Heybridge Lions 06/07 season archive
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.Thursday 7th Sept. Friendly Heybridge Tigers 4 - 0 Heybridge Lions This match was our first 11 a side outing of the season and we picked a tough one against our other under 11 side. Saying that, for the first 25 minutes we held our own and a combination of stout defending and competent goalkeeping kept the tigers at bay. They only scored in the last couple of minutes of the half after the ball was given away as we tried to play fancy football in our defencive third. The second half saw Josh replace Ellis in goal and Ryan come on for Anthony but we were immediately placed under serious pressure as the Tigers attacked at will. Their efforts were rewarded with 3 more goals as we tired and retreated into our own area, allowing the Tigers midfield to dominate and set up the chances. In the end, we did quite well to restrict the scoring to 4 but we never looked like creating a chance of our own. We have a lot to work on, including maintaining our shape, tackling and passing in midfield, the offside trap etc. but we will succeed if we all pull together. Special mention for this game goes to Dylan who, in his first competitive game, showed some glimpses of the talent he obviously possesses and his left foot will certainly be a huge plus for the team. Next game : Away to Burnham Ramblers on Sunday 10th Sept. KO 3.00pm -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Sunday 10th Sept. Burnham Ramblers 9- 1 Heybridge Lions This was our first lesson in 11 a side football as Burnham beat us in every department to deliver our biggest defeat ever. Burnham out tackled, out worked and out thought us, they were first to every 50/50 ball and used their possession much more effectively than we did. The only bright spot of the whole game was a run and shot from the left wing by Jake M which resulted in our goal otherwise, this is a performance best forgotten. We have lots to work on in training on Saturday including positional sense and a desire to compete effectively. Next Game: Home to Mayland Village. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Sunday 17th Sept. Heybridge Lions 2 - 2 Mayland Village We were hoping for an improved performance this week and the coach made a number of tactical changes for that purpose. We changed formation to 3-5-2, with Ellis acting as sweeper in a 3 man defence and Robbie and Dylan playing as wing backs. We started quite brightly and pressurised the Mayland goal from the start but only managed to convert one of a numerous number of opportunities in front of goal. The goal was crafted by a run down the right from Robbie culminating with him turning inside onto his weaker left foot and blasting a shot that the keeper failed to hold. Matt was on hand to tuck in the rebound. The goal gave us a boost and we continued to pressure the Mayland goal although our finishing wasn't the best and our passing was non existent. We scored the second after an almighty goalmouth scramble in which we had three or four shots that were blocked and the ball was finally sliced into the back of the net by a Mayland defender. In the second half we were playing up the hill but we continued to attack on a regular basis but we lacked the composure to score again, instead, Mayland broke away and scored a well worked goal slotted under the advancing keeper. Their second came as a penalty was awarded for a fairly innocuous challenge in our box, this was an unfortunate decision as at least three of their players were off side at the time. The penalty was smashed into the top right corner of the goal making it 2 - 2 and concluding the scoring although we continued to squander chances until the final whistle. All in all, the result was satisfactory compared to last weeks drubbing but in some ways, the number of chances we had should have led to a larger score. A number of players are worthy of mention, Jake M again, Ellis in his new defensive role, Dylan and Robbie on the flanks but, in the authors view, Gareth is growing into his defencive midfield role and gets the nod.
Next Game: Away to Howbridge Swifts Colts in the Knockout cup. |
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Cup - Sunday 24th Sept. Howbridge Swifts Colts 1 - 6 Heybridge Lions As far as our play was concerned, this was the archetypal 'game of two halves'. In the first period we played down the slope and created numerous chances but failed to score from any of these situations. Instead, only the second Howbridge attack relaised a goal after some sloppy defending. We went into half time 1 - 0 down even though we had created at least 9 guilt edged opportunities to score but in the half time team talk the coach asked for more composure in front of goal and was rewarded with an excellent second half performance. Within 5 minutes of the restart, Josh latched onto a through ball and beat two players to score a super goal and this seemed to raise our belief. Goals from Gareth, Tom and Jake followed as well as two more for Josh who completed his hattrick. Every time Howbridge tried to start an attack of their own it was snuffed out by our midfield or the defencive line and the second half performance was only marred by some indiscipline within our ranks towards the end. Well played boys.
Next game Away to Tollesbury Juniors. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Sunday 1st Oct. Tollesbury Juniors 2 - 1 Heybridge Lions A very disappointing result for us as we should have beaten this team fairly comfortably. It was obvious from the start that, although Tollesbury had one or two 'stars', on a man for man basis we were the more experienced and skillful team as we camped in their half for the majority of the first period. Although we were totally dominant we never really threatened the Tollesbury goal and the efforts we did have were tame and easily dealt with by the defenders and goalie. Tollesbury rarely threatened our goal but when they did attack, the threat came from their number 7 who was lightening quick and caused our defenders no end of problems. Our goal came after one such attack was broken up in our own box and the best passing of the game saw the ball move quickly from one end to the other and culminated in Josh sliding the ball home. The second half was a similar story although Tollesbury came more into the game, we continued to lack the power or creativity to unlock their defence. Tollesbury's equaliser came through another run from their 7 who left defenders in his wake as he powered into the box and created the goal. We started to show signs of tiredness and our heads dropped as our midfield faded from the game and our defenders were put under significant pressure and we conceded the second. From this point there was no way back and we finished on the loosing side. We must find a solution to our lack of firepower as, with these huge goals, we are bound to concede ourselves and can only win games if we score more than the opposition. Special mentions this week go to Sam who, although he lacked a bit of pace, made good use of the ball when in possession, Harry who again put in loads of effort and tackled well and Dylan who is growing into his left wingback role and with more confidence will be a huge threat in the future. Next game: Home to Burnham Ramblers Sunday 8th October. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Sunday 8th Oct. Heybridge Lions 1 - 1 Burnham Ramblers - League Cup After the last game against Burnham when they deservedly thrashed us 9 -1 the Manager and Coach insisted on 100% effort in this game and they were not disappointed. From the first whistle to the last, the majority of the players put in maximum effort and, combined with our growing appreciation of our shape and responsibilities, saw us earn a good draw. In fact, during the first period, we had more than our share of good possession in the opposition's half but failed again to capitalise, although we did hit the bar and had 2 shots cleared off the line. As the half drew to a close, Burham had a breakaway and a fantastic through ball fed their striker to slot the ball home. Half time saw a few long faces in the team but some positive words from the coach and a slight tactical change sent the boys out with renewed conviction. This half was more even with attacks at both ends and from one such attack from Robbie and Josh the ball was whipped in from the right and Gareth drove the ball low into the net. There were further chances at both ends as the game drew to a close but the final whistle saw us celebrate as though we'd won. It was great to see the boys smiling as they left the field and a look of satisfaction on the coach's face was a treat to behold. There were many outstanding performances today, but I'd give the nod to Josh Waughman who, in his midfield role in the fist half and forward role in the second, gave his all for the cause and his tenacity gave us a bite that we had lacked in previous matches. Next Game is away to Tollesbury Juniors in the league cup on 15th October. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Sunday 15th Oct. Tollesbury Juniors 2 - 1 Heybridge Lions - League Cup Our complete inability to create or score goals was never more apparent than in this game. On the back of an excellent result against Burnham, we arrived with great hope of an improved performance but the game followed the pattern of our previous meeting. In the first half we had 5 shots on goal in the first 15 minutes but none had the power or direction to bother the goalie. As the game went on Tollesbury came more into the play but great performances from Harry and especially Jake at the back thwarted the Juniors attacks and half time came with the score at 0 - 0. During the break the manager asked for more effort in every department especially our passing which was non existent in the first period. The second half was similar to the first but a defensive mistake allowed Tollesbury through to slot their first goal soon after the restart. They then scored a second after a poor goal kick presented the ball to the Tollesbury forward who passed the ball into the open net. We continued to press without any real idea of how we were going to score and were regularly caught offside but just before the final whistle we managed to stay onside and eventually the ball found its way to Dylan who stabbed it home from a couple of yards. This was our last positive action as the whistle blew for the end of the game and we had again failed to match the opposition's scoring and lost the game. Special mention this week goes to Jake Melia, playing in an unfavoured defencive position, was terrific. His tenacity in the tackle and his recovery speed prevented Tollesbury's fast players from overrunning the defence on numerous occasions. Next weekend (21st/22nd) is a week free from football with no training and no game. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Sunday 12th Nov. Tollesbury Juniors 2 - 2 Heybridge Lions - KO Cup Our third meeting away to Tollesbury saw us try some players in other positions and to some extent the changes were successful. within the first ten minutes we had scored two elusive goals, the first a penalty slotted by Robbie and the second a goal from close range by Ellis. We continued to dominate the first half without really playing well and missed more opportunities to go further ahead. At half time the coach pointed out that the wind and slope were in the oppositions favour and we needed to battle hard for the second period. Unfortunatly, we were unable to keep a clean sheet and Tollesbury scored half way through the half. From this point, our defence was totally overworked and only heroics from the back line prevented more goals being scored. We hung on until 6 minutes from the end but another Tollesbury break left us totally outnumbered in our box and Tollesbury scored again. Although our defence was often under pressure, our forward line, lead by Ellis, did break away on a number of occasions only to fire just wide each time. We entered the extra time period and clung on for a draw and a home replay where hopefully, our midfield will contribute more effectively to give our defence and our forwards some help. Special mentions this week go to Ellis who sparked most of our attacks and the defence, Aidan, Tom and Sam who held firm with little asistance from the rest of the team. Perhaps the replay will see our first win against this team. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Sunday 12th Nov. Maldon Town 1 - 1 Heybridge Lions - Cup Due to the significant slope on the pitch, the coach decided that a more defencive line up was required lo play up the hill, so we started with a 3-6-1 setup and saw us play our best half of football so far this season. Defensively we were very solid and Ellis in goal only had a couple of significant saves to make. We moved the ball down the sides of the pitch, especially the left, with flowing passing football and created a number of good opportunities although we were short of numbers to convert them. Maldon's goal came towards the end of the first half with some indecisiveness allowing a maldon player to lift the ball into the net but it was still our half in terms of possession and passing football. In the second half, playing with the assistance of the slope, we made some changes enabling Ellis to move to centre forward and Tom to move into midfield in a 3-5-2 set up. We were rewarded fairly quickly as Ellis scored our goal and we looked significantly more threatening although we struggled with staying onside. Towards the end of the game a number of midfielders faded and our defencive strengths from the first half went missing, our back line had to work very hard to keep Maldon from breaking away on a number of occasions but held firm. We also had a few problems with players ignoring the coach and not doing thier job but, in the end, we were most probably the better team on the day without scoring the goals that our possession deserved. Special mentions this week go to Tom for a sterling defencive display in the first half followed by some tough midfield tackling in the second and Sam, whose composure on the ball and sensible passing lead to a number of positive attacks on the opposition goal. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Sunday 26th Nov. Heybridge Lions 2 - 2 Tollesbury (aet) - KO Cup Like our previous meetings with Tollesbury, this was a closely contested game although Lions shaded it on quality possession. Again we struggled in front of goal but did score 2 crackers, the first, a shot from 20 yards by Gareth which sailed into the roof of the net and the second was a magical bending free kick from Robbie but we did squander good possession in the oppositions last third. We again struggled in defence due to the pace of the attacking team but Tollesbury failed to capitalise on their advantage, only managing to score one goal through this route. Their second was a free kick in a similar position to Robbie's goal and the same result was attained as the ball struck the top of the net, another unsavable shot. A replay will follow but at least we won the toss for the home advantage. Special mention this week goes to Thomas who put in a massive amount of work in midfield although his pace was sorely missed from the defencive line. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Sunday 3rd Dec. Heybridge Lions 1- 2 Tollesbury - KO Cup Finally a result, not the one we wanted but we can now move on. A similar game to our previous meetings but, apart from Thomas, our midfielders and attackers showed little desire to battle for the ball and to chase back when we lost possession. Our first goal came from our best passage of football as we moved the ball down the right side with simple passes, crossed the ball and eventually the ball fell to Dylan who hammered the ball into the net. The lead was maintained until 5 minutes from the end of the half due to some stout work by the defenders and Thomas but a pacey break lead to a goalmouth scramble and the ball was poked home by a Tollesbury player. This scoreline was acceptable at this point as we were playing with the slope and the wind in the second period. In this half we dominated possession but failed to create too many clear chances although we were camped in the oppositions half for long periods. The lack of effective numbers in midfield did allow their attackers to have a number of 3 on 3 attacks but they were dealt with albeit through last ditch tackles but Tollesbury eventually scored after the ball was debatably kept in by their attacker and the ball was poked home via the post. Not our greatest display but special mentions go to Thomas again for his efforts in midfield despite minimal support and Aidan, who had his best game so far, using his physical strength to win the ball on numerous occasions. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Sunday 17th Dec. Heybridge Lions 2 - 1 Tiptree Minors The best Christmas present we could have received was a win in this game and the boys delivered with one of their best performances of the season. We scored fairly early on after a goalmouth scramble was finished by Dylan poking the ball into the net and this seemed to give us confidence as every player upped their game from previous weeks. The closing down and tackling was the best we'd seen this year and we were rewarded with a second goal as Gareth blasted home from outside the box following a Thomas long throw. As the half went on Tiptree came more into the play but some stout defending from the back line kept them at bay. In the second half we again came under pressure but we were solid until two thirds of the way through, when we conceded after a cross and unstoppable shot from the tiptree striker. This spurred on the opposition further and we were forced to defend for our lives, culminating in a great diving save by Ellis in goal just before the final whistle. No special mentions this week as everyone played their part in the victory. Well done boys, thanks for the fantastic effort today and a merry Christmas to you all. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Sunday 7th Jan Heybridge Lions 1- 4 Tollesbury Juniors An awful performance in almost every department. We did not compete in any part of the field, we were ponderous in possession, our passing was almost non existent and, apart from the last ten minutes, we were dominated by the opposition. We could not have started better as a nice pass from Anthony put Ellis through on goal and he buried the ball past the Tollesbury keeper in only the second minute but from then on our performance lapsed. All four of Tollesbury's goals were created by passes over or round our defence for their quick forwards to run onto and with only the keeper to beat, scored each time. In the last ten minutes Sam was moved into a defencive midfield position and his strong tackling seemed to lift the team and we started to get stuck in. A little too late to effect the result however. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Sunday 14th Jan Maldon Town 2 -1 Heybridge Lions A very interesting game as we set out with a different formation. This was partly brought about by our poor performance in the previous week and the unavailability of 3 regular players. We also welcomed back Ryan after a long lay off through injury. As in the previous game, we still struggled to retain the ball and we seemed slower to respond to opportunities than our opponents but the shape worked well with most of the boys understanding their roles and responsibilities. We were unlucky with the first goal we conceded as it was clearly offside but the linesman was overruled by the ref. This finished the scoring in the first half although Ellis pulled off another fantastic save to keep the score to 1. The second Maldon goal was a cracking, unstoppable shot from the edge of the box. With 10 minutes to go, Sam was carried off with an injury after another crunching tackle in midfield, the lengthy break in play seemed to be in our favour and we scored our goal through Dylan straight after the restart. We took confidence from this and pressed forward almost scoring with the last attack of the game. Although the result went against us, there are plenty of positives to take forward, the formation worked well, another goal from Dylan and we were more combative than the previous game. We must try to 'think' more quickly and respond to situations faster than the opposition. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Sunday 21st Jan Burnham Ramblers 2 - 0 Heybridge Lions Yet another defeat but, this time, we could have asked for little more from the team. For the first time in ages, the majority gave it 100% in terms of effort and work rate and with some better finishing, we could have won the game. We were trying a new goalkeeper in Ryan as filling this position has caused us problems for the last 2 seasons and, although his style was 'unique', he was fairly successful. Burnham's first goal came after we failed to clear our lines from a goal kick and the forward easily slotted the ball home and the second was a neat finish after some neat interpassing. Although we did not score we did have some excellent possession and maintained it by passing the ball well, especially towards the end of the game. The performance was again marred by a couple of our players loosing their heads and mouthing off at the referee, detracting from what was one of our best efforts this season. Special mentions this week go to Aiden and Harry for their work rate and levels of concentration, both performed really well with Harry getting the nod as man of the match. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Sunday 11th Mar Heybridge Lions 3 -1 Tiptree Minors The best display of our season in almost every department. The defence were solid and regularly first to the ball, the midfield tackled hard and the forwards attacked with purpose. There was no squabbling, no feining injury and very little sulking, in fact, it was a pleasure to watch. The goals were scored by Ellis, Dylan and Josh but the best thing about the whole game was the excellent passing of the team from back to front. Special mentions this week goes to the entire team who, for possibly the first time, played like a team and reaped the rewards. Well done boys, it was great to see. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Sunday 18th Mar Mayland Village 1 - 4 Heybridge Lions After the lord mayors show comes.........One of our worst performances ever. Although we won the game by a convincing scoreline we played woefully against 10 men. Our passing was non-existent we chased the ball in swarms, our finishing was dire and we had a number of major sulks. This was such a let down for the coaching staff and supporters compared to last weeks efforts and also to the players we did not bring, who would have loved to play. Overshadowed by all the poor things about this game were two quality finishes, one from Josh and one from Ellis, and a debut goal from Levi, which brightened the day somewhat. No special mentions this week. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Sunday 25th Mar Maldon Town 3- 5 Heybridge Lions Due to some poor behaviour during training, two of our better players were suspended for this game and we needed to reshuffle but, in the first half, we played so well that these players were not missed. During the first period we made some solid tackles and passed the ball really nicely creating a number of opportunities, two of which were deftly converted by Levi. Maldon replied with a well taken goal of their own. The second half was a different kettle of fish however. Even though Maldon had a man sent off for decent, we struggled to keep them out of our half and a level of panic set in amoungst the defenders. The times we did play some football, the forwards had opportunities and corners were conceded by Maldon. We scored from two of these, one, an own goal, and the second was direct from a Robbie curling strike. In between these two goals, Dylan scored a cracker after he dribbled past 3 or 4 defenders. After each goal, Maldon rallied and pressurised our defence into conceding two more goals but,all in all, the result reflected the possession, especially in the first half. We need to establish more urgency in our defencive unit and clear the ball saving the 'football' for further up the field. Special mention this week goes to Levi, who fills the centre forward slot we have consistently lacked and gives us a focus for our attacks. His two goals and multiple opportunities in the first half are, hopefully, a sign of things to come. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Saturday 31st Mar Heybridge Lions 0 - 6 Burnham Ramblers Another dire performance with a lack of effort throughout the team. We were second to every 50/50 ball, were easily dispossessed and showed little desire to get 'stuck in', combine this with poor passing and non-existent movement and that just about sums up the game. This time of the season is when coaches start to formulate a plan for next season and decide who they wish to retain and who is to be let go, so, with new players coming in, it is important for each and every player to give their best if they want to be assured of being a Lion next season. No special mentions this week. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Sunday 15th April Heybridge Lions 2 - 4 Tollesbury Juniors The first 15 minutes of this game just a continuation of last weeks poor effort with little commitment and we conceded a soft goal almost straight away. As the half went on we got slightly better and scored an equaliser through Dylan but we still abandoned midfield too regularly putting undue pressure on our defenders from their quick forwards. In the second half Tollesbury stepped up their effort as we faded, and we conceded 3 goals from quick breakaways. Again, our 3 defenders were faced with four forwards as midfielders were caught up field and their better players exploited the situation well. Commendably, we did not give up, and continued to press creating a number of opportunities of our own but they seemed to always be on the wrong foot or defenders stepped in at the last minute. Our efforts were rewarded eventually when a free kick was handled on the line and Robbie slotted the resulting penalty but this was too little too late and we lost the game. The result did not reflect the possession, as we had more of the ball but Tollesbury's superior finishing was very evident. Special mention this week goes to Jake Melia who seems to be back to his best at last. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Saturday 21st April Heybridge Lions 2 - 3 Sporting 77 Our first outing on the main pitch saw us meet Sporting 77 for the first time this season on a sunny Saturday morning. The game started at a leisurely pace but Sporting soon ran through our midfield and a subtle chip behind the defence saw their forward shake off his marker and nick the ball from our keeper to score the first goal. From that point on, most of the possession in the first half was ours and some nice passing was apparent but we could not score until close to the end of the first half when an exquisite pass from Ellis put Robbie through on goal and he duly slotted the ball home. The second half started much as the first had finished with Heybridge doing well and dominating possession once more, this was rewarded when a free kick was given to the left of the opposition's box. Robbie stepped up and curled the ball into the net via the crossbar putting us 2 -1 in front and in control. As the half wore on, some of our players tired and Sporting came more into the game and they were awarded a penalty after a push in the box. Sporting converted the penalty with ease and began to dominate proceedings with their third goal coming shortly afterwards as a speculative punt into the box eluded the defenders and bounced over the keeper. The result did not reflect our domination of possession as our goalie only touched the ball 6 times, 3 of those were to pick the ball out of the net. Special mentions this week could go to Josh and Ellis who worked hard, Robbie for his 2 goals or Sam for his composed work at left back but for me, the pace and tenacity of Jake at the centre of the defence, gets the nod . -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Sunday 22nd April Heybridge Lions 1 - 3 Maldon Town Our second game in as many days and it showed as our midfield was regularly overrun leaving the defence to deal with the attackers. The first two Maldon goals both came from attacks down our right and both times the striker scored from a narrow angle, beating the keeper on his near post. There were glimpses of the previous days form but the majority of the players lacked control and were careless as we gave the ball away too easily, on the occasions where we passed the ball we created opportunities to score. One such occasion saw Josh floored in the box and we were awarded a penalty but Robbie's spot kick was saved by the keeper. In the second half we showed a bit more urgency and looked more threatening up front. Our efforts were rewarded with a goal from Dylan which he stabbed home after a goal mouth scramble and this lifted the team and we started to play better, but Maldon's 2 goal lead was restored after a through ball caught our defence square and their best player coolly slotted the ball home. We did rally after this and Levi cam close with a thunderous shot that flew just over the bar but, all in all, the scoreline was probably justified. Special mentions are tough for this game as the overall performance was poor, but Sam's effort and composure in possession of the ball gets him my vote. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Saturday 28th April Heybridge Lions 0 - 1 Heybridge Tigers The form book indicated that the Tigers should have stuffed us but it turned out that only a fortunate goal towards the end of the game separated the teams. In the first half, the Lions were superb in almost every department and the Tigers looked a very ordinary side as we were first to the ball and looked like we wanted it more. Although both sides were limited to 2 or 3 shots during the half, Lions created more pressure on the Tigers goal and dominated possession, resulting in 5 corners. Unfortunately, we were unable to finish any of these. In the second half, the Tigers had a change round, bringing on their most prolific scorer but, as with the first half, the Lions were still more focused and committed. The change in the Tigers team did mean that we were put under more pressure but our defence was fantastic and we repelled everything that was thrown at us. The Tigers goal came about as an offside flag caused our defensive line to stop but the Ref overruled the linesman, allowing the Tigers to score unchallenged. At the end of the game a number of our players were dead on their feet after giving their all, and more, for the cause but we left the field with heads held high as we were probably the better team on the day. Although the entire team played brilliantly and worked their socks off, two players shone in the defensive line. Thomas was solid and reliable as last man, his best position in my opinion, and Sam, who was awesome at left back with strong tackling and sensible passing, so, these guys get this weeks special mentions. Well played boys, I doubt the Tigers have had a tougher league game all season and it shows that we can give anyone in the league a good game if we put our minds to it. Your coaches and parents are proud of all of you. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |
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Saturday 12th May Sporting 77 2 - 2 Heybridge Lions The last game of the season saw the Lions visit Sporting's Braintree based ground on a blustery and dull May morning. When the game started, neither side looked up for it as possession was regularly surrendered on both sides but we looked dangerous from any ball punted over the top or down the sides of the Sporting defence. One such break from Ellis lead to our fist goal as the ball was squared for Dylan to score easily in the corner we also had two other glorious opportunities but we lacked composure to finish and blasted the ball over the top of the bar. Towards the conclusion of the first half, Sporting had more possession and put some pressure on our goal, winning a number of corners but, as the half ended, our defenders stood firm and our goalie did not have a save to make.At the start of the second half the game was more even and we struggled to win or retain possession in midfield and eventually gave away a free kick just outside our box which was driven home with style. This lifted Sporting and the pressure increased so Thomas was switched from his defencive role into midfield but we failed to organise properly at the back and Sporting broke away from the half way line and scored a super goal. After this, the Lions dug in and we dominated possession and Thomas almost scored from a long shot, only to be thwarted by a great save from Sporting's keeper. As the pressure mounted, Sporting conceded a string of free kicks and corners and were pushed back into their own 18 yard box and we finally scored when Levi poked the ball home after a goal mouth scramble. This was the last action of the game and we came away with a draw which, based on efforts on goal was the minimum we deserved. Special mentions go to our entire defencive line who protected the goal so well in the first half and to Dylan for a solid performance and another goal (wearing his lucky boxers !) A few five a sides to go then a well earned break to recharge and look forward to next season. Well done boys. -----------------------::::::::::---------------------- |