our pressure mounted the ball was cleared from the Russellers 18 yard box into the relative safety area some thirty yards out and was swiftly met by the trusty right boot of Tj who dispatched a contender for goal of the season into the top right hand corner to give us a deserved lead. As we pushed forward for the second goal we lost our shape for a few minutes and lowered our standard of football to lots of long balls but after a bit if tinkering we reverted back to moving the ball quickly to feet. Sherriff was making his full debut on the right wing today and showed some great touches coupled with his lightening speed he sent their left back dizzy linking well with both Sharky and Rhys throughout the game.
The second half started well as the boys were told to get back to playing their game and soon we were knocking the ball around with confidence as we played some very intricate passing moves which ended with Rhys scoring our second with an excellent finish with the outside of his right foot.
As usual we took our foot of the pedal and were punished at the back again as our hosts pulled back a goal to give them hope but this did not last for long as Ola produced a left foot finish for our third goal to spark off a one man celebration as he sprinted down the pitch. With our hosts tiring we pushed on and from another perfect Tj corner the hard working Cogs thought that he had scored as he headed the ball goalwards to see it kicked off the line onto the bar but the quick movement of Rhys saw the ball hit the back of the net for our fourth and his second. Our fifth came courtesy of Ricky as he latched onto an intelligent pass from Sharky and slammed it into the back of the net to make the final score 1-5.
Today we showed that we could play both the passing game and the long ball game but we must also learn to concentrate for 60 minutes and do the simple things correctly by playing the ball quicker into the spaces and making better use of the ball when time allows.
Overall this was a good performance as you can only beat what is in front of you and today we certainly did that. Terry again produced the goods when needed as for long periods he was a spectator.
Thanks to Lak and Sean for running the line again
Trevor
16 September 2007
Beacons U11 Red Vs Russellers 'A' London Cup Preliminary Round
As the players gathered early Sunday morning for their first ever competitive 11 -a-side it was a journey into the unknown for Carpo's team. They were also fielding a total of five players making their debuts for Beacons. This was the boys chance to show they were ready to step up to 'real' football, and boy didn't they show just that. As the game kicked off nobody could have predicted what was about to happen. From the start Beacons immediately put their opponents under pressure and were rewarded with two early goals from two of the new boys, Connor and Dominic. Those watching couldn't help but think, was this going to be a completely one sided game? But Russellers had other ideas. The Beacons defence failed to deal with a cross from the right and the Russellers striker managed to get his foot to the ball, looping it over the Beacons goalie Regan. Suddenly Russellers were back into the game. Then within minutes Russellers earned themselves a penalty after one of their players was brought down in the box. From a good early start, Beacons suddenly faced being pulled back to 2-2. But the penalty was struck far too close to Regan who pulled off the save all those watching Beacons fans had hoped for. From that point on there was no turning back as Beacons began to rip through the Russellers defence again and again. With Connor making runs down the left, Dominic through the middle and Dilan down the right, Beacons created chance after chance. Dominic quickly marked his debut by reaching his hat trick with some wonderfully taken goals. This boy could prove to be Carpo's greatest ever signing if he continues showing this form throughout the season. Dominic's finest effort though came when the ball was cleared to him just inside the Russellers half. Spotting their keeper off the line he struck a fantastic shot that easily lobbed the helpless goalie. However with all those watching expecting a goal right out of the David Beckham Hand-Book, the ball bounced agonisingly just over the bar. An own goal and further strikes from Billy and Josh gave Beacons a 7-1 half time lead. This was probably Carpo's easiest half-time talk ever. His only job was keeping the players feet on the ground and making sure they went out and did exactly the same in the second half. Scoring another seven goals? Surely not! But with the silky skills of Connor, the blistering pace of Dominic and the sheer power of Dilan, it was only a matter of how many goals could the boys score. Well the answer was exactly the same as the first half, but this time with no reply. Dominic added two more, Connor four more and Callum chipped in with one of his trade-mark power drives. The final score was 14-1 and in truth it could easily have been far more. Every single player gave a fantastic performance. Special mention though has to go to the other debutants. George and Nathan were like rocks in the back line and Michael fought for every ball, winning most of them. Choosing man of the match wasn't easy as each and every boy played brilliantly, but by netting five times each it was Connor and Dominic who shared that honour. It's still early days yet and they have a long season ahead of them, but the boys showed they could really do something this year. Well done Carpo for putting together such a great set of lads. Now bring on the rest.
Steve Keogh
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10th September 2007
Beacons White u12 2 v 2 Newtown Tigers
Friendly, Emerson Avenue
After our mid-week game at Haydon where we were outplayed by a very strong and well organized team we continued our rebuilding with a friendly against Newtown Tigers who are a strong 'B' team outfit who have a couple of strong players who are quick on the break.
After receiving instructions to start off quick and shut down their ball players it soon became clear that not all of the team were listening as we stood off and let Newtown run at us. After five minutes of constant pressure where we panicked at the back Cogs began to settle things down by putting his foot on the ball in midfield and using the width which in turn released our wingers to run at their defence. Although we were playing patches of football we still did not have enough players putting their foot on the ball and not enough players making runs to enable us to play through balls to open up their back line. With a couple of players playing out of position we looked disjointed and it began to tell as players were not making the correct decisions and leaving the ball to each other without communicating.
After a couple of changes midway through the first period we still could not settle and were punished when a short goal kick was not controlled and their forward punished us for our lack of concentration. Not long after this we were again caught out by a long throw into the box as Cogs jumped he was clearly shoved in the back and the forward slid home Newtown's second. Again we had three defenders behind the ball but nobody took control, a problem we will solve as we play more games. So we went in 2-0 down but i knew that the second half would be a different game as we have the players to exploit teams at the back with our speed.
The second half started well with Sherrife making his debut for us holding up play and then using his explosive speed to create problems for their full backs. Rhys was now back on top form with his marauding runs down the left and cutting in on his right creating a goal for us as he hit a tremendous shot from outside the box which as in the first half hit the bar but Tommo was on hand to bundle the ball home. We were now on top and with Ricky dancing his way down the flanks we had the width and speed that were missing in the first half as we took the game to our opponents with some quality pass and move football and a much quicker tempo to our game which suited our players as we pushed on for the equalizer which was not long in coming. With our confidence high we robbed the ball in midfield and the ball was played into the penalty area where it was picked up by the hard working Sharky who coolly slotted the ball home to level the score.
The boys were now pushing for the winner with Ola running at their tiring defence playing intelligent football sliding in our forwards and with Carlos keeping quiet the man mountain of a midfielder we knew we had a chance to win this game but time ran out and the game ended in a draw.
Today's game was the next step towards a new season and although we started slowly we showed in large periods that we have what it takes but we must work harder and concentrate more when receiving the ball and making runs.
A big thank you to Newtown for hosting today's game and to their ref.
Well done to everyone.
Trevor
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30th August 2007
Beacons White u12 2 v 2 Kingfisher u12
Friendly Butterfly Lane K.O 6.30pm
Here we go again ! Another season has crept up on us fast and with only 3 weeks to the big kick off it was time to see if all of the huge decisions made and rebuilding of a previously strong team in the 'B' Division would be able to knit together to produce the type of team that will be needed to make the Big Guns sit up and take notice.
With the boys having completed 5 weeks of fitness training we thought that they would be ready until i stood at the far end of the pitch and then i realized that i had got pre-season training completely wrong and mountain climbing should have been the order of the day as the pitch had a major slope that would test Premier League players fitness levels .
So we kicked off up hill in the first half and to be fair the pitch was going to be the decider on how the two halves would pan out. We started slowly as expected and found ourselves a goal down very early on but the boys did not panic and carried on trying to string passes together and use the width of the pitch to attack down the flanks with Ricky tormenting the Kingfisher defender with his skilful wing play. As the half progressed the boys began to settle playing the pass and move football we preach and with Sharky and Tommo up front pushing their defence further back we began to ask questions with a few shots testing their keeper and with Tj back on corner duty it was not long before we levelled the score with Tommo producing a classy finish to send us in at half time all square.
The second half saw us playing down Mount Everest and despite the urge to play the easy long ball we produced the type of football that had our new 'Barmy Army' of supporters clapping and cheering as the 'Boys in Blue ' tore into our opponents in search of the goals our quality football deserved.
Our new midfield pairing of Ola and Cogs was beginning to gel with Ola linking well with both Ricky and the outstanding Rhys on the wings and with Cogs playing the holding role completely controlling the midfield we began to pile on the pressure with clever link up play producing chance after chance with our former player and captain Adam guesting for us hitting the post with a pile driver from outside of the box.
Our domination of play was stopped in its tracks as our opponents broke upfield and hit us with the classic counter attack to take a shock lead with only 4 minutes to go. It would have been easy to roll over but these boys knew that they deserved something from this game and they were going to get it as they rolled up their sleeves and threw the kitchen sink at the brave Kingfisher defence and with only seconds remaining Rhys got the the ball inside the 18 yard box and slotted it home to send the players and 'Barmy Army' into wild celebrations. The ref bought the game to an end seconds later and both teams were clapped off after they produced a quality game of football which was a credit to both teams.
Today saw the introduction of many new players and some old and the defence looked strong with TJ, Thomas, Raj and Steven linking well-- Steven growing in confidence after his accident during the summer .
There is one player i have saved to last and that is Terry our new keeper who i must admit had me lost for words ( that's not easy ) at the mature professional performance he produced and i am looking forward to working with him throughout the season.
This was a fantastic start and we must now use the tournaments and friendly's to get to know how to play together and to build a squad that are not just a team but a strong group of mates with the spirit to show the 'A' League that there are 2 Beacons teams. We have got a long way to go and with plenty of hard work we will have a great season.
A massive thank you to Sean and Lak for running the line tonight and to a very sporting Kingfisher side who it is always a pleasure to play against.
Well done to everyone.
Trevor
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