Honours Even between Sports and Colts

U15's Saturday Division One Notts Youth League

Hucknall Sports 2 Lowdham Colts 2

23/3/14

After yet another two week  break Hucknall Sports welcomed Lowdham Colts to Goosedale for this Division One fixture looking for a win to move them back up to third-place in the league and set-up a grandstand finish to the season.

Five minutes into the match it was clear that some of the Lowdham boys had arrived with an agenda to ‘rough-up’ Sports in an attempt to distract them from the game. Sports are no angels and can certainly hold their own, but it was disappointing to see opposition players high-fiving each other after one particularly bad foul but massive credit to Colts Manager for taking the offending player off shortly afterwards. The game settled down and Sports sought to get their traditional passing game going but time and again they were frustrated by the Cottage pitch surface as the ball bumped and bobbled all over the place. A ‘soft’ free kick for alleged pushing at a throw-in enable Colts to take the lead when an unmarked player scored with a neat header at the near post. Hucknall struck back within a minute when great combination play from Tom Eastwood and Ellis Evans presented a chance for Danny Darlow to finesse a shot beyond the keeper and into the far corner. Sports were on top now and Darlow nearly scored again soon after when a replica shot was pushed onto the post after a great save from the Colts keeper. Dante Diriso looked all set to smash in a shot only for a communication mix-up to see his own player take the ball away from him. The same player watched in amazement as his terrific corner to the ‘back stick’ went begging with no Sport player able to get their head on it.

Half-Time: Hucknall Sports 1 Lowdam Colts 1

Ryan Towle entered the fray in the second half and put Sports into the lead with a neatly taken free-kick from 25 yards. Hucknall looked odds on to extend their lead as Hallam burst through only for the referee to miss a blatant hand-ball and moments later Kieran Green burst clear on the left side and delivered a magnificent cross that Evans looked certain to tap into the open net only for a wicked bobble to take the ball away from him. Colts best chances came from a series of long range free-kicks from the half-way line but Hucknall’s central defensive unit of James Stenson and Joe Newton stood firm. Colts did eventually score an equaliser when Newton’s defensive header looped up and over Sports Keeper Kal Orton. This setup a frenetic last 10 minutes that saw both teams looking to snatch victory but in the end the referees whistle blew and the result was a draw.

Full-Time: Hucknall Sports 2 Lowdham Colts 2

It is a mark of how high Sports are setting their sights this season that this result feels like 3 points lost rather than 1 point gained. Sports need to remain calm in matches like these and stick to their game plan. All too often we were too quick to pass the ball from 20 yards away instead of driving forward and making the opposition commit before playing a simple 5 yard pass instead. However, there were some moments of real quality and once again the partnership of Matt Leivers, Danny Darlow and Ellis Evans worked well. Also the central midfield pairing of Mitch Davies and Tom Eastwood looked strong and very creative and certainly provide a different option in that position.

James Stenson MOM

Man of the Match today was James Stenson. His promising start to the season as team Captain had been cruelly cut short with a nasty injury that saw him unable to play for 8 weeks so it was great to have him back and playing at his magnificent best. His partnership with Joe Newton looked great and they were rarely trouble by a combative Colts forward line. Both boys set a terrific example of commitment to the team and go about their business quietly and efficiently. But James’s support from the touchline during his recuperation in the wettest winter on record shows how much he cares for the team and is a quality that others should aspire to.