Tournament info : Saturday 3rd May

Here are the details for the first tournament of the ‘Summer’ next Saturday afternoon.

KO is 2.00pm. I have to register players by 1:30 so please try and be on pitch (leave time to get from car park) by 1:15pm.

Cost is £5 per player.  This is a 6 a side tournament & we can take a squad of 10.

Directions to the Hythe & Dibden football ground :

From Jct2 M27, take the A326 Fawley

Follow A326 to the Fawley refinery roundabout (10th roundabout). Take the first exit.

Take the first right Frost Lane, follow Frost Lane  until the level crossing, turn left immediately before the level crossing  - follow on to the car park.

Post Code for Sat Nav is SO45 6DD but this will take you to an industrial estate on Shore Rd. Level crossing is on the bend where Frost Lane meets Shore Rd.

Please let me know if you cannot attend ASAP.

We snatched 4th place!

After our disappointing non last game of the season, some good news!

Poole Town Wessex beat Milford 4-1 in Milford's last game which was just enough to edge us into fourth place (ahead of Milford) on goal difference. 

As we didn't play our last game, we received no goals to add to our GD tally so had to rely on other results. PTW did us a real favour!

Once our points from the scratched Rossgarth game are applied, we will finish 4th by 1 goal! all other stats are exactly the same as Milford!

Nothing more than we deserved after a fantastic second half of the season. A 9 (10 if you count Rossgarth) unbeaten run. 

Congratulations to Hermione, Marcos, Zak, Joe, Ed, Elliott, Harvey, Oliver, Emre & Marco. A very, very good season. 

ROSSGARTH GAME A WALKOVER. LITERALLY

The scheduled match v Rossgarth at home 15th April 18:15 KO has been cancelled due to the opposition not being able to field a team.

This means we will be awarded the three points but no award is made for potential goals scored.

This is a disappointment as there was quite a good chance of results going our way & we could have finished 4th in the table. This was my table target for the season and to not achieve it because of this is frustrating.

Thats football....

Don't forget, no training this wednesday (16th April). We will recommence on Wednesday 23rd April in order to prepare for the 6 a side tournaments.

This training session will see us welcome our newest Greenfields player, Aaron. I am sure you will all make him feel very welcome!

Match Report 13th April 2014. Greenfields 1 v Sway Juniors 0

We took to the pitch with only 6 players due to holidays etc. I had agreed with the Sway manager that he would only play 6 also, but he changed his mind at the last minute and they went with 7 (which they were perfectly entitled to do).

The extra man made such a difference, even against a so called 'weaker team'. Sway made total use of the extra body & played the ball around us a lot. However they didn't really make too many chances in the first half. Emre & Zak seemed to have everything under control protecting Hermione's goal.

Our midfield 3 of Harvey, Oliver & Elliott played some beautiful football between them, passing in triangles and playing keep ball. One such attractive move led to our goal. Harvey to Oliver, Oliver to Elliott, who played a first time through ball back to the running Oliver, who took one touch & buried the ball from the edge of the box.

After that there was just one scary moment for us where the ball trickled across the face of our goal, H beaten for once, only for a Sway player to try and finish it, stare in amazement as Hermione somehow got back across her goal & made the save (with her chin!). Heroic stuff!

The team came off puffing at half time. No subs & a man down. They knew they were in for a long 20 mins. They were all stripping off their under shirts as it was a warm evening. We discussed having to move the ball quicker & also playing balls to run on to because we were getting surround on the ball so quickly.

20 minutes of hard work later, we survived a couple of scares where they used the extra man & had an easy overload on our defence. Through a combination of bad decision making by them & great defending by Zak & Emre, they didn't capitalise.

We should have made easier work of the match when Oliver found himself making a cross from the right and the best chance of the game fell at Elliott's right boot. He swung his leg first time at the ball only to see it just rising  over the bar!

There was no way through for Sway but you have to give them credit for the passing they did, even against 6 players. very nice play from them. However, victory was ours - extending our unbeaten run to 9 games.

One more game to go.

MATCH INFO FOR LAST TWO HOME GAMES

Sunday 13th April – HOME Kings Park.  Sway. KO 11.00 warm up 1030. Home kit. (we only have 6 players for this fixture)

Tuesday 15th April – HOME. Kings Park. Rossgarth. KO 1815. Warm up 1745. Home Kit. (we should have 7 for this!)

MATCH REPORT 8th April Greenfields 2 v Poppies 2

Having played Poppies 6 times in our team history and never even getting so much as a point, we knew what to expect from the league leaders. 

We had a game plan and had practised it well. Shame the plan didn't last long as we were soon one nil down to a penalty. 

Another scrappy goal soon followed and I feared we might get turned over good and proper without Marco and Marcos in the squad. 

Time for a change of plan. we got the message on to the pitch to change to press their players high up the pitch and win the ball as soon as possible. this stopped them playing and we got to half time at 2-0 down. 

the second half was much the same. our new tactic hurried poppies into mistakes and we started to get some attacking moves of our own. they began to get frustrated and gave lots of free kicks away. one such incident led to our first goal. free kick to us just inside their half. everyone crowed the box and Oliver launched one of his big efforts their way. the ball soared in the air and managed to avoid everyone and eventually hit the back of the net. 1-2 game on! 

we were matching them now and defended brilliantly. Elliott in particular did his defensive duties protecting Harvey and Zack. he was ridiculously mismatched in size to some poppies players but (as in the PTW game) it didn't matter a jot! he. got stuck in and used all the things about defending he had learnt. as did the other midfielders who all did their job superbly tracking back. at times I thought there were two Olivers on the pitch!! 

half way into the second period, we had them under pressure at the back, forcing throw in after throw in.  eventually we got close enough for Oliver to launch a huge throw which was then headed out for a corner. up steps Joe to fire in a beauty. who's on the end of it? Oliver , with a thumping header that Andy Carroll would have been proud of. Off the inside of the post and in for 2-2.

After that, we kept them to long range shots which we blocked or were saved easily by the awesome H. 

another foul led to a free kick level with the penalty spot but out on the right side we called for Ed to use his wicked left foot. he stepped up and fired the ball towards the far corner. everyone thought it was in until an incredible goal

line clearance header by a poppies player. 

I never felt we were going to concede again and all the players looked more confident now. Emre holding the ball up, Joe sprinting down the wing. Harvey had everything under control at the ball with wingman Zack communicating brilliantly. H wasn't letting anything through now either. Ed was tough, strong and skilful, Elliott was defending yet still progressive enough to play one-twos' and captain Oliver was leading by example by covering every single blade of (rough) grass. 

What a comeback. what heart. it was a great day to be a youth footy coach. emotions ran high after the game and I was so proud of our attitude and adaptability. 

if we continue in this way, we will be building a great side for next season.  

NO TRAINING - WEDNESDAY 16TH APRIL 2014

There will be no training session on Wednesday 16th April.

Having played 3 games in 6 days I think we all need a rest!

Training will be back the following week - 23rd April.

WE HAVE ENTERED SOME TOURNAMENTS

I have entered us into 5 summer tournaments (including our own) over the summer/off season.

The dates/locations are as follows:

SATURDAY 3RD MAY - HYTHE & DIBDEN - AFTERNOON- 6 A SIDE (SQUAD OF 8)

SATURDAY 17TH MAY - GREENFIELDS YFC - MORNING - 7 A SIDE (SQUAD OF 9)
don't forget we need lots of volunteers for this whole weekend please!

SUNDAY 7TH JUNE - PACE (TOTTON) - MORNING - 9 A SIDE (SQUAD OF 13)
all players required for this tournament 

SUNDAY 15TH JUNE - ROSSGARTH - MORNING - 6 A SIDE (SQUAD OF 8)
this is also presentation/medal day which will be at 4:30 in the afternoon (details soon)

SUNDAY 6TH JULY - STURMINSTER MARSHALL -  MORNING - 6 A SIDE (SQUAD OF 8)


As most of these tournaments are 6 a side, with a squad of 8, not all players will be required for all dates. This is to account for players being unavailable. Please let me know which dates you can & can't make.  We need all players for the PACE tournament as it is a 9v9 format.

Costs for these will be £5 per player to cover the entry fee.

Details of times & address will be available nearer the time.

For those who haven't been to tournaments before, they are a great fun day out. The football is short matches in a league format, progressing on to semi & finals. Trophies & medals for the winners. There is usually food & drink available to purchase. Bring a picnic chair, blanket, picnic if you want. It's great fun and a good chance to catch up with other parents who you haven't seen much over the season.

MATCH INFO SUNDAY 13th APRIL v Sway

v Sway

Home Kings Park

10.00 KO. 0930 warm up

Home Kit

due to holidays etc, we only have 6 available players for this fixture. 

MATCH INFO v POPPIES THURSDAY 10th APRIL 2014

Thursday 10th April v Poppies

HOME- Kings Park

KO 18:15

Warm up 17:45

Home Kit

Match report Rossgarth 0 v Greenfields 1

a scrappy victory this morning on an immaculate artificial surface at Rossgarth. 

we were short of three players so all the lads played all the game. an uneventful first half finished 0-0

after the break the players were Asked to switch the play more and keep the ball on the ground. they followed instructions and we looked much better against a good passing side in Rossgarth. they never really bothered our goal and both Joe & H were comfortable inbetween the sticks.

we put the pressure on continually in the second half and forced a good few corners. Ed whipped them in beautifully as usual and eventually the ball fell to Harvey in a crowed area and he tucked it into a corner. 1-0

a few long range shots from Joe, Emre and Oliver went close but the game was destined to be a close affair. 

we were not at our best but that's understandable with 3 players missing. defended well and nicked a goal.

lots of credit to rossgarth who earlier in the season were the whipping boys. some lovely team passing from them. 

three points and lots of enjoyment for the lads. 

next stop Poppies. 

kit correction Sunday 6th April

NOT away kit

BYFL rules State if no kit clash then home kit must be used

sorry

daft rule....

MATCH INFO SUNDAY 6TH APRIL 2014

U10 v Rossgarth (Away) - 10am kick off 0930 warm up

AWAY KIT. No kit clash but our Away kit is cool so we may as well wear it!

Match is on 3G astro surface. No metal studs. Moulded or astro boots only.

No injuries please– we only have 7 players for this fixture.

 Potterne Park, Potterne Way, Three Legged Cross, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 6RS

MATCH REPORT 01.04.14 Poole Town Wessex 0 v Greenfields YFC 1

A great victory for the team, doing the double over PTW in the process. In fact, with our win in the tournament final last Summer, that makes 3 in a row over them.

PTW are a very decent side & will go close to winning the league, so we had to set up well against them on a sunny Tuesday afternoon.

I took the view that as they played the ball across the pitch very well & were very comfortable on the ball, there was no point in chasing around after them. We devised a plan to let them have the ball in non dangerous parts of the pitch in order to  conserve our energy and give us time to set up well defensively.  This is quite a complicated tactic for lads of this age to grasp, but grasp it they did & they carried it out very well.

The first half was very cagey and there wasn't much to talk about of note, although Ed did fire off a couple of quick shots which weren't too far away.

At half time, I congratulated the team on there defensive work & challenged them to keep the same strength, whilst being a bit braver going forward to see if we could nick a goal. Again, great work all round held PTW at bay and we started to pile on pressure. A series of corners led to a shot from Oliver which was handled in the box - penalty! Up stepped regular kick taker Elliott and after a deep breath & a puff of his cheeks, he fired the ball straight down the middle with the keeper diving to his right. 1- 0 !

PTW didn't look like they had an answer to our tactics and never really bothered us until a deflected clearance fell to one of their players in the box who stuck out a foot and the ball went agonisingly towards goal. I feared the worst, but Hermione somehow got something on it, Gordon Banks esq, and it went for a corner! Great work H!

We gave them more problems with some counter attacks and at one point Joe almost broke the goal. He sped down the left and unleashed a ferocious shot from almost the half way line. The ball was a blur as it cannoned goalward. It was dipping just enough, but clattered the crossbar/post with such force that the whole goal leapt in the air! it would have been some goal. Unlucky Joe!

After a few injuries to attend to, the ref blew for for full time to give us a great win. Well done to all the team who showed all the things they have been learning recently.

It was a good lesson and experience for the team to play defensively and on the counter attack. a different style and not one I would adopt in most games, but some opposition deserve respect and special attention. if the players keep up this level of play and learning and start to add more attacking prowess, they will be a force to reckon with next season. 

It was our last outing with the full squad as some lads are off on Easter holidays. We have 4 more games to go and will do our best to get similar results without them.

TEAM PHOTO

The amazing U10 team (2013/14). Sponsored by Chickie One of Charminster.