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The topsy turvy season for the u13 blacks continued. Following on from a great performance and vital win against Edwalton the previous week, we hosted Netherfield Boys at home.
Tigers U13 Black 1 (Courtney)
Netherfield Boys 3
Tigers always looked second best in this game, after the previous weeks solid performance Tigers fell behind early on but soon got back into the match when Courtney finally managed his first ever goal for the team. Extremely poor opposition lineman and an extremely poor ref saw every attack by Tigers flagged for offside (despite being inactive players) and combined with our own defence playing too flat, Netherfield went on to score 2 more goals leaving a bitter taste to the match.
Tigers U13 Black 1 (Jack)
Edwalton 4
When Jack scored in the first minute of the game, fans must have thought we were headed for 3 points. A combination of slack marking & Tony Wood running the game ;0) gave the only Edwalton threat the space and chances to put 4 past Nathan and left Tigers still looking over their shoulders at the chasing pack.
Tigers U13 Black 1 (Chris)
Gedling Southbank 1
2nd place Gedling were looking to cement their title hopes today and when half the team turned up 5 minutes after kick off (self included) we arrived just in time to see the right winger cut in past the stand in left back to fire in over the head of Nathan to take an early lead. Tigers never looked over-run and for most of the match delved into opposition territory. This paid dividends when Chris bought down a ball from a corner and rifled it past the keeper to equalize. Tigers had several more opportunities to score and Jack hit the bar from close range, but much the same as most of the season, failed to capitalize on their chances and took a solitary point where 3 were perhaps more deserved.
Tigers U13 Black 1 (Jordan)
Hucknall Sports 0
Tigers met lowly Hucknall in a must win match. As in the first match against last years champions, Tigers dominated possession with Hucknall happy to stick 11 men behind the ball and hope for the best. Jordan finally broke the deadlock when he poked in from close range after his determined battle for the loose ball. Hucknall never really looked like scoring, but then again, nor did Tigers as chance after chance was not converted. You’ll never see a more dominant 1-0, that is unless you went to the last match against Hucknall!!! 3 Points closer to safety.
Tigers U13 Black 2 (Conor, Harrison)
Arnold Town 3
Table topper and runaway league leaders Arnold were given a run for their money in the first part of this double header fixture. TJ screamed an early opportunity wide of the post to give Arnold something to think about. Arnold kept possession well and worked some very good opportunities and finally broke Tigers resistance to eventually take a 2 goal lead. The Tigers team fought back stoically to get it back to 2-1 at half time when Conor back handed a cross which the keeper could only paw out after it had crossed the line. Harrison given a start up front chased a through ball early in the second half and beat the onrushing keeper to cleverly lift it goalbound and just as we though it was going to run out of steam and not trickle over the line, Steve Howdle sneezed on the touchline and the ball crossed the line for a deserved equalizer. Management immediately bought on fresh legs with only 6 or 7 minutes to play but with hind sight, this proved to be the wrong decision as one or two could not get into the pace of the game and a desperate Arnold side exploited this to score the winner with only minutes to go. A point dropped? But a great performance by the team.
Tigers U13 Black 1 (James)
Arnold Town 3
In the second match of the double header, Arnold knew they wanted to put this to bed early and threw everything but the kitchen sink at Tigers. They quickly helped themselves to a 2-0 halftime lead and Tigers looked out of it. The boys kept battling and when they won a free kick outside the box, James Allen stepped up and fired a great free kick goalbound which the keeper could only get his finger tips to to turn it into the top corner. Game on again, we all thought, but the classy league leaders knew exactly what to do and went straight up the other end to seal their 3-1 victory.
Tigers U13 Black 3 (James, Harrison, Jack)
Bramcote Blues 0
Tigers went into the game knowing that 3 points would secure their league 2 status and for most of the first half with wind against had their backs to the wall. Despite all their early possession, Bramcote only tested stand in keeper with a couple of long range efforts, one goal ruled out for offside. This got Tigers going and a change of subs gave us a more balanced look. Tigers started to push Bramcote back and took all the pressure off Jack for the rest of the half to go in 0-0. With the wind advantage, Bramcote struggled to get out of their own half, with Tigers making more and more runs down the wings, it only looked a matter of time before something gave. The deadlock was broken when James found himself in space, or was it a free kick? And a long range effort hit the unfortunate Bramcote defender to deflect skywards bouncing once before it went over the head of the Bramcote keeper. Tigers continued to push and a great shot from the left by Chris was pushed into the path of Harrison to score his second in as many games. Jack looked cold in goal and was given a run out for the last 10 minutes upfront and created several good goal scoring chances, he finally took his reward when he belted in the 3rd for a deserved win giving Tigers the points they needed for mid table obscurity!
With one match of the season remaining, Tigers could yet move up another position.
Finally, years from now when you see me in the Cornmill, don’t be afraid to come over and buy me a pint! I hope I have passed something on to each player, whether it be respect, an introduction to a new mate or even how to kick a ball! I am proud of what we have achieved as a team throughout my 7 years running you and would like to congratulate you all on becoming well rounded, likeable and committed individuals. I would like to wish you all the best for your continuing football careers and am sure that you will do well whatever you do or wherever you go. As my last match as manager, can I say thank you to all players throughout this and any other season who has played for my team. Whilst we haven’t always had the most gifted of players, everyone who has come to training or played in a match for me has given full commitment to the cause and we have become a team who work for each other and can compete at a good level. |
