Kal the Cat inspires Sports to Third

U15's Saturday Division One Notts Youth League

Hucknall Sports 3 Hyson Green 0

22/2/14

After another week without football Sports next game in Division One saw them up against their last opponents Hyson Green. That game had been really tough for both sets of boys due to strong howling winds and a dreadful pitch. Sports had had to come from behind twice but goals from new signing Ethan Barnes had helped them to eventually secure victory. This time around weather conditions were much improved and even the sun came out to welcome back Sports Skipper James Stenson from his 3 month injury lay off.

Hucknall started the game really, really, well and could have been out of sight in the first 10mins but chances went begging as James Hallam, Danny Darlow, Maleek Batten and Ethan Barnes all struggled to find the net. Frustration started to show and Hucknall’s  game plan went out of the window. Sports were unrecognisable as they started to look for long balls every time instead of varying their play. Changes were made to try and remind the boys of the plan but the frustration remained and Sports just couldn’t find a route to goal. In defence Hucknall were only troubled by Hyson Greens speculative, wind assisted, long balls over the top but centre-backs Joe Newton and Ryan Towle stood firm and anything that did get past them was expertly fielded by Kal Orton in goal.

Half-Time: Hucknall Sports 0 Hyson Green 0

Charles Blatherwick joined James Hallam up front in the second half and grabbed Sports first goal with an exquisite piece of skill that saw him dribble past 3 opposition defenders, ‘Ronaldo Chop’ in from the goal line and smash the ball low into the bottom right corner. This settled Sports and their usual style of football quickly returned. Maleek Batten danced his way through and was unlucky to see his shot deflected away. A good move started by Kieran Green drove Sports forward, Evans found Blatherwick on the edge of the box and with everyone expecting a shot he cleverly played in Dante Diriso who took his chance well and moved Sports further into the lead.

Hyson Green gathered themselves for a final effort to try and get themselves back into the game and had their best period of play midway through the second half where they forced a number of corners which were dealt with clinically by Sports. The turning point of the game came from the most unlikely of sources – Sports Goalie Kal Orton. As the opposition pushed for a goal he made what has to rank as the best save ever made by a boy in this league when firstly diving to his left to parry the ball away and then reacting quickly to flip the follow-up point blank shot up and over the bar. Moments later he showed fantastic vision to pick out Sports striker James Hallam who burst clear from his markers and killed the game off with a lovely finish when he finessed the ball around the on-rushing keeper.  

Full-Time: Hucknall Sports 3 Hyson Green 0

After a frustrating start to the game Sports eventually got the result they deserved. It was nice to have a full squad for the first time in ages and particularly pleasing to get James Stenson back into a game. This is a great squad where everyone has earned the right to ask for a place in the starting line up. The victory takes Sports to joint third in the division with eight games to go and we fear nobody.

MOM - Joe Newton

Today’s Man of the Match went to Joe Newton for a tremendous performance at centre half. He has played every minute of every game this season and leads the team by example as you would expect from a skipper. As well as stout defending he even found time for a Beckenbauer-like shot to the top corner only for it to drift wide – well done Joe, keep it up.

The final word has to go to Kal Orton and THAT save – there are no words left to describe it, so I’ll leave you to your own. 

Barnes Debut Double moves Sports up to Fifth

U15's Saturday Division One Notts Youth League

Hyson Green 2 Hucknall Sports 4

8/2/14

Hucknall Sports stop-start season saw them travel the short distance to Greenwich Avenue in Basford for a match against Hyson Green in the only Division One fixture to survive the poor weather. Injuries, illness and suspension had left Sports squad looking a little threadbare recently so they joined the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United to make a ‘deadline day’ signing of their own by bringing in local boy Ethan Barnes.

Playing with the strong wind at their backs Hyson Green made the best possible start by smashing in a ‘worldly’ goal after only 5mins. But Sports have a strong believe in their own abilities nowadays and refused to be bowed. Lead by Ellis Evans and some terrific energy from midfielders Mitch Davies, Matt Leivers and Maleek Batten Sports cleverly used their passing game to move the team forward and started to carve out opportunities. Tom Eastwood found the head of Evans from a series of corners but playing into a ferocious wind made it really difficult to get anything on goal with power. Eastwood looked dangerous on the left but had to leave the game with a nasty ankle injury after his great drive into the box was cleared by a last ditched tackle from the opposition keeper. Evans moved over to the left in his place and substitute Ethan Barnes was brought on to partner James Hallam up front. Two minutes on, Barnes used to his pace to streak clear of the last defender before smashing an absolute screamer into the top corner to mark his debut for Sports. Moments later good work between Hallam and Barnes looked to have resulted in a penalty only for the referee to wave play on.

Hyson Green, encouraged by the strengthening wind, continued to pick out shots from range but Sports Keeper Kal Orton fielded them well and rarely looked troubled. However, with only moments of the first half left to play a hopeful looping cross to the far post evaded all Sports defenders and was bundled into the net by Hyson Green to go into the break leading 2-1.

Half-Time: Hyson Green 2 Hucknall Sports 1

Sports only change after the break was to bring on Dante Diriso who took up position the on right wing as Hucknall looked to quickly try and get themselves back on level terms. Their equaliser dully arrived when central defender Jarrod Davies won the ball on the edge of his own penalty box and charged forward. His pass found Diriso who showed brilliant vision to pick out Barnes in a crowded penalty area to score his second of the game with a neat finish low into the bottom right corner. Diriso looked dangerous whenever he got the ball and was rewarded with a chance to try his luck from distanced with a free-kick that narrow missed the target with the keeper looking on helplessly. More Diriso action followed in the form of a masterclass on taking corners in such difficult conditions. He skilfully drove the ball in dangerously time and again and finally picked out Jarrod Davies who smashed in a towering header to move Sports into the lead for the first time in the game. Hyson Green threw men forward adventurously but Sports defensive line of Dylan Smith, Joe Newton, Jarrod Davies and Kieran Green played magnificently to repelled everything that was thrown at them. Kieran Green was caught with a late challenge as he drove his team forward but all credit to the referee for playing advantage to Sports and allow Hallam to show his own terrific pace to race into the area and cleverly use the wind to loop the ball up and over the opposition defence to grab a well deserved goal. Still time for more chances from Sports as Batten and Davies tried to extend the lead even further but finally the game ended and Hucknall celebrated a hard-earned victory.

Full-Time: Hyson Green 2 Hucknall Sports 4

Both teams deserve massive credit for playing a fantastic game of football in such poor conditions. When other teams shied away and cancelled games these two sets of boys rolled their sleeves up and got on with it.

Sports won the game due to a fantastic team effort where everyone played their part. But the contribution of Dante Diriso and Ethan Barnes deserves special mention and they ran Jarrod Davies very close for the Man of the Match Award.

However, Jarrod was the deserved winner in a game that saw him play wonderfully well in defence, drive his team forward to assist the equalising goal and then cap it off with a towering header – well done Jarrod, keep it up.

MOM Jarrod Davies

This great run of just 1 defeat in their last 7 games has seen Sports move to fifth in the league but keep playing like this and you never know where you might be at the end of the season - Keep it up everyone.