Hallam’s Hat-trick see’s off Gedling

U13's Saturday Division 2

Hucknall Sports 5 Gedling Southbank 1

31/3/12  

Gedling Southbank arrived at Goosedale Sports Complex with only 11 players after losing three boys to injury. Sports had steadied their season with a great performance against Hyson Green in the previous week and remained in second place with three games left to go.

Hucknall set-up their formation to attack and score goals but early on both teams struggled to get the ball under control on a rock hard pitch that had been dried out with the recent unseasonal sunshine. Sports won a series of free kicks just outside the 18 yard box but efforts from James Hallam and James Stenson were well saved by Southbank’s keeper. Hucknall thought they had finally taken the lead when a superb free-kick from Ryan Towle beat the keeper but smashed back off the far post to safety. All too often Hucknall’s final pass went too long, mainly due to the pitch and wind blowing at their backs. Finally, Sport did get the breakthrough they deserved when Hallam nodded in a close range from a great corner by Towle. Jacob Barlow thought he had put his team further ahead when he converted a great defence splitting pass from Ollie Bowley only to see the goal ruled out by the linesman’s flag. Gedling were limited to long range efforts as Sports defensive line of Stenson, Joe Newton and Dylan Smith put on another master-class of defending. Anything that did get passed them was easy dealt with by Hucknall Keeper Kal Orton. The ref’s whistle blew for half-time with Sports on top but only leading 1-0.

Half time: Hucknall Sports 1 Gedling Southbank 0

Sports made three changes for the second half and introduced Charles Blatherwick, Dante Diriso and Harold Saxton. With the message to play ‘wide’ Sports looked formidable but still continued to struggle to find the goals to make things more comfortable. Then up stepped James Hallam to put the game beyond Gedling with two exquisite goals of the highest quality. Firstly he showed wonderful composure to take on and round the goalkeeper to slot home his second of the game and then he latched on to a ball over the top and chipped the on rushing keeper to finish off a terrific hat-trick. Barlow eventually got the goal he richly deserved with an elaborate overhead kick and in the final moments Blatherwick hooked in Sports fifth. Credit to Gedling for never giving in and they did score a well taken goal mid-way through the half to make the score 3-1. But Hucknall’s attacking approach eventually brought the rewards and kept the team in the hunt for promotion with a valuable three points.

Full time:  Hucknall Sports 5 Gedling Southbank 1

Sports can be very happy with the number of goals scored and three point won but they will know that they can play much better. There are two more games left of what has been a great season so far. Let’s put on the ‘style’ for the remaining matches.

Defensive duo James Stenson and Joe Newton were both worthy contenders for today’s Man of the Match but were beaten to the award by ‘super-striker’ James Hallam. He scored the goals to see his team to victory and his general play and movement was superb – excellent performance James.

Sports thwart high flying Cavaliers’

U13's Saturday Division 2

Hyson Green Cavaliers 0 Hucknall Sports 0

24/3/12  

Sports made the short journey to Basford to play high flying Hyson Green Cavaliers. Cav’s are champions elect and have breezed past every team in the league but earlier in the season Sports played fantastically well to inflict Cav’s only defeat.

Prior to the game starting Hucknall suffered a body-blow when news filtered through that midfield maestro Charlie Blatherwick had pulled a hamstring earlier in the day and would not be available to play. Sports elected to play a 4-3-3 formation in an attempt to take the game to the opposition knowing that the midfielders would have to work tirelessly. Captain Mitch Davies, restored to the centre, alongside Ryan Towle and Owen Everton were in wonderful form and more than matched Cav’s work rate. Unfortunately, Sports suffer further injuries mid-way through the first half when Ellis Evans and Harry Saxton both limped off in a matter of minutes. Tom Eastwood and Dylan Smith provided able replacements but now Hucknall were down to only one substitute on a day when the sun was strong and the pitch was massive. Every time Sports play Cav’s it feels like ‘David versus Galliath’ both on and off the pitch. Cav’s caught Sports defenders napping earlier on and were unlucky to see a breakaway shot narrowly miss the target. But this proved to be the warning that signalled a magnificent defensive performance from Sports and no more clear openings were created in the first half other than a series of corners that were well defended. Hucknall’s attackers worked hard to find an opening and the best chance of the first half fell to Ollie Bowley who squeezed around the back of Hyson Green’s defenders but his shot was comfortably saved.

Half time: Hyson Green 0  Hucknall Sports 0

If the first half had been ‘shaded’ by Hyson Green it was Sports who looked the more likely to score in the second. The forward line of Jacob Barlow, James Hallam and Bowley ran themselves into the ground in an attempt to make the breakthrough. Sports midfield were on top and managed to find their team mates in dangerous positions time and again. Hallam pressured the Hyson Green backline with a wonderful display of ‘leading the line’. He appeared to have setup the winning goal when his cross found Barlow unmarked at the far post but as the ball found the back of the net so the linesman’s flag was raised. If it was offside it was mighty close. A lovely move saw Towle play a slide rule passed to Bowley who’s first time pass found Barlow once more but his rocket shot just missed the far post. Cavaliers did create some pressure but defenders James Stenson, Joe Newton, Smith and Eastwood were solid as a rock and looking back Keeper Kal Orton did not have a save to make.

But time ran out for Sports before they could find the winner and the referee blew with the score locked at 0-0.

Full time:  Hyson Green Cavaliers 0 Hucknall Sports 0

After suffering back to back losses you would have been forgiven for thinking that Sports might have been in for a ‘good hiding’ at high flying Hyson Green Cavaliers. But nothing could have been further from the truth. Sports management challenged each boy to raise their game and to a man they did just that.

Finding a candidate for Man of the Match was easy today and probably the entire team could have staked a claim. In defence Newton and Stenson were brilliant. Midfielders Towle and Everton were wonderful. Up front, Barlow , Bowley and Hallam always looked dangerous.

But today’s winner was ‘Captain Fantastic’ Mitch Davies. Mitch’s energy and determination to win everything in midfield provided the inspiration for the rest of the team – just as you would expect from a real leader.

Sports humbled by Keyworth

U13's Saturday Division 2

Hucknall Sports 0 Keyworth 5

17/3/12  

Hucknall Sports Management were looking for a positive response after last week’s shock defeat to lowly Wallabies in this top of the table clash with Keyworth United. In the earlier fixture Sports has played well in bad conditions and secured a victory to put themselves top of the league.

The games started evenly with both teams probing for an early breakthrough. Sports strikers Dante Diriso and Jacob Barlow worked tirelessly for the team and carried their instructions out well. Diriso was unlucky not to be able to take advantage after his hard work pressured Keyworth’s defenders into an early mistake. Keyworth broke forward and forced a corner on the left hand side that Sports were too slow to deal with and a close-range header found the back of the net to take the opposition into an early lead. Hucknall appeared rattled and soon conceded another to go further behind. Then, with 15 minutes of the first half still to go, Sports finally got their passing game going and created a sustained period of play in the Keyworth half that saw numerous chances. Charlie Blatherwick’s rocket shot smash into the cross-bar and James Hallam’s follow-up header looped agonisingly over the cross-bar. Hallam was unlucky with another attempt on goal and Tom Eastwood saw his fabulous shot tipped around the post at the last minute. Try as they might Sports just could not find the back of the net and at half-time they trailed 2-0

Half time: Hucknall Sports 0 Keyworth 2

Sports started the second half strongly but in pushing forward for a goal that would surely see them get back into the game they were inevitably exposed at the back and a mixture of indecision in defence gifted and intelligent Keyworth play saw Sports concede further goals. Good work from Ollie Bowley set up Ryan Towle for a shot from the edge of the box that drifted just wide and Jacob Barlow was unlucky not to get on the end of a Hallam run and cross. Hucknall threw caution to the wind and paid the price a final time as Keyworth found the net for a fifth and final time.

Full time:  Hucknall Sports 0 Keyworth 5

Man of the match today was the immense James Stenson. Playing as captain for the day he had a tremendous game, strong in the tackle and clever with his distribution – well done James.

The result would suggest that Keyworth played Sports off of the park and although it has to be said that they have improved dramatically over the last three seasons you have the feeling that if Sports could have scored before half-time this might have been a different game. Some Sports players look a little wary as we near the end of the season but with 4 games to go and 36 points already won the challenge now is to break the 40 point barrier.

In a bizarre twist Sports actually gained three points this weekend as the League awarded them the victory over Clifton All Whites for late cancellation of an earlier fixture.

Away to Hyson Green this Saturday should be interesting – Sports are capable of winning this one, but have to arrive with the right attitude!

Second best Sports lose to Wallabies

U13's Saturday Division 2

West Bridgford Wallabies 4 Hucknall Sports 2

10/3/12  

After triumphing over local rivals last week Sports travelled to Regatta Way to take on West Bridgford Wallabies, a team struggling near the bottom of the division.

Playing on a narrow pitch that was riddled with bumps Sports had to thank goalkeeper Kal Orton for keeping them in the game early on with two magnificent saves. Fortunately, Hucknall, then showed some clinical finishing when firstly Jacob Barlow smashed a half-volley into the back of the net for his fourth goal in four weeks quickly followed by James Hallam cleverly lobbing the advancing keeper to make the score 2-0. However, any thoughts that this was game over were quickly quashed when Wallabies deservedly got themselves back into the game with two quick goals of their own. Then as half-time approached Sports stood and watched as the ball broke to a Wallabies player the edge of the box who slotted the ball home unchallenged to put his team into the lead.

Half time: West Bridgford Wallabies 3 Hucknall Sports 2

Despite half time warnings too many Sports players continued to wait for their team mates to put in any effort rather than contributing themselves. Wallabies continued to pose more of a threat to the Hucknall goal and went further into the lead when Orton took out their striker in the box and the resultant penalty was dispatched to the bottom corner. In truth Hucknall hardly managed to get a shot on goal, let alone force the Wallabies goalie into a save and the final whistle blew for a well deserved victory to the opposition.

Full time:  West Bridgford Wallabies 4 Hucknall Sports 2

Sports players really need to take a long hard look at themselves for this performance. Looking on from the touchline too many simply didn’t appear to care enough about this game. Maybe they thought that the hard work had been done in the previous weeks when in fact all that effort appears now to have been wasted.

We are going to have to win every game to finish in the top two positions now boys – are you up for the challenge?