A rare outing to Percy Fields for the Under 9 Boy’s saw them host Burton Leonard for the latest round of fixtures on an overcast but thankfully mild morning. The coaches decided to ring the changes from the reverse fixture a few weeks earlier; the first game kicked off with Ethan in goal and an outfield of James H and Lewis at the back; James C and Tom in midfield and a front two of Jack (AKA Neil Mellor!) and Cameron (AKA Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz).
Both teams looked up for the game and the early exchanges were in midfield with the players sizing each other up. It was not long however before Scotton created the first chance, Tom getting down the right wing and finding Cameron with a pinpoint pass, Cameron used his strength to fend off the defender and found Jack whose shot was buried in the back of the net, 1-0 Scotton and a well worked goal.
Burton looked to create their own opportunity straight away, but Lewis was equal to the forward clearing away the danger. Further good defensive play saw James H and then Cameron clearing the Scotton lines. Burton then won a corner on the left, it was fired in at the near post but Tom got his head to it and James H and then Cameron cleared the ball up field.
Tom then tested the Burton goalie with a shot which was well saved, whilst Lewis was a rock in defence denying Burton an opportunity to equalise. Cameron then attacked the Burton defence with an excellent cross / shot which found Jack in an excellent position, his shot was well saved by the keeper. With half time approaching Jack had another shot which just missed the right hand post, the ref then checked his extremely accurate timepiece and blew for half time with the score 1-0 to Scotton.
A change by the coaches in the break, Ethan moved into midfield and James C went in goal. Scotton went straight on the offensive, Tom finding Cameron before the attack was snuffed out. Scotton then won a corner down the right and Tom whipped it in only for Burton to clear their lines; Cameron was flying down the left pushing the Burton defence back and when not in possession defending from the front in order to keep the pressure on. Tom then tried his luck with a half volley which was blocked but found Jack in space in the box, the ball just squeezing past the post. Burton still posed a threat up front but James H was equal to the challenge, defending his lines well and breaking into midfield where he found Cameron with a lovely pass, Cameron then played in Tom who was dispossessed but ran half the length of the pitch to tackle the Burton player and protect the slim Scotton lead.
Tom then picked up the ball down the left, leaving two defenders in his wake and winning a throw in; the ball found Ethan whose stinging shot was well saved but Cameron was in the right place to bury the rebound, 2-0 to Scotton – get in there!.
Burton were not beaten however and after some good defensive work from James H and then Tom in midfield they broke down the right and pulled a goal back to make it 2-1. Burton had the initiative at this stage but Lewis and then Cameron with his head cleared the Scotton lines; more pressure came Scotton’s way, Tom using his head to clear the ball and then the follow up shot went wide. But Burton soon equalised, picking up the clearance they fired the ball in to make it 2-2, game on.
Scotton tried to take the game to Burton as full time approached, a shot from the right by Tom was saved and Cameron followed up with an overhead kick which went just wide. Tom then unleashed a thunderbolt from the right hand side of the box which the keeper parried away. And with one last chance, Burton conceded a free kick on the edge of the box; Tom lined up the shot and with the whole Burton team on the goal line he fired towards goal, the ball just rising over the bar. That was the last action with the referee blowing for full time, an entertaining game with some outstanding skills on show and a man of the match performance by Ethan.
Game 2 saw Lewis F go between the sticks, James E and Josh lined up in defence, Elliot and Owen in midfield and Charlie and Tom S up front.
Scotton got the game underway and Charlie made an early chance for himself and causing havoc in the Burton defence. Burton were not going to sit back and defend and James was at his best to clear the danger at the edge of the box. Charlie was on fire up front, breaking again from midfield, the visitors defence had no answer, Charlie then got in a shot which went just wide.
At the back James and then Elliot cleared the danger as the game went from one end to the other. More Burton pressure followed but Tom and Charlie were on hand to clear the Scotton lines and when called upon Lewis got down well to make a save.
Charlie continued to leave the defenders in his shadows as he broke forward every time he picked up the ball, carrying the ball from midfield he skipped past two defenders and fired in a shot to make it 1-0 to Scotton; Josh and Elliot then set him away after some good defending, with Charlie flying down the left his shot was well saved by the goalie.
Burton then applied further pressure but last ditch defending from Josh and then Tom who took one in the stomach for the Scotton cause kept Scotton in front. As half time approached Burton had a corner which was well saved by Lewis; 1-0 to Scotton at half time.
The coaches changed things at half time, Elliot going in goal and Lewis moving into midfield. Elliot was called into action straight away saving from a shot in the box. Another chance followed for Burton which went just wide. Charlie then blocked a Burton effort as Scotton were put under pressure at the back; Elliot kept Scotton in front with an excellent save. It was all hands to the deck at the back as wave after wave of Burton attacks were repelled by some stout defending from James, Owen and Josh. Scotton managed to relieve the pressure with an attack of their own, Owen finding Charlie whose shot went just wide.
Burton though were soon back on the attack but James was having a blinder at the back, sweeping up the ball and when Burton did get a shot in Elliot was equal to it with an excellent save. Lewis caught one in the mouth for his trouble as he cleared for a corner, the danger cleared again by James for another corner. The ball was floated in by Burton who steered the ball in the net to make it 1-1. Straight from kick off the Scotton defence was on the back foot, and a quick break led to Burton’s second goal, 2-1 to Burton with time running out.
Despite this set back the lads kept their heads up, Josh and James continued to work hard at the back; Elliot was called on again to make a good save and James cleared the danger but with seconds left Burton got a third to wrap up the game and make it 3-1 to the visitors. Despite the score the lads worked really hard for each other and James was given the man of the match award for a sterling effort at the back.
