You only sing when you’re Winning!
Accusations of ‘You only sing when you’re winning” rang from the rooftops as Mr. Burke opened up his laptop, turned it on and decided to put fingers to the keyboard to report on Great Horwood Ravens U11s as they notch up their first win of the season on a glorious Spring Saturday Morning.
Were the omens good?
Training on Thursday went well. Everyone really picking up on the advice and tips the guys were offering. Keeping their heads up, looking for space, keeping good positions, playing the EASY ball.
Attitude was fantastic as they begin to understand the word, “communication” and realise the things stuck to the side of their head are for listening with not simply to ensure glasses/sunglasses stay on!
So we went into Saturday with a full squad, (Which is minimum numbers for us!!)….. or so I thought!
Friday arrived, I’m thinking about the game, in my strategy workshop down in London, sounds posh but it’s really a coffee morning!!, when a text comes through.
“Sorry…. Will not be able to play Saturday, a little under the weather”. My heart sank. My good karma was beginning to wear off. Was it going to be another game where our opposing team have 15 players and we have only 8?
My coffee didn’t taste the same after that!!
However, I knew we could still give a great performance and give Preston Gawcott a run for their money. Our boys know what it’s like to be under pressure and they have shown great determination in the past.
I was still quietly confident and later in the day when I received a second text informing me that health had improved and we would have a full squad after all. YEEEEHHAAAAA. Spirits soared.
Mr Del Monte was contacted immediately and put on orange segment alert. Ralph ensured that water bottles were clean and at the ready, balls pumped and ready to go.
On my way home from work Friday eve I called into the local newsagents and was inspired to purchase some of the famous ‘Work. Rest and Play’ confectionary. Something in my mind told me the boys were going to play their socks off tomorrow and a reward was due.
So the scene was set…. I had the mars, the refreshments were sorted and we had a full squad…….. Well not quite set. Pitch to mark, flags to put out and nets to put up, not forgetting tea and coffee duties to arrange!! (I bet Sir Alex doesn’t have these pressures!!).
So crack of dawn Saturday came and up I trot with a not so bouncy spring in my step!! Washed and dressed, on went my phone…
Beep, Beep, Beep as messages came through. First was the news that George was afflicted by the dreaded Great Horwood plague (which ran through the Year 5 kids earlier in the week).
Darn it, 1 down and plans had to be re thought (More of that later).
A second message came through….. “Sorry James can’t ref the game, he too had succumbed to the dreaded Gt Horwood lurgy”.
All of a sudden, the sun wasn’t that bright anymore; the air not so crisp and I had myself a ‘ mini moment’.
Were we to struggle? Were the boys going to be run ragged once again? Once again the fickle hand of fate was looming.
But there were still things to be done and once all set up I surveyed the pitch and thought, “who cares, the boys have given us 100% this season and I still had a niggling feeling that we could do well”.
I clung on to that as the boys began to arrive. (bet you’re sorry I’ve taken up match reporting again!! We haven’t even kicked off yet!).
Warm up was great.. The boys organised themselves and set about getting those limbs supple and relaxed for the game ahead.
Now… Referee? What was I to do? I didn’t want to do it because I was ready to be chief shouter, sorry motivator!! Johhny’s younger brother Kevin couldn’t do it as he was too busy looking far too dapper!! In Bahrain. So up popped Neil, our new recruit into the Gt Horwood U11s academy programme (That’s for coaches of course as we can now almost offer 1-2-1 coaching such is the strength and depth of our coaching team!!).
I managed to find a whistle in the drawer in the pavilion (although it had no pea!!!) so was a little whimpish in its attempt to attract the attention of all on the field.
So, a quick reorganisation and Frazer valiantly returned to between the sticks. Piers and Harry were joined by our new recruit Jack, (Son of Neil), who was bound to give us strength in that central position. Ollie and Gareth were in their usual wing positions, but we switched them around, mainly so we could gain the skills of Ollie with both his feet on the left and utilise Gareth’s pace and tenacity running down the right hand side and then being able to cut in on his preferred foot.
With Jacob linking with Johnny in the middle and Wonderboots Knibbs up front we had the making of a good looking team.
Remember the lessons of Thursday’s training, “space, look up, encourage each other, positioning, easy ball, control with your first touch…..”
They knew what had to be done and it was now up to them to show it on the field.
Ref, with whistle to lips let out the saddest Pheeeep ever.
We were off, (I will now refer to my notes so contemporaneously made on my iphone) – see I knew there was going to be something to write about today!!
And what a great start we had. Pressure from the Blue and Black of Inter Milan, sorry Gt. Horwood meant that something had to give in the Gawcott defence. Wave after wave of Horwood attack resulted in a mistake from one of their defenders. A corner was awarded. Up stepped our resident corner kicker Ollie and let off a beautifully weighted ball right into the heart of their goalmouth. A foot out in a desperate attempt to clear and the realisation that he was facing the wrong way…. 1-0 to Great Horwood. We were off the mark and with only 10 minutes played, were looking like a team that was determined to succeed.
The passing was exquisite; the defence was magnificent, Piers and Harry in great form streaking up and down the pitch. New recruit Jack was having a fantastic time, strong, decisive and playing good, long easy balls all morning and it was with his right foot that he crossed a fantastic ball straight onto the oncoming traffic know as Liam-‘Ronaldo, Rooney’-Knibbs. Had he listened to his mentors, “first touch – control, second touch – WHAM”.
He didn’t disappoint. 1 - little touch forward, balancing himself and setting himself up to face the Gawcott goal and 2 - let it go…….. 2-0.
Oh this beautiful game.
Another feeble pheeep and we were away again. Total domination, wonderful intricate triangles from Harry, Johnny and Ollie, and Piers, Jacob and Johnny just continued the pressure. Johnny delicately chips just over the bar, Harry lets one go, just wide. The boys are running and running, passing, shooting full of confidence, but will we run out of steam?
After their eleventh substitution one could see the need for a larger squad. We were beginning to fade a little. Their attack got a second wind and put Frazer ‘the cat’, under pressure but he was more than a match for their strikers as he stood up to the pressure well.
But it was only a matter of time. Was it weariness or was it just a momentary lapse of concentration? (or 10 moments). But a goal was coming. We could feel it on the side lines and I think the boys could feel it also. 2-1 it was as Preston make a strong attack and are rewarded with a goal.
By this time, the Gawcott manager was fed up with Neil’s pealess whistle and lent him his own, a bright shiny one, not as shiny as Kevin’s but shiny nonetheless!!
The pressure from Gawcott continued relentlessly. They had a sniff of getting back into this match and as their pace picked up we wilted. But then, in great Manchester United style, and all part of our ‘on guard’ training, Piers picked the ball up from our box, drove up the pitch and released to Ollie. On the counter attack Ollie carried the ball well and slotted through to Harry. Harry, soft deft with his touch, did a ‘Johnny’ and jinked his way through 3 players, was it one too many as the 4th approached? No way, a slight to the right and he moved to the left, onto his favoured foot he placed the ball exactly where he and the rest of the team, and the spectators, (well us), wanted it. Right in the back of their goal. 3-1 and a cushion was forming, albeit only slightly.
But they weren’t giving up just yet. 5 more substitutions and the red cheeks of the Horwood boys al aglow meant they knew they were in for a tough run in.. (but it’s not even half time. I warmed up Mr Del Monte to ensure refreshments and oranges were at the ready.
Another counter attack from the Ravens only missing by inches, or should I say centimetres could have made it 4-1 going into half time. As it was they pushed and were rewarded with a great goal, well executed.
A clearance off our line by Harry meant that half – time couldn’t come soon enough and the joyous shrill pheeep of Neil’s shiny new whistle was just what we needed to catch our breath, issue some instructions and give the boys a real chance to fill their lungs.
Note – we need to buy Neil a new watch, one that works on earth and not Mars where a day has 8 time zones, Neil choosing the longest!! I’m not an Alex Ferguson type but those last 5 minutes felt like 20… (more of that later).
So half-time it was. A few tired legs but still the grit and determination to get a result in this game, after all – I’d bought the mars bars!!
So with wind in our sails we, once again set off to seek victory for the first time this season.
But as with the closing minutes, we started sluggishly, once again putting ourselves under unnecessary pressure. They were winning all the 50/50 balls and seem to have the desire to turn their deficit around. We switched off. But it was only for a short period and fortunately we were not overly punished. Where I stood I was hoping we were not going to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The boys had worked too hard for that outcome. Encouraging from the sidelines we continues to direct and motivate. Every chance of a dead ball was a chance to encourage the boys to fill their lungs with air. ‘DEEP BREATHS’ was the sideline mantra. Slow the pace, pass, EASY BALL.
And it was a wonderful easy transition that gave us our 4th goal. Again a Piers, Ollie, Johnny collaboration moving silkily up the pitch and Johnny with a sublime shot. 4-2 and a win was definitely now on the cards.
Gareth had a cracker with his rangy runs now delivering some great balls at the end, Jacob was magnificent, sticking his foot in probably at least 5 or 6 very critical moments to save us.
But it wasn’t over yet, that wonder team of Piers, Ollie and Johnny were at it again. Slicing through like a hot knife through butter Johnny makes it 5-2 and 2 for him. Could he get his hat-trick?
Well simply the answer to that was no it wasn’t to be but he had already played a crucial part in this team performance. Again we faded towards the end as our boys ran their hearts out, and their lungs and legs!!!
A late rally from Gawcott gave them the consellation goal they deserved but victory was ours…. Well not quite as our martian referee looked at his watch one more time to announce the longest 2 minutes in history!!!
The whistle blew…. At last a victory for Ravens was secured.
So Man of the Match?
A difficult one – Ralph and Dom were non committal. Everyone had played a magnificent part in a magnificent victory.
Frazer, strong, forever coming out to defend his territory and superb kicks from his hands. Piers once again back in scintillating form streaking up and down the pitch like a young gazelle, his vision, speed and accuracy of passing allied to his strong tackling made for a great day out for him. Harry too, swift, and exciting to watch as he showed some serious footballing skills in the box. Jack, a truly sensational find this season stood strong and proud in the centre of defence. Great link play as he guided the ball not just out of danger for us but most importantly into danger for our opposing team and he swiftly dealt easy balls up the pitch. Gareth on the right and Ollie on the left. Gareth, slow to start but once warmed up and in the zone…. WOW. Like a wind up racing car there was no stopping him. He was on fire and what was brilliant was there was also substance at the end of his run as he looked up and played the easy ball. Ollie, well for me there was not one more deserving of a goal today. He ran, he passed, he crossed and his shots were sublime… Next week Ollie, I feel it in the air!!
Then Johnny, again a little slow to start those long legs of his, but once they were loose….. PHEW! Magnifico. He turned everyone he came across, inside out. They didn’t know whether they were coming or going. In fact he was so good at times I’m not sure whether he knew which way he was facing at times! The great thing was that he had his shooting boots on again. It didn’t matter where it was - inside the box, outside the box. Johnny just kept them coming. And Liam, again he continued to show his presence up front causing problems with his strength. What was superb today was his accuracy, his composure and his real desire to put that ball in the back of the net and he rewarded us all with a great goal, almost 2 as he went in quick in the dying seconds only to be thwarted by a brave save from heir goalkeeper. Then there was Jacob. I’ve left Jacob till last because as a manager I sometimes have to make decisions!! And although player of the week could have gone to everyone and indeed the mars award recognised the fabulous performance of every individual, Jacob stood out ever so slightly. His positioning, his running, his vision, his passing, his tackling… Need I go on. He was the consummate team player today…
So the trophy went to Jacob… WELL DONE to you… WELL DONE TO EVERYONE.
I’m off to have a fantastic weekend. So proud of you all. Hope the same goes to you everyone .
Well the weekend will be over by the time to have read through this. Perhaps 30 minute instalments over the course of the week will be better advised.
And remember – I only sing when we’re winning!! So if you want more……
Match Report – P. Burke.
