First up were the 'Oldies' starring Alexander, Lewis D, Lewis F, Cameron, Joseph, Jack and James.
In our first game we played really well and built upon the success from our previous game against Tockwith. The boys held their shape and passed and tackled really well. Jack demonstrated some good close ball control and Joseph as ever was hard, but fair in his challenges. There was a lot of goal mouth action from both sides, with Ripley coming out on top and scoring a couple of good goals. To their credit the boys carried on battling and Cameron and Lewis both had great opportunities to level the score. At half time the score was 2-0 to Ripley.
After the turn, James went in goal releasing Alexander to the middle of the park. Again there was great commitment from all the boys which paid off after another goal mouth scramble was converted by the 'Rock' that is Lewis Dobson. The boys continued to attack without converting any of their chances. In the last 30 seconds of the game the ball fell to Lewis Francis who just pulled his shot wide. A draw would have been a fair result on balance, but both teams competed well in this equally poised game. The game ended 2-1 to Ripley.
In our first game we played really well and built upon the success from our previous game against Tockwith. The boys held their shape and passed and tackled really well. Jack demonstrated some good close ball control and Joseph as ever was hard, but fair in his challenges. There was a lot of goal mouth action from both sides, with Ripley coming out on top and scoring a couple of good goals. To their credit the boys carried on battling and Cameron and Lewis both had great opportunities to level the score. At half time the score was 2-0 to Ripley.
After the turn, James went in goal releasing Alexander to the middle of the park. Again there was great commitment from all the boys which paid off after another goal mouth scramble was converted by the 'Rock' that is Lewis Dobson. The boys continued to attack without converting any of their chances. In the last 30 seconds of the game the ball fell to Lewis Francis who just pulled his shot wide. A draw would have been a fair result on balance, but both teams competed well in this equally poised game. The game ended 2-1 to Ripley.
In their second game - the boys rolled their sleeves up with something to prove. Building up from a defense who were keeping their eye on the Rockets star player, once this threat was snuffed out, and with a few switches in positions, the boys raced ahead with a couple of quick goals from Cameron & Joseph. The Rockets pressed and the boys had a few scrambles to get the ball clear and help out Jack S in goal for the first half. The second half started with the boys grabbing a further goal. But Ripley weren't done. A great looping shop from their midfielder thumped the foot of our post and we scrambled the ball out. But the Rockets pressure then payed off and they grabbed a deserved goal. However the boys didn't buckle, and as the ref put the whistle to his lips Jack Sherwin, up front in the second half, scrambled the ball in to see the boys take a deserved 4-1 win.
Across the two games, with a great performance and goal in the first and a solid defensive display in game two - the man of the match was Lewis Dobson.
Onto the younger squad, made up of Jacob, Jonathan, Louis, Gus and 'Little' James, Joshua, James and Harry.
The boys flew out of the blocks, with Jonathan literally covering every single inch of the field with great tackles and dribbling. It was like watching 6 vs 1 on occassion and Jonathan was taking them all on!!! He pretty quickly racked up his hat trick before half time. At the back, 'L' James stuck to his task of ensuring 'the other' James in goal (it could get very confusing!!!!) kept his clean sheet. Harry, on coaches instructions had been waiting patiently in his position up front and it did eventually pay off as he grabbed his deserved goal. The second half carried on as the first, with Jon on the scoresheet quickly again, with a change in goal with 'L' James taking the gloves and Gus helping out at the back with great effect. At the other end the goals kept coming until the final whistle which (i think) saw us take a great victory 6-0.
In the second game the boys were full of confidence from their earlier victory. Jonathan continued to boss the game demonstrating some great skills and tackles.
On our first attack the ball broke for Joshua and he finished clinically. This was his first ever goal, which you wouldn't have guessed after a less than excitable goal celebration! Some great chances were created and Joshua finished his second goal with just as much ease as the first...Maybe Scotton have found the next Michael Owen?! After another very muted goal celebration, the boys continued to press the ball and tackled and passed very well. The last chance of the half saw Louis net the third of the game and led the boys to a 3 goal lead at half time.
In the 2nd half no matter how hard they tried the boys couldn't get the ball past the Ripley Keeper. Joshua, now on his hat-trick had at least three attempts saved. The game ended 3-0 with the boys finishing a glorious morning in Ripley with a couple of victories. I think a next weeks training, forget shooting practice, we just need to work on our goal celebrations!!
We gave 2 'man of the matches' because they were some excellent performances from these our very youngest Scorchers. For being an outfield dynamo and grabbing a bucketful of goals, one went to Jon Haase. And for a brace of coolely taken goals that showed some great control in his first games for the club, the other went to Joshua Fewtrall.
Well done boys to ALL the boys and big thanks to James' Mum Michelle for doing the kit wash this week. See you all at training on Saturday.
