ROCKETS 3 - 5 CHESTER NOMADS
The boys can be really proud of our performance today, as this was the first time we'd played Nomads best team since our 0-12 drubbing two years ago.
We asked the team to win their individual battles and if we did that and with some luck we'd do well.
We started with a set-up that we felt would give us the greatest balance and the boys who played this period were rightly congratulated at the break as we felt this was the best we'd played, bearing in mind the opposition. William and Bailey in particular set the tone and Bailey scored a great goal, lobbing the keeper to put us 1-0 up. Unluckily Nomads equalised with their first attack as their striker finished a good cross for 1-1 at the break.
Rather than talk about us going 1-4 down its better to say that throughout the next 15 minutes all the boys really tried to play football, put in 100% effort and although we made a few errors we know what we can do to improve.
At 1-4 we felt hard done to especially after Rory's fantastic turn and the ball smashing off the post. We went into the final 20 minutes with nothing to lose and soon Bailey hit a stunner to the top corner which was followed by a brilliant move and excellent finish from George to bring us to 3-4 and at this stage we were on top.
Nomads scored a fifth to put gloss on the score line.
MOTM could have been a few players today. Bailey and Harry continued their fine form and Charlie was at his best. The award went to William who got stuck in from the start in terms of tackling but also got moves going with great passing and Hansen-esque composure at the back against a good team.
Well done everyone. Enjoy the Easter break. There is lot to play for when we return and if we play like we did in this match there is chance of some silverware.
Rob & Paul.
Wednesday 29 March 2017
Saturday 18 March 2017
MATCH REPORT - SAT 18 MARCH
ROCKETS 4 - 3 SAUGHALL COLTS
Back to league fixtures this morning it was great to get a win against a team we've been very evenly matched against since the boys were little.
The pitch conditions in one half made life difficult but after a good training session last night we showed more passing intent and movement off the ball than we did last week against Vicars Cross. We can still be quicker in thought and need to give more options especially from the back, with the midfield dropping to receive.
We went 1-0 down from a good corner and near post finish but then we started to play and got back into the match from a penalty box scramble and the ball sitting up for Bailey to blast into the top corner for 1-1.
Shortly afterwards Harry was fouled whilst breaking on the right. From Harry's perfect free-kick Rory leapt like a salmon to head to the top corner to put us ahead 2-1.
Saughall introduced their secret weapon being a very talented girl who was very good at showing for the ball, attacking and passing. She set up the Saughall equaliser by playing in their striker to make it 2-2.
The boys kept playing their football and we moved Harry up top with immediate results as Harry bundled through the middle of the defence and poked the ball past the keeper to put us ahead again 3-2.
In the second half both teams had good periods of pressure. Saughall were working harder and we struggled a bit to clear our lines and we rode our luck slightly. We did always look like we could hit them on the break and on a few occasions we were one good pass away from seeing either Rory or George through on goal - again we need to get our heads up and play the ball quicker if a team mate is in a better position.
We conceded after a slight defensive mix-up and us dawdling too long on the ball and at 3-3 the game was anyone's to win.
It was left to the Harry/Rory combination to win the game for us after Harry beat two players and put in a superb deep cross where Rory again rose like a salmon to head a winner to the top corner for his 18th goal of the season.
With Bailey then going into defence we were able to see out the game for a deserved 12th win of the season and extend our unbeaten run going back to 29th October last year.
MOTM was awarded to Harry who had his best game for the club. He was a constant threat going forward and was also very physically strong and balanced to hold possession, using the 'arms of steel' technique from training!
Well done boys, great result and really enjoyable game to watch.
Back to league fixtures this morning it was great to get a win against a team we've been very evenly matched against since the boys were little.
The pitch conditions in one half made life difficult but after a good training session last night we showed more passing intent and movement off the ball than we did last week against Vicars Cross. We can still be quicker in thought and need to give more options especially from the back, with the midfield dropping to receive.
We went 1-0 down from a good corner and near post finish but then we started to play and got back into the match from a penalty box scramble and the ball sitting up for Bailey to blast into the top corner for 1-1.
Shortly afterwards Harry was fouled whilst breaking on the right. From Harry's perfect free-kick Rory leapt like a salmon to head to the top corner to put us ahead 2-1.
Saughall introduced their secret weapon being a very talented girl who was very good at showing for the ball, attacking and passing. She set up the Saughall equaliser by playing in their striker to make it 2-2.
The boys kept playing their football and we moved Harry up top with immediate results as Harry bundled through the middle of the defence and poked the ball past the keeper to put us ahead again 3-2.
In the second half both teams had good periods of pressure. Saughall were working harder and we struggled a bit to clear our lines and we rode our luck slightly. We did always look like we could hit them on the break and on a few occasions we were one good pass away from seeing either Rory or George through on goal - again we need to get our heads up and play the ball quicker if a team mate is in a better position.
We conceded after a slight defensive mix-up and us dawdling too long on the ball and at 3-3 the game was anyone's to win.
It was left to the Harry/Rory combination to win the game for us after Harry beat two players and put in a superb deep cross where Rory again rose like a salmon to head a winner to the top corner for his 18th goal of the season.
With Bailey then going into defence we were able to see out the game for a deserved 12th win of the season and extend our unbeaten run going back to 29th October last year.
MOTM was awarded to Harry who had his best game for the club. He was a constant threat going forward and was also very physically strong and balanced to hold possession, using the 'arms of steel' technique from training!
Well done boys, great result and really enjoyable game to watch.
Sunday 12 March 2017
MATCH REPORT - SAT 11 MARCH
ROCKETS 1 - 1 VICARS CROSS
The boys ended our group stage of the Shield with a hard fought draw against a battling Vicars Cross team who were playing for a semi-final place and deservedly progress from the group as runners-up.
We end the group with 9 wins and 1 draw so can be proud of topping the group meaning we will play the runners-up in group A at home.
The match itself was a struggle. We huffed and puffed on a big pitch playing 8-side which may have suited the bigger opposition more who have a game based on pressurising the ball and cutting down space. We struggled to move the ball about quickly and too often we got caught in individual battles going forward.
At the back we were probably overly cautious which was a result again of the big pitch and our midfield not being close enough to our defenders to give them options. This resulted in us getting bogged down for periods in our own half and Vicars Cross were able to test us with long throws and corners.
In the second period we started to look more lively and threatening going forward. Xander was getting more joy down the right, Rory was able to find more space and Austin nearly scored with volley.
With 10 minutes to go Rory broke the deadlock with a thunderbolt volley off his left foot into the top corner and it looked like we would grab the victory. In fairness to Vicars Cross they didn't stop battling away and from a long throw they scored with a nice flick-on beyond Hugo with 3 minutes to go.
It probably wasn't the best time to experiment with a bigger pitch. We didn't award a MOTM today but a mention goes to Austin who did try to pass through the crowded midfield areas.
Hopefully we will be back on the grass next week at home versus Saughall from our league.
We learnt a lot yesterday and over the next 18 months we can progress how we get the ball forward more quickly on the larger pitches - it's called passing and moving! It would be useful for our boys to watch our u12s one Sunday.
Well done boys on topping the group; we could not have asked for more. Bring on the semi-final.
Rob & Paul.
The boys ended our group stage of the Shield with a hard fought draw against a battling Vicars Cross team who were playing for a semi-final place and deservedly progress from the group as runners-up.
We end the group with 9 wins and 1 draw so can be proud of topping the group meaning we will play the runners-up in group A at home.
The match itself was a struggle. We huffed and puffed on a big pitch playing 8-side which may have suited the bigger opposition more who have a game based on pressurising the ball and cutting down space. We struggled to move the ball about quickly and too often we got caught in individual battles going forward.
At the back we were probably overly cautious which was a result again of the big pitch and our midfield not being close enough to our defenders to give them options. This resulted in us getting bogged down for periods in our own half and Vicars Cross were able to test us with long throws and corners.
In the second period we started to look more lively and threatening going forward. Xander was getting more joy down the right, Rory was able to find more space and Austin nearly scored with volley.
With 10 minutes to go Rory broke the deadlock with a thunderbolt volley off his left foot into the top corner and it looked like we would grab the victory. In fairness to Vicars Cross they didn't stop battling away and from a long throw they scored with a nice flick-on beyond Hugo with 3 minutes to go.
It probably wasn't the best time to experiment with a bigger pitch. We didn't award a MOTM today but a mention goes to Austin who did try to pass through the crowded midfield areas.
Hopefully we will be back on the grass next week at home versus Saughall from our league.
We learnt a lot yesterday and over the next 18 months we can progress how we get the ball forward more quickly on the larger pitches - it's called passing and moving! It would be useful for our boys to watch our u12s one Sunday.
Well done boys on topping the group; we could not have asked for more. Bring on the semi-final.
Rob & Paul.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)