22^nd April 2012

City Colts 0-5 Great Horwood

Scorers: Alex K, Joe, Alex JB, Sam, Dan

Great Horwood put in one of their best performances of the season as they decimated City Colts in a 5-0 win. With the two sides just one point apart going into the game, it was a must win for both sides and the Ravens ran out deserved winners.

Horwood wasted no time in making their intentions known as they took the lead inside the opening five minutes. Alex K was the scorer as he tapped it home from just a few yards out. The Horwood ‘skipper unfortunately injured himself in the process and as a result Joe came on to replace him. With practically his first touch, Joe smashed the ball into the roof of the net after some good hold up play from Alex JB. The game couldn’t of started any better from a Horwood point of view and the team continued to dominate the game. On the rare occasion Horwood weren’t in possession, Ben and Robin, who today formed a new centre-back partnership, dealt with everything thrown at them as they both put in fantastic performances. Josh was equally good at right back and Luke was also on good form in goal. Horwood could easily of scored more before the break but they didn’t manage to do so and therefore the score was 2-0 at the interval.

Horwood started the second half exactly as they had ended the first and they immediately began to create chances. The midfield four of Joe, Sam, Will and Tom dictated the play, while Alex JB and Dan when he came on always looked dangerous up front. The third goal came midway through the half, via a calm and composed finish from Sam. Minutes later the points were sealed for Horwood when Alex JB controlled the ball well before firing past the City Colts ‘keeper. Changes were then made with Hallam and Jack coming on and back on respectively. Hallam took up his usual position in the centre of defence and put in yet another brilliant display, while Jack continued the good work of Tom on the right hand side. If the fourth goal was the icing on the cake, the fifth was the cherry on top. Some good play resulted in the ball falling to Dan, who finished well to score his first of the season. 

It was a day that really could not have gone any better for Horwood, as they all but secured a top four finish as a result of the win. Just one league game remains on the calendar and that comes in the form of a visit from Heelands next week. It will surely be a tough test against the league leaders, but if the team perform how they did today they will have a real shot of beating them.

Everyone had a fair claim for Man of the Match, but it was awarded to Josh who played exceptionally well on the right side of the defence.

15^th April 2012

Cranfield Colts 5-0 Great Horwood

Great Horwood were at the wrong end of a 5-0 scoreline when they travelled to Cranfield on Sunday. It was a performance to forget from the Ravens, and they will be looking ahead to next week’s must-win fixture against City Colts to make amends for this defeat.

The game was very end-to-end early on. Both sides but pressure on one another but it was Cranfield who took advantage of their opportunities, when they scored two in quick succession. Horwood continued to fight and attack, with Will and Sam in the middle of the park dictating play as usual. However the Ravens could not muster up any clear-cut chances. The best opening they did have was when Will played in Joe down the right hand side. Joe cut in field, leaving his marker on the ground, and crossed it into Ben and Dan. Unfortunately however, the Cranfield ‘keeper came out and claimed it in mid-air.

With the score being just 2-0 at the break, there was a real feeling that should Horwood get the next goal they would have a chance of going on to win the game. This dream was dashed inside the opening five minutes of the second period when Cranfield made the score 3-0. Alex JB and Robin came on to replace Josh and Dan but decision making continued to be a problem with wrong choices continuing. Ben and Alex JB had chances of note, but Horwood just could not find a way through the Cranfield defence. The home side went on to score two further goals late on which resulted in a final score of 5-0 to the hosts.

Whilst it will be a bitter pill to swallow for the Ravens, two crucial games lie in wait and they have no option but to respond with a much better performance next week. With City Colts being the only side that can realistically overtake Horwood in the league table, a win is essential if the team want to secure a top four finish.

The man of the match award for the day was given to left-back Henry, who put in a solid and committed performance defensively, as well as setting up and participating in various attacks.

18th March 2012
Great Horwood 4-0 Bletchley Colts

Scorers: Tom, Alex K, Sam, Ben

Great Horwood picked up their second consecutive win with a 4-0 victory over Bletchley Colts. Whilst the scoreline doesn’t necessarily reflect how the game panned out, Horwood showed commitment and desire from the off and took their chances when they came.

On a cold and windy day, Horwood didn’t start the game how they would of liked. They were slow and lackluster early on, whilst Bletchley were the complete opposite as they started strongly. Horwood found themselves under heavy pressure, with little opportunity make an attack of their own. The back four of Dan C, Hallum, Alfie and Henry did very well to stop Bletchley really penetrating the penalty area, and when they did Robin, who had commendably volunteered to play in goal, was on hand to deal with things. Horwood did have the occasional attack of their own, most notably a chance that fell to Alex JB. After a defence-splitting pass from Alex Kelsey, the other Alex raced through on goal and was desperately unlucky to see his shot trickle wide of the post.

With the scores level at half time, a tactical change was made that went on to win Horwood the game. Bletchley were in complete control of the centre midfield in the first period, so at the break Dan was replaced by Tom to add an extra midfielder to the battle. From this point on Horwood had dictated the middle of the park and began to create chance after chance. The opening goal came from a set piece however. A stunning free kick from Tom sailed into the top right corner to give Horwood the lead. The home side continued to push forward and not long after the lead was doubled, when Alex K headed the ball home after a goalmouth scramble. The Ravens refused to take their foot off the gas at this point and continued to rub salt into the wounds. After a long wait, Sam got the goal he so desperately wanted before Ben wrapped things up late on to give a final score of four goals to nil.

Credit must be given to Bletchley Colts who dominated in parts and didn’t deserve to lose by such a heavy margin, but the day belonged to Great Horwood. A vital set of three points were added to the tally and the Ravens can now head into their final two games with a great sense of optimism. Once again there were several candidates for man of the match, but it was awarded to Robin who put in a brilliant performance between the sticks and played a vital part in the win.

26th February 2012
Southside United 4-0 Great Horwood

Great Horwood’s promotion push suffered another heavy blow with a 4-0 defeat to Southside. Despite some good individual performances, Horwood struggled to really make an impact in the game and were punished by a very good side.

After a recent poor run of form, it was absolutely vital for Horwood to get back to winning ways. However Southside are a good team, and winning was sure to be a difficult task. This task was made even harder when Horwood found themselves a goal down less than five minutes in. A miscommunication at the back lead to the ball being giving away inside the area and this proved to be fatal as the ball was inn the back of the net just seconds later. After conceding, Horwood entered their best spell of the match. Joe worked hard up and down the left wing, whilst Will and Sam dominated the midfield and Alex JB worked tirelessly up front. It was Alex JB who had Horwood’s best chance of the game right in the middle of this period. Joe played a superb cross-field ball to Robin who laid it onto Alex. Now through on goal, he chipped the ‘keeper only to see his effort roll wide of the post. Despite this good period of play, the Ravens couldn’t keep there performance levels up and conceded again right on the stroke of half-time.

2-0 was very harsh on the boys at the break. They didn’t deserve to be being beaten so convincingly, but if they could put pressure on Southside once more there was still hope that a positive result could be earned.

Things didn’t go as planned in the second half however. Ben was introduced at half time and he made an immediate impact and could of scored straight away. Jack and Alex K came on shortly after and also made their presence felt. However, a goal midway through the second half seemed to knock the stuffing out of the boys. With the score now at 3-0, Horwood were in a very difficult position. To their credit, the team continued to battle all over the park but they just couldn’t any route back into the game. A fourth goal came late on which turned out to be the final nail in the coffin. Horwood did have one moment to remember right at the death however. Tom saw an exceptional free-kick blaze off the post and it seemed to sum up Great Horwood’s day. Good, but just not quite good enough.

Various players could stake a claim for the man of the match award but it was awarded to Joe for a brave and committed performance on the left of midfield.

19th February 2012
Great Horwood 1-6 Cranfield Colts

Scorer: Ben

Great Horwood’s poor league run in 2012 continued with a 6-1 defeat at home to Cranfield. Despite taking an early lead, things went horribly wrong for the Ravens and their promotion push is now left in tatters.

Although they had won their last (friendly) game convincingly, they were without a league game for four weeks due to poor weather, and losing the two games beforehand, the Ravens were desperate to get out there and play some football. Despite not having Alex JB, Luke, Alfie and Henry, the home side were still able to name a strong line up. This was proven when Horwood took the lead in the opening exchanges. With around ten minutes played, man of the match Will played a brilliant ball through to Ben who controlled it well before firing home. At 1-0, it looked as though Horwood would go on to win the game comfortably. However, maybe some of the players thought this also as the Ravens seemed to take their foot of the gas. Whilst still dominating possession, Horwood failed to really penetrate the Cranfield penalty area. The visitors got a lucky break before long and with their first shot of the game found an equaliser. Horwood continued to push forward but just couldn’t find a breakthrough, a 30 yard shot from Daniel B being the closest as it just sailed past the top right hand corner of the goal. With seconds left before half-time Cranfield had another successful counter-attack and against the run of play took the lead. The home side very nearly equalised straight away when Alex K charged into the box. Both he and Ben had a shot but neither of them were able to find the required finish. It was a shock to all that Horwood were losing, but there was still reason to be positive going into the break. 

Jack replaced Robin at half time to freshen things up and there was still belief that the team could go onto win the game. However, things went very differently. Cranfield went on to score four goals in the second half and win the game comfortably. Nobody could fault the effort from the team, but something was missing from the performance and it was evidently a key ingredient. Horwood did create some openings in the second half with Joe scuffing a shot, Ben having an effort saved by the ‘keeper and Jack having an ambitious shot fly wide. However, things just didn’t go Horwood’s way.

It was a disappointing result but things can only go up from here. The boys travel to Southside next week in what will be another very tough game. With key personnel returning to the side, Horwood can remain upbeat and confident ahead of their trip to Milton Keynes.

There were a few contenders for man of the match today. Sam did well in the unfamiliar centre-back position, Ben worked hard up front, Joe battled well and captain Alex K drove the team on when the going got tough. However it was Alex’s centre midfield partner Will who received the award for a wholehearted display that included a wonderful assist for the goal.

15th January 2012
Heelands Rangers 4-1 Great Horwood

Scorer: Alex JB

You don’t always get what you deserve in football and Great Horwood felt the full force of that saying away at Heelands on Sunday. Despite a brilliant performance, the Ravens just didn’t get the rub of the green and as a result lost first place in the league table.

After a poor performance against Southside in the previous week, the players knew that a much better performance was required. The team gave exactly that but was unable to come away with a point to show for it. The Ravens started the game very well. Will and Sam were dominant in midfield and along with Ben and Jack on the wings they were making it very difficult for Heelands to get into the game. Ben, Josh and Alex JB all had fairly good opportunities and on another day Horwood could have gone racing ahead early on. However, Heelands came back strongly. They adopted a very physical approach which didn’t go down all that well with the Great Horwood players, but to the boys’ credit they remained professional and didn’t let this affect their performance. Not too long into the game a lapse in concentration from the away side allowed Heelands to take the lead. A failure to clear resulted in a goal being scored and Horwood ruing their missed opportunities. The lads tried to regain focus but just minutes later they found themselves 2 goals down. No one was at fault for this goal however as Heelands’ striker controlled the ball well and charged forward before dispatching it past Luke in goal. By no stretch of imagination did Horwood deserve to be losing in such a manner but that was the score going into the break.

At half time some changes were made with Josh and Jack making way for Harry and Dan B. Despite an overwhelming sense of frustration at the scoreline and the challenges being made by Heelands, their was also a sense of optimism when the players left the dressing room with a real belief that the game was not yet over.

Now playing with the sun in their eyes, Horwood started the second period well and started to create a flurry of attacks Ben came close, Joe had a long distance shot that just went wide and Dan was also unfortunate to not get on the end of Alex JB cross but still Horwood could not get that elusive goal. However, shortly after a good corner into the box fell to Alex JB who tucked it away perfectly to half the deficit. Horwood were now right back in the game but just seconds later their hopes of a comeback were dashed. Alex K attempted to make a tackle inside the box but just missed the ball meaning the ref had no option but to point to the spot. The penalty came off the underside of the bar before hitting Alfie’s back and rolling into the net. Horwood desperately tried to keep up the pressure but couldn’t break through and conceded another goal late on to leave the score at 4-1 at the final whistle.

With a two week gap before their next fixture, the Ravens will be looking forward to the visit of United MK where they can bounce back from these two defeats and make up lost ground in the title race.

8th January 2012
Great Horwood 0 Southside Utd 5

Great Horwood had a day to forget against Southside on Sunday with a heavy home defeat. With their opponents having a number of games in hand it was vital for the Ravens to win the game, but things just didn’t go their way.

With regular goalie Luke unavaible, Alfie commendably took up the gloves. Without Luke’s strong kicks Horwood failed to the get the ball into dangerous positions early on and this disappointing start set the tone for the rest of the day. The defense worked tirelessly and with the help of some great saves by Alfie they withstood the seemingly never-ending pressure from the away side for the time being. They were bound to find a way through eventually however and they did to make the score 1-0. Horwood got into the game for the following few minutes and made it tougher for Southside. Great Horwood were desperately unlucky not to score just minutes later. Alex JB had a shot rebound of the crossbar and after a tense goalmouth scramble the ball was eventually hacked away by Southside for a corner. The header from the corner went wide but this little spell gave confidence to the Ravens. Shortly after however, the visitors scored a wonderful free kick and put Horwood into a very difficult position. The confidence and momentum they had just built took a heavy blow and the goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of Horwood and the game itself.

A stern half-time team talk followed and the mood seemed to good when the teams went out for the second half. The midfield were told to help defend more, the attackers were told to be more aggressive and it seemed as though everybody had a clear idea of how to improve in the second half.

Although it may have sounded simple to say, carrying out these actions appeared to be more difficult than first thought for Horwood and the game seemed to carry on from where it left off. The home side did improve a fair amount but they still didn’t reach Southside’s level. Horwood missed a golden opportunity early on in the second half. Some neat passing from Joe and Henry on the left side allowed Will to play through Ben. He lost his footing however and so the score stayed at 2-0. It did show how easy it was to break through the Southside back line however and if a similar move had been made further on the game, it might have changed. It didn’t however and despite a great deal of effort from the boys, Southside scored a further three goals and so the score ended up at 5-0.

It marked the third time this season that the team has suffered a heavy beating in the first game after a school holiday and so the team must learn from it and make sure the same thing doesn’t happen again. The boys are on the road again next week where they face a very tough game against Heelands Rangers.

18th December 2011
Preston Gawcott Pumas 2 Great Horwood 3

Great Horwood continued their unbeaten away league form - learning the hard lessons from last weeks second half to put in a strong team performance. The first half in particular was very impressive with good shape and cover being put into practice from Thursdays training session. Well taken goals from Ben who scored all three for a great hat trick put Horwood up 3-0 .

A couple of late goals (from situations we can also work on) almost took the shine off the game - and led to a nervous last couple of minutes. However, the team deservedly held on to stay top of the division at Christmas.

11th December 2011
Halse United 10-0 Great Horwood

Great Horwood suffered their first defeat since early October against Division 1 Halse United in the third round of the cup. After a very pleasing first half performance the second half was one to forget for the Ravens but they can take a number of positives from the day.

Playing against a side two divisions above them, Horwood matched their opponents for large parts of the first half. The opening ten minutes were slightly more difficult for Horwood however. They started by playing the occasion and not the 11 players in front of them and this very nearly cost them in the opening stages. Luke made some excellent saves and Hallam and Alfie defended well to keep the scores level despite heavy pressure from the home side. After the first 10 minutes, Horwood realised that they could compete with Halse and began to really make a game of it. Sam and Alex K worked tirelessly in the centre of midfield and helped to create counter-attacks. Ben and Dan fought well up front but no chances were created. Shortly after Horwood got into the game the deadlock was broken. Halse took the lead but the Ravens didn’t let this affect their performance. They worked and worked and prevented Halse scoring any more. Dan C and Henry did very well in full back positions as they worked hard both defensively and offensively. Horwood continued to work hard for the remainder of the half and went into the break just a goal down.

At half time it was stressed to the team that if they could get the next goal they could potentially go onto win the game. Halse were a good side, but they struggled when put under pressure and everybody was positive at half time that Horwood could get back into the game. Joe, Alex JB and Josh entered the fray with Jack, Dan B and Dan C coming off.

The second half however went completely opposite to how it was planned. Halse came out of the blocks well and very quickly doubled their lead. This seemed to stun Great Horwood and they very quickly found themselves 3-0 down. The boys continued to fight and created an opening shortly after. Alex JB held the ball up well before finding Robin whose effort just went over the bar. This could so easily of have been a turning point as it proved that if Horwood kept the ball on the floor and played their good, passing game they could create chances. However, just after this the score went to 4-0 and that goal in particular really knocked the stuffing out of the Great Horwood players. The rest of the second half doesn’t need to be dwelled on too much but the score eventually ended 10-0 to the home side. To Horwood’s credit, not one player gave up and they continued to chase every ball, commit to every tackle and defend as well as they could. They nearly got the goal so desperately wanted late with Ben breaking through the defence after a good pass by Joe, but it wasn’t to be as a Halse defender tackled him. The scoreline can be forgotten but what Horwood can take from the game is the fact that for thirty-five minutes they matched a division 1 team and for the second they showed great commitment and desire. If they show that kind of commitment and desire for the rest of the season they can go a very long way.

Man of the Match was a difficult call today, as everybody who featured worked incredibly hard for the team. However, it was given to Ben who ran his socks off up front and also helped out in midfield when the team was under pressure.

4th December 2011
Preston Gawcott Tigers 0-2 Great Horwood

Scorers: Ben (2)

Great Horwood got their second 2-0 win in a row on Sunday, this time away at Preston Gawcott. It was a difficult battle for the team who were under a lot of pressure in the second half but they came through and got the win they wanted.

The opening stages of the match were very close and cagey. Every ball was fought for and this carried on until the final whistle. Alex JB and Dan worked hard up front but never really had any clear-cut chances as the home side played a very high line, which meant they were pushed outside the box for the most part. Will and Sam gave their all in midfield and did their very best to create chances for the team but those opportunities were few and far between. Ben and Joe worked hard up and down the flanks but they also struggled to get in behind the Gawcott defence. Once the opening stages had passed and the game began to get going Horwood really started to take control. The pitch was heavy so it was difficult to play their normal good passing football but they did their very best to do so. As half time approached the Ravens really began to step it up another couple of gears and got their reward just before the break. Will played the ball out to Joe on the right side and he ran down the flank before whipping in a lovely cross to the six-yard box. Alex JB just missed out but Ben was on hand to do the honours and put the Ravens a goal up. In the short time remaining Horwood continued to attack but couldn’t add to their tally before the break.

It may have looked to the neutral that Horwood would take control from this point but Preston Gawcott came out fighting and really got a grip of the game. They had wave after wave of attack but credit must be given to the Horwood backline who dealt with everything thrown at them. Harry, Robin and Josh when he came on put in great performances in the full back positions and made it almost impossible for Gawcott to create anything from out wide. In the centre were Hallam and Alfie who both put in remarkable performances. They battled well, communicated with each other as well as the whole team and frustrated everyone associated with Preston Gawcott. Luke was also brilliant in goal as he made save after save and on some occasions kept Horwood in the game. Despite all of Gawcott’s pressure they didn’t take any of their chances. After a fine save, Luke launched the ball up field to cause panic in the Gawcott defence and Ben took full advantage to race through and get his second of the match. Horwood were now on course for yet another victory, their fourth in a row in fact. Gawcott did continue to battle however but the Ravens’ defence stood firm for the clean sheet. It was a pleasing day out for Horwood who can now turn their attentions to the Cup once more with a trip to Division 1 Halse United in Round 3 next Sunday.

Today’s’ Man of the Match award could of gone to any of the Horwood defenders but it went to Hallam who played what was probably his best game in a Ravens shirt and also helped to drag up the levels of those around him.

27th November 2011
Great Horwood 2-0 Steeple Claydon

Scorers: Alex K, Ben

Great Horwood rose to 3^{rd in the table with a 2-0 home} win over Steeple Claydon on Sunday. A neat goal from Alex K and a penalty from Ben left the Ravens just 3 points off top spot and continued their recent run of good form.

Right from the start Claydon were pushed back into their own half and put under pressure. Jack and Josh fought well upfront as did the midfield but however hard they tried nothing clear-cut came about. There were a few balls over the top that could have been turned into chances but there was never a “he should have scored that” moment. The closest Horwood came was about midway through the first half when Henry, positioned on the edge of the box, ran in and produced a fine header from a corner which was just tipped over by the goalkeeper. They did break the deadlock just on the stroke of half time however. Alex K, who had been battling down the left side all game, demonstrated good control before slotting the ball in to give the home side a 1-0 lead going into the break. 

Horwood dominated the second half and had a great deal of possession. Playing into the sun, it was difficult for the team but they showed their quality with a good all round performance. Alex JB, Jack and Ben when he came on all had good chances but the lead was doubled from the penalty spot. Alex JB was played through and was one on one with the goal before being taken down by a Claydon defender. Ben was given the job of taking it. After some protests from the away side, the referee explained his decision to them in detail. The stoppage in play could of got to Ben’s head but he wasn’t fazed and he put the ball in for 2-0. Horwood battled all game long and kept Claydon from creating any danger. The performance wasn’t Horwood’s best of the season but a lot of positives can be taken from the game. At the end of the day, the team won and gained 3 more points in their hunt for promotion.

Man of the match was handed to Sam who battled hard in midfield and helped create chances for the Horwood front line.

20th November 2011
Great Horwood 4-3 Cranfield Colts

Scorers: Joe, Ben (2), Alex K

Great Horwood progressed to the next round of the Cup with a 4-3 win over Cranfield. Horwood were dominant throughout, and despite a nervy last fifteen minutes they held on for the win.

The Ravens began well and quickly found their rhythm, passing the ball well and creating chances. Both Alex’s had good opportunities but the best chance of the opening exchanges fell to Joe. When Alex JB’s run was cut short, the ball fell perfectly to Joe on the edge of the box. His shot went over the ‘keeper and bounced off the right post, before rolling along the goal line and bouncing off the other post and back into play. Horwood continued to press after this and took the lead just seconds later. Alex K battled down the left wing before a brilliant through ball from Will left Joe one on one with ‘keeper. He curled it into the bottom right corner and gave Horwood the lead. The team continued to dominate from there. Joe, Alex JB, Robin and Will all had notable chances before the break, however none of them went in, leaving the score at 1-0 going into the break. 

As expected, Cranfield started the second half strongly. However, the back four of Henry, Alfie, Hallam and Josh, along with Luke in goal dealt with everything thrown at them. Not long into the second half, Dan and Ben replaced Joe and Alex JB up front. Ben made his presence felt straight away with practically his first touch, bombing through the Cranfield defence and finishing well to double the home side’s lead. Jack then replaced Robin on the right wing and Horwood kept up the high performance level. They continued to create chances and Ben soon grabbed his second to make it 3-0 and supposedly put the game out of reach for Cranfield. Things weren’t as straightforward as expected as a tense final fifteen minutes were in store. To begin with, the referee gave a soft penalty that was dispatched by the Cranfield forward to make it 3-1. Straight from the centre, Will drove forward beating a host of opposition players before spraying the ball out wide to Alex K. Alex raced inside and played the ball around the ‘keeper before firing home from an extremely tight angle. Now at 4-1 with ten minutes to go, Horwood seemed to have things wrapped up once more, but yet again it proved to be not be so simple. A bizarre incident shortly after gave Cranfield another route back into the game. Luke went to take a drop kick but the referee judged that he handled it outside the box. A mix-up in the Horwood defence allowed a Cranfield player to place the ball down and knock it into an empty goal. Despite confusion from the home side the players just had to focus and see the game out. Another Cranfield goal just minutes later meant it was now 4-3 with just over a minute left. Despite things not going the team’s way the Ravens battled on and saw the game out well to progress to the next round of the cup.

Man of the match went to right-back Henry who was committed throughout and played a key role in keeping things tight late on.

13th November 2011
New City Saints 1-3 Great Horwood

Scorers: Alex JB (2), Ben

Great Horwood got themselves a hard-earned victory away at New City Saints on Sunday. After a below-par first half, Horwood came out fighting in the second and grabbed the points to maintain 4^th place in the league table.

The Ravens struggled to make their mark early on and with both sides playing a high line, the game became cramped in midfield and this continued for most of the half. Sam and Will in the middle of the park were fighting for the ball and playing it forward to Dan and Alex JB but nothing of any real notice took place early on. The Saints did have some chances however and when a corner was played in, miscommunication at the back allowed a Saints player to stay unmarked and the head the ball home. Horwood responded well by. A long ball played over the top to Alex JB who controlled the ball well and broke through the Saints defense before being going down just inside the box , no penalty or free kick awarded. Horwood continued to push forward and had another chance just a few minutes later. The ball was played out to Joe on the right wing and he drove infield before shooting just wide. Alex JB nearly got a foot on it but was unlucky to miss out.

Some changes were made at half time with Hallam going on in centre-half whilst makeshift defender Ben moved up front in place of Dan.

Horwood came out the blocks well in the second half, closing the ball down and they nearly equalized straight away when Joe was through on goal, but his shot was straight at the ‘keeper. They did score just seconds later however, when a good corner from Will fell straight on the head of Alex JB who powered it in. Horwood continued to bomb forward and took the lead very quickly after when a breathtaking run from Ben ended up with him being one on one with the ‘keeper and he expertly guided it into the bottom left corner. The Ravens now had their tails up and created chance after chance. Jack, Will, Sam, Henry when he came on and the forwards had notable chances but the scores remained at 2-1 for the time being. As the game wore on, Horwood slowly allowed Saints back into the game and they eventually ended up dominating the final fifteen minuets. However, they failed to create any clear-cut chances, partly down to the ever-impressive Horwood backline, and they were made to pay late on. A brilliant drop kick from Luke went over every Saints’ player but fell perfectly to Alex JB who charged forward and grabbed his second of the afternoon to kill the game off. Horwood continued battling to the final whistle and got the win they deserved.

It was a close call for man of the match today, but it was given to left-back Josh for his solid display.

23rd October 2011
United MK 1-1 Great Horwood

Scorer: Alex JB

Great Horwood played out an entertaining game for the neutral away at United MK on Sunday afternoon. It was a hard-fought battle that was contested from the first whistle to the last but neither side could grab a winner.

After a cagey opening five minuets where the ball spent most of its time in mid air the Ravens began to take control. An injury to Jack early on meant Joe was introduced and he alongside Will and Ben in midfield began to spray the ball around and create chances. They finally got their breakthrough around fifteen minutes in when Joe played a defense-splitting pass through to Alex JB who latched onto it and after taking a few touches, guided the ball past the ‘keeper. Horwood continued to push forward and but for a lack of communication between the midfield and the front line they could of stormed ahead. Combine this with the all too consistent event of the ref overruling the linesman’s decisions it could have been all so different.

However Horwood couldn’t keep the level of pressure up and eventually allowed United MK back into it. The defense held on at first but eventually a cross in from the right went straight through the Horwood backline and despite Luke in goal calling for it, a bobble was his undoing as a United player poked home from inside the six-yard box. There very few chances from either side from this point to half time.

The second half was frustrating for both sides they just couldn’t break each other down. Alfie and Harry were phenomenal in defense and dealt with everything the home side threw at them. And on the rare occasion they were beaten, Luke was on hand in goal to deal with things. The midfield four of Joe, Will, Ben and Henry, who was eventually replaced by Jack, fought incredibly hard and worked as a unit up and down the pitch. Alex JB and Dan up front tried but found it difficult to get past the giant of a centre-back that the home side had. Horwood hit a really good spell with around twenty minuets to go where they dominated possession and bombed forward but couldn’t find a goal. Eventually their stamina got the better of them and United pushed forward. A powerful shot from the mentioned centre-back had everyone in blue and black stripes with their heart in their mouths but a stunning save from Luke kept the scores level. A draw was probably a fair result in the end but on another day the Ravens could have won comfortably.

Everybody had a good game today but man of the match went to Joe.

16^th October

Great Horwood 3 Preston Gawcott Tigers 0

Horwood played very well today – especially across the back and in goal and deservedly took the lead when Alex K passed the ball into the net to go in at the break 1-0 up. Captain Alex K had his usual high standard game with vice-captain Alfie marshalling the troops at the back to earn a deserved man of the match award.
The second half was a bit more dominant for the home side with Robin and Jack adding to the score line, at the end it was the third clean sheet of the season that saw the three points come our way.
 

9^th October

Steeple Claydon 4 Great Horwood 5

An entertaining game for the neutral. Horwood were always ahead but couldn’t finish off Claydon who kept coming back. With almost the last action of the game Horwood scored the winner which looked like it would never come after a number of chances were saved or just missed the target. 

2^nd October

Great Horwood 1 Preston Gawcott Pumas 4

Consistency deserted us today with a slow start contributing to a poor result. We never really got started and suffered accordingly. Changes are needed to ensure the team start brightly which will hopefully have an impact in next weeks game.

25th September

Bletchley Colts 0 Great Horwood 4

Strongest performance so far for the Ravens with a controlled aggressive display the whole squad played very well and deserved the three points. Goals from Josh and Robin with a couple from Alex JB were enough but could have been a lot more if we had our shooting boots on.

18th September

Great Horwood 4 New City Saints 0

The Ravens got their season up and running with a very positive performance. The back four were immense with Hallum putting in a Player of the week performance alongside vice captain Alfie , Josh and Daniel C. Henry came on later to continue the high standard.

Ben scored his debut goal for the club with persistence paying off as he won the ball three times in the box before hitting home. Alex JB opened his account for the year and Joe capped a strong performance with a well taken goal. An own goal forced by good play completed the scoring.

Overall a very pleasing performance and much to build on for the season.

11th September

Great Horwood 1 City Colts 6

A strangely lacklustre game for the Ravens - maybe due to the Fun Day atmosphere - saw several mistakes, a penalty and missed chances all add up to a heavy loss. We need to push on from here and look at our pre-match preparation for future games - which hopefully won’t have the distractions on offer today.