Ratby friendly

Played Leicester League and Cup Winners Ratby this weekend and narrowly missed out on a deserved draw with a disallowed goal in the last seconds of the game.
Ratby are clearly a well organised and talented team and with the half time score at 4-0 I was wondering what we needed to do to get into this game. Fortunately, the match turned out to be a classic game of 'two halves' and we scored three in the second half with the opposition unable to increase their lead at all.
Good performances from all the team, in particuarly Harry Saxton who had the best game I had seen him play for a while and he looked in great shape with a commanding performance in the heart of defence.
We played good possession football from the back to the front, but need to learn to assess the options rather than taking my coaching instructions too literally. Also, need to play as a team and support our team mates when they are struggling to find a person to pass to.
All in all a good run out for next season.
This weekend we have our last tournament of the Summer and with most boys away over the bank holiday weekend we will only be taking a very small squad.

Entered three tournament this summer and lost in semi-finals of them all - bummer!!!
Boys playing well at the moment and squad is just about complete for the start of the season. Looking forward to new midfield and left-back signings having a great season and the rest of the boys progressing from where they left off.
Friendly this weekend with Ratby, a team who beat us 3-1 last time out - will be interesting to see if we have improved.

Soccer Tournament

This weekend we have entered two teams into our own soccer tournament. The weather has been brilliant recently, but sods law says that it will rain all weekend just to spoil our fun. Need to decide which team to put into the older age group. On the one hand we are strong enough to win either age group possibly but on the other it might be better to play against teams we are due to face next season.

Great effort by all the boys at this weekends soccer tournament. Unbeaten in the League games, but unfortunately lost in the semi-finals.
All boys have re-signed for the team and new signing are looking great.
Friendly this saturday and tournament the following week.
Life is never dull.

24/4/10

Saturday U11's Division 2

Radcliffe Olympic 4 Hucknall Sports White 3

Unbeaten run comes to an end

Five weeks after clinching the league title Hucknall travelled to Radcliffe for the penultimate game of the season looking to preserve their unbeaten record but despite a fantastic second half fight back Sports left things too late and lost the game 4-3.

Radcliffe's early well taken goals in the first half rocked Hucknall to the core and unbelievably the Champions heads dropped and all confidence ebbed away. Sports had their chances to get on the score sheet but looked tentative in front of goal and often looked to take an extra touch with the goal at their mercy. But this should nothing aware from a great lesson in football from Olympic who played as a team despite having nothing to gain from winning the game.

Injury to Oliver Bowley saw Tyler Johnstone entered into the action but a frustrating first half for Sports came to a close with Radcliffe seizing on a misplaced goal kick to score their third goal and make the score 3-0 at half-time and leave Hucknall with a mountain to climb.

Half time: Radcliffe Olympic 3 Hucknall Sports White 0

Playing downhill and with the wind at their backs in the second half Hucknall galvanised themselves for 30 minutes of hard work to try and get back into the game and an early goal from the combative Jarrod Davies looked like the perfect start. But Radcliffe hit back with a well taken goal directly from a free kick and could have made the score 5-1 had they not missed from the penalty spot. Sports showed flickers of form and a fabulous goal from Jacob Barlow was followed up by a scrambled goal from Ryan Towle to see Hucknall in the ascendancy with the clock ticking down. A last gasp shot from Davies narrowly sailed agonisingly over the cross-bar and the game was done.

Sports unbeaten record was gone and Radcliffe celebrated a well won victory.

Final score: Radcliffe Olympic 4 Hucknall Sports White 3

For the neutral this was a great game, but for Sports Management this was a nightmare. Too many times Hucknall were second to the ball and guilty of arguing amongst themselves rather than trying to pull together and win the game.

This should not detract from what has been a fantastic season for Sports, but hopefully it will serve as reminder that, whether you like it or not, football is a team game and you must all pull together in order to win.

The outright winner for Sports Man of the Match award was Dylan Smith, although a special mention should go to one of this seasons most improved players Joe Newton for trying his best to rally the troops. But when all around him were losing there heads Dylan Smith stayed calm and collected and set an example that others would do well to follow.

20/3/10

Saturday U11's Division 2

Keyworth United White 2 Hucknall Sports White 5

Hallam Hat-Trick secures Championship for Sports

Miserable weather and an undulating pitch could not dampen Whites desire to take a grip of this game after they made the long journey to Keyworth in search of a victory that would secure the League Championship title.

Fielding a full strength team Hucknall started at a blistering pace with wingers Ryan Towle and Jacob Barlow threatening to unlock the Keyworth backline every time that had the ball. A left wing cross from Barlow picked out Oliver Bowley who controlled the ball well and sent Whites on their way by coolly slotting the ball into the bottom corner. Strike partner James Hallam quickly followed this up with a well taken goal of his own and Hucknall looked to be coasting to victory.

Joe Newton, Ellis Evans and Jarrod Davies gave a demonstration of intelligent midfield play, defending well at times and making 'killer' passes at others, to drive the team forward. Winger Towle, in particular, providing some wonderful right wing crosses that the Hucknall forwards narrowly failed to convert.

Keyworth were found a way back into the game with a well taken goal and then followed this with another just before half time to take the game into the break with the scores level.

Half time: Keyworth United Whites 2 Hucknall Sports White 2

A great finish to the first half meant that United started the second with confidence running high and it was Keyworth who looked dangerous in the first ten minutes. Hucknall's defence just about held on with Mitch Davies in particular typifying their 'never say die' attitude and Keeper Kal Orton put in a solid performance to mop up any balls that eluded Whites defence.

Second half Whites substitute Dante Diriso looked dangerous on the right wing and Barlow continued to play well out wide on the left. Good play from Sports midfield released Hallam to score his second of the game and he then turned provider for Jacob Barlow to make the score 4-2 to Hucknall.

Finally, the boys could relax and enjoy the game and this allowed them to play some great football in the final quarter of the game creating chance after chance. Substitutes William Brown, Kieran Wilson and Tyler Johnstone entered the game and once again showed the strength in depth that Whites posses this season by maintaining the high performance levels that the team were now playing. Super-Striker Hallam scored the goal of the game for his hat-trick and 27th goal of the season, smashed another against the cross-bar and still had time to setup Johnstone for a chance that he was unlucky not to convert in the closing minutes.

As the final whistle blew Hucknall players celebrated victory in style with their supporters for their first League Title.

Final score: Keyworth United Whites 2 Hucknall Sports White 5

Scoring a hat-trick and being involved in everything good in the attacking half of the field would normally secure a Man of the Match Award for James Hallam, but it was Defender Mitch Davies who won it for his brilliant defending.

If there is a boy who can head a ball better than Mitch then he must be playing in the Premiership. An inspiring performance from him that frustrated Keyworth attackers time and again. Unlucky James, but well done Mitch.

This has been four years of hard work, the early seasons saw the boys losing more games than they won but all credit to each and every one of them for having the desire to improve and belief in themselves. They have worked so hard over this time to become a football team that they can be proud of. This is the first trophy that the team have ever won and the boys could not have deserved it more.

Coaches and Manager would like to go on record to say how much they have enjoyed working with the boys, its been a pleasure and privilege.

Four Goal Towle drives Sports on to Victory

Four Goal Towle drives Sports on to Victory

Newstead Recreational Ground was bathed in spring sunshine for the final home game of the season for Hucknall Sports against Clifton All Whites. Earlier in the season Clifton had held Sports to a 3-3 draw to become the only team to take points from Hucknall so far.

Missing Kal Orton to illness and Kieran Wilson to Kick-Boxing exams meant it was a reshaped Hucknall who took to the pitch. William Brown, one of the heroes of the East Valley game, played in goal and Ryan Towle partnered Jarrod Davies in midfield. After winning the toss Sports elected to play with the wind at their backs but Clifton's high-line of defence caught out Hucknall's front line time and again. The offside flag was correctly raised countless times and Sports were struggling to find a way to break through. Midway in the half James Hallam broke free and chased down a long ball to cross from the goal-line for Ryan Towle to finish with aplomb. Strike duo of Hallam and Oliver Bowley had their chances to extend the lead along with Dante Dirsio and Harry Saxton but the second goal just would not come and at half-time Hucknall lead by a solitary goal.

Half time: Hucknall Sports White 1 Clifton All Whites 0

Clifton's tactics of shoot on site were clear from the second half kick-off. However, fantastic midfield play from Joe Newton and Jarrod Davies meant that Clifton had no time on the ball and Sports keeper Brown was a spectator for most of the half.
Up front Josh Hart showed great skill to take on the combative Clifton back-line and was really unlucky to see his shot just drift wide after a great run. Hallam also went close but it was Towle who found the net to score his second of the game and this was quickly followed by a neat volley from Ellis Evans. Clifton were not happy at all and the referee had to work overtime to keep a 'lid' on the game as it looked likely to explode at any time.
Whites backline of Mitch Davies, Harry Saxton and Dylan Smith marshalled the Clifton attackers well and on the rare occasion that Al Whites looked like threatening Sports defensive unit snuffed out any sign of a chance.
As the second half passed the midway mark, leading by example, Ryan Towle showed that thankfully good football will prevail and produced a 'master-class' of right-wing play that resulted in him scoring two more goals and closing the game out for a fabulous victory to Sports that see's them complete their home league fixtures with a 100% win record. Clifton did score a consolation goal late on after a rare defensive mix-up from Hucknall but the referee blew his whistle to complete the game soon after.

Final score: Hucknall Sports White 5 Clifton All Whites 1

The first half was certainly a unique test for Hucknall and valuable lessons will have been learnt. In the second half Sports controlled the game with some measured and all-round good play.
This weeks Man of the Match award went to Ryan Towle, not just for his four goals, but for showing that footballing skill is the main ingredient for winning a game - well done Ryan, that's 17 goals for the season, not bad for a defender!