Ripley Rockets were the hosts for Saturday’s games with the Year 4’s representing the Under 9 squad this week. Scotton’s squads, the ‘Fireballs’ and ‘Sizzling Scorchers’ were looking to build on the impressive start to the season after victory against Tockwith. The ‘Fireball’s’ started with Cameron in goal and an outfield of Sam, Oscar, George, Luke, Lewis and Dan with Owen and James starting on the bench.
The home side started the brighter but Scotton defended well with Lewis tackling well to break up play. It was not long before the ‘Fireballs’ launched the first attack of the morning, George showing great strength to break from midfield, his shot well saved by the ‘keeper’. George created another chance; this time as a result of an excellent pass by Dan, a twisting run by George into the box saw his shot saved.
Lewis continued to show his good form linking well with George up front; again George used his strength to get forward, another fine shot saved by the ‘keeper’. Ripley however pushed the visitors back, good defensive play by Oscar managed to stem the pressure and when Ripley finally got a shot in, Cameron was equal to the task saving well. Sam then showed his defensive qualities, clearing a dangerous ball for a corner.
Cameron then turned provider by launching an excellent clearance that found George whose instinctive shot was again well saved. The coaches made the first change of the game replacing Dan and Oscar with Owen and James.
Ripley then had a period of intense pressure, two shots in quick succession were well saved by Cameron, a third cracked the post but Cameron’s quick thinking saw the ball cleared for a corner which was cleared by Luke and then Owen. James then picked the ball up and found George with an excellent pass; again using his strength George made room for a shot which went just wide of the right hand post.
Again Ripley attacked, James and Luke battled hard to repel any danger and when the home side did get a shot in Cameron was again well placed to make a comfortable save. The turning point in the game then came, as Cameron launched another excellent clearance, the ball found its way to George whose shot was buried in the bottom corner, 1-0 to Scotton and a well worked goal by George. Scotton held their own in midfield as half time approached, whilst Lewis managed to get in a well worked shot that went just wide as the ref blew for half time. 1-0 to the ‘Fireballs’
The second half started with Oscar and Dan replacing Lewis and Luke. Ripley started brightly immediately trying to put the Scotton defence under pressure, Dan and George showing good defensive work getting the ball clear, however Cameron was soon called on to make another two good saves,
Scotton tried to release the pressure on the defence with Dan breaking quickly from the back and finding George whose shot was well saved, James then tried to extend the lead with another fine effort which went just wide. Further pressure was applied by the visitors, Sam and Dan combining well to find George whose shot was saved and scrabbled away for a corner. The coaches made another change, bringing off George and Sam for Lewis and Luke. Cameron was again called on to keep the home side at bay, pulling off another great save; further attacking play from Ripley was broken up by Oscar in midfield. Cameron then made an excellent double save to keep Scotton ahead; a corner followed which was cleared by Owen and then James. Sam and George then rejoined the action in place of Oscar and Dan.
As the game moved towards full time Ripley tried to grab an equaliser with an intense period of attacking play but Cameron and the defence withstood everything that was thrown at them, Cameron in particular making three vital saves in succession. There was just enough time for James to rampage down the right wing passed four Ripley players and find Lewis, whose shot was well hit but smacked the post and went wide. The final action saw Cameron once again save well as the referee blew for full time, 1-0 to Scotton ‘Fireballs’ and a man of the match performance from Cameron in goal.
Game 2 saw the ‘Sizzling Scorchers’ take the field with Ben in goal and an outfield comprising of Liam, Tom J, Ewan, Max, Daniel and Chris, with Jack, Elliot and Tom on the subs bench.
The ‘Sizzling Scorchers’ started the game brightly with Tom J, Max and Liam combining well create a couple of early chances for Tom and Liam whose shots went just wide. Ewan then joined in the action in midfield, finding Max with an excellent ball who in turn found Tom J on the left wing, Tom weaved passed the Ripley full back and provided an excellent pass for Daniel to shoot and score his first goal for the Scorchers, 1-0.
Scotton continued their bright start to the match, Tom J won a couple of corners in succession, whilst Liam and Tom both tried their luck with shots just inside the box. Eventually the pressure paid off, with Liam finding Tom J whose shot found the back of the net; 2-0 to the visitors. The coaches then changed things around, replacing Chris and Daniel with Tom and Jack.
At this point Scotton were taking the game to Ripley, Tom J was creating havoc down the left, supplying both Max and Liam with good shooting opportunities, Ewan and Jack showed their tenacity in defence breaking up a rare Ripley attack, which led to the third Scotton goal, Jack finding Max whose excellent pass found Tom J on the left, Tom weaved his magic going passed three defenders before cutting in from the bye line and finding the net from a tight angle. 3-0 to Scotton and another replacement with Elliot replacing Ewan.
Ripley then produced a good move going forward and a shoot which Ben could not keep out, 3-1 and the home side were back in the game. It was only a matter of minutes before Scotton restored their 3-goal advantage, Max again providing Tom J with an excellent opportunity to shot and he completed a well deserved hat-trick. HT 4-1 to Scotton.
Tom J and Liam made way for Chris and Ewan for the second half. Scotton continued as they left off, with Jack, Max and Ewan combining well in midfield, then Ewan showed us his defensive qualities with an excellent tackle to break up play; Elliot then picked up a knock and was replaced by Liam just as Ben pulled off an excellent save to keep the three goal advantage.
At the other end Chris, Liam and Max combined well and Max made no mistake scoring with an excellent shoot to make it 5-1 to the visitors. Liam then tried his luck, his shot just wide. Elliot and Tom J then rejoined the match replacing Max and Liam. Tom J got straight in to the game again firing just wide after good play by Tom, Elliott and Ewan.
As the full time whistle approached Ewan showed us his attacking flair, battling for the ball on the edge of the box and firing a shot passed the keeper to make it 6-1 at full time to the ‘Sizzling Scorchers’ and a man of the match performance from Tom J with a first half hat-trick.
The third game of the morning was a 9 versus 9 game; the ‘Fireballs’ playing the first half and the ‘Sizzling Scorchers’ playing the second.
With two extra players on the pitch and both squads having given their all in the first two games, it was not surprising that the match was a tight affair; Lewes continued his good form with some sound defending whilst Luke, replacing Cameron in goal from Game 1 provided us with the best save of the half. James, Sam and Dan were working hard in midfield to ensure Ripley had limited attacking options. Cameron carved out Scotton’s best chance of the half with an excellent shot which was parried by the goalie to George who under pressure just shot wide. HT 0-0
The ‘Sizzlers’ replaced the ‘Fireballs’ for the second half and the game kicked off with Ewan defending well and finding Tom J with an excellent pass, Tom J used his pace to create an opportunity for s shot which was well saved. Tom J then turned provider, finding Jack in the box after good play down the left wing, Jack’s shot just scrapped past the post. Ewan made an excellent run into the box which was only stopped by an outstretched leg, penalty to Scotton. Tom stepped forward to take the penalty, only to shoot wide of the left hand post, shades of John Terry (Moscow 2008); it was not long before Scotton did find the net, after good play from Max, Chris found himself one on one with the Ripley keeper and coolly fired into the net, 1-0 to the visitors. As the final whistle approached there was still time for Liam to smack the post with an excellent shot.
Full time 1-0 to Scotton and a clear sweep with three victories and two clean sheets; an excellent performance from the Year 4’s.
