SUNDAY 5th NOVEMBER 2006
THE CENTRAL LANCASHIRE JUNIOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Under 13’s B DIVISION
MYERSCOUGH JUNIORS VERSUS GREGSON LANE JUNIORS
With Newcastle United struggling so badly in the Premier League,this was my big chance.
One good win against our League’s top team Myerscough Juniors, would surely attract the attention of the Magpies board of directors. They could not fail to be impressed by how in my role as assistant to Sven Goran Hodkinson we had turned our bunch of spotty, noisy, horrible, play station playing lay-abouts into a well drilled, smart, and fit, winning football team.
One look at how our revolutionary defensive strategy of shouting “ LAURENCE JUST KICK IT” or “ JAMES NOT THERE” or the mystical “ JOSH, FIVE YARDS, FIVE YARDS”, would surely convince even Mr Shepherd that I could even turn Titus Bramble into a footballer worthy of wearing the black and white. So to fulfill my dream of becoming the next Newcastle manager, all I felt I needed was a convincing win against Myerscough on my C.V. and the job was as good as mine. I had even started planning what I was going to say to Gary Lineker, when he interviewed me on Match of the Day after my first game in charge, when we had demolished Arsenal (away). All I needed was the boys to do the business and it was bye-bye Lostock Hall, hello Aston Villa. All I needed was The Lane to win…...Ah well, there goes another dream.
On a cold, windy Sunday morning, the side assembled for a tricky away game at runaway League Leaders Myerscough Juniors. Absent were Ben Riley, Dale Handley and an injured Jacob Walsh. Despite being about to face the leagues top team, Jason Dashti initially raised hopes by spotting that Myerscough appeared to have a girl in goal. However those hopes were dashed when it became apparent that she was only part of the warm up and took no part in the game.
As it turned out Myerscough could have had an arthritic eighty year old grandmother in goal and it would not have altered the outcome. The first twenty minutes were tight, very tight with little goal mouth action. Josh Hodkinson was called upon on six or seven occasions, to sprint from his line to clear dangerous through balls. In defence the new partnership of James Richardson and Ryan Jenkinson was gradually coming to terms with a lively home attack. They were aided by a very solid and determined Laurence Kellett, who is now back to his best and Jason Dashti who was giving his all in an unfamiliar right full back position. In front of the defence it was the two Toms, whose role in those early exchanges was more defensive, as the home team pressed forward. Parents of the home side were impressed by the effort that Gregson Lane were putting into the game, at that time and were happy to admit that this was the best game of the season so far.
The first goal was going to be crucial to the outcome and sadly it was Myerscough who grabbed it. A strong gust of wind appeared to hold the ball up in the away sides box, confusing the defence and allowing their attacker to steer the ball past Josh.
SHIRT SPONSOR………. MR CHIPS
Gregson Lane’s response was magnificent, as they rolled up their collective sleeves and tore into the home defence. Tom Emery led the charge with a long run to the edge of the box that had the Myerscough defence panicking. Then Ashley Richardson put over a brilliant corner that evaded the entire defence, but no attacker in black and white could turn it home.
On twenty-seven minutes, a long Ashley Richardson dribble almost unlocked the defence. Then after Jason Dashti had been fouled, Ashley’s free-kick beat the keeper but just cleared the bar.
Aaron Catterall was also in the thick of the action and when he set up Tom Emery, his one-two with Tom Walker ended in a shot just flying over the bar. John Whittle replaced Aaron and this allowed Jason Dashti to return to his usual wing position, where he soon combined well with Tom Walker before shooting just past the post.
On the other wing Jack James was increasingly more effective in supporting the attack, along with Lewis Nelson who was buzzing all over the field like some demented wasp, winning many tackles and forcing opponents into errors. An equaliser now would have been fully deserved, as Jack, Jason and Ashley ran time and time again at the defence. Even when a move broke down the hard working Tom Walker was always there to pick up the pieces and keep the pressure on. So it was totally against the run or play when Myerscough got a second goal in the last minute of the half. The Gregson Lane rearguard failed to defend a free kick properly, allowing the forward a free strike at goal which despite Josh Hodkinson effort flew into the top corner off his right hand.
Half-Time 2-0
LEFT: JASON DASHTI PLAYED IN AN UNFAMILIAR LEFT BACK POSITION.
Sadly the Gregson Lane Juniors resistance ended there. Myerscough came out in the second half boosted by the second goal, a goal The Lane did not deserve to concede on the balance of play. However Myerscough accepted the gift, sensed the away side were there for the taking and ran in another four goals. Meanwhile at the other end, Gregson Lane could not muster a sustained response that would have got them back in the game.
Tom Walker became stronger as the game went on and he never stopped trying, while Josh Hodkinson made many good saves to keep the score down. Those two and the rest of the side should take heart that the League leaders were given a firm test by the Lane for half the game. In fact for most of the first half Gregson Lane Juniors were the better team and an equaliser that was fully deserved by those in black and white could have been the catalyst for a famous away victory. It was not to be. A harsh lesson was learned about giving away easy goals to good teams. On Sunday the match against Fulwood Juniors provides a great opportunity to put things right, which I am sure we will.
Heads up lads lets win well on Sunday!
Gregson Lane Juniors line-up versus Myerscough Juniors.
1. Joshua Hodkinson, 2. James Richardson, 3. Laurence Kellett, 4. Ryan Jenkinson, captain, 5. Jason Dashti, 6. Thomas Emery, 7. Thomas Walker, 8. Lewis Nelson, 9. Ashley Richardson, 10.Aaron Catterall, 11. Jack James.
Substitute. 12. John Whittle.
Manager’s Man of the match award. Thomas Walker.
Parent’s Man of the match award. Jason Dashti.