TOURNAMENT REPORT - SUN 12 JUNE

ROCKETS - QUARTER FINALISTS

Thanks to all the lads and parents who turned out in wet conditions for the Shropshire tournament at Prees FC yesterday.

The Rockets were drawn in Group A, pitching us against Market Drayton and Saha Raptors in the first two group games, both of whom had got to the finals last year. The boys did brilliantly against talented opposition and only conceded one goal from a very dodgy free-kick resulting in one defeat and one draw after two matches.

The highlight of my season, in fact my year, was when the referee produced a can of what must have been shaving foam and sprayed it across the turf to keep our wall back!! I'm not sure he appreciated us laughing at him but it was funny.

The next two games against Worthan and West Hagley FC we scored 9 goals and conceded zero to put the Rockets top of the group after 4 games! We played some of the best football of the season, right up there with the Blacon and Vicars Cross performances.

Needing just one point to be certain of qualification we tensed up in the next two games, getting beat 0-2 by Prees A team and then managing to get a draw against Shawbury FC 1-1 to make for a tense wait while other results came in.

With 2 wins, 2 draws and 2 defeats we had punched above our weight in our first competitive tournament and we had done enough to qualify 3rd in the group to set up a quarter final match with the second placed team in Group B - Randley Colts.

We had seen Randley play a few games and their no.8 from Wolves academy had ran every game. However, we needn't of worried as our boys shot out of the blocks piling pressure and shots on the opposition. Their keeper made some fine saves, we hit the post twice and on a couple of occasions we could have shot earlier. To say we were battering them is an understatement.

Randley though scored first with a really lucky goal from a long goal kick which bounced over our defence and Hugo and was flicked over the line.

We again pressed and the Randley no.8 who had been so dominant in early games found himself getting out fought.

Following a great run into space from William he was assaulted by one the Randley midfielders. Even if the player did get any of the ball, and we don't think he did, the tackle was over the top and over aggressive. Remarkably the ref played on with our player injured and crying and Randley broke through a defenceless Rockets to score. Even though the Randley player admitted the foul the ref allowed the goal. Very poor all round. 

Bailey got us back into the game in the dying minutes from a nicely worked free kick but we went out of the competition 1-2 and were obviously all very disappointed.

We have to take massive positives from the day. We took a squad of nine Rockets to a tournament full of so called 'A' teams, full of academy players. I thought we matched everyone as a team and individually all our nine were as good as the opposition. Its easy to say, but we didn't get 'the rub of the green' and on another day I'm certain we could have gone further.

Our parent support was excellent and its nice for the boys to be clapped off the field when we make substitutions or at half time. I think this adds to the team spirit and togetherness of the group.   

Well done to the boys.