2020/21 Season
This season I am playing for Galleywood Youth FC U12 Kestrels in the Blackwater & Dengie League Division 1 (the top division)
Read my Match Reports below and scroll to the bottom to see our League Table.
LEAGUE - HOME v Galleywood Eagles
Sun 1st Nov 2020, KO 10am
WON 4-1 | INJURED - DIDN'T PLAY
Another Club derby against the Eagles didn't disappoint. We started really strong this time and played some lovely football, scoring 2 goals within the first 15 minutes. But then we let our foot off the gas and went into half time 2-0 up. The Eagles came out the blocks fired up in the 2nd half and their keeper made some good saves and blocks to keep them in the game. They scored to make it 2-1 which fired us up to get 2 more goals, one from ma-boi Luka with his 2nd right foot goal of the season. A great performance and result.
LEAGUE - AWAY v Galleywood Eagles
Sun 18th Oct 2020, KO 1pm
WON 5-1 | INJURED - DIDN'T PLAY
Today's match was a club derby - Eagles vs Kestrels! We both play in the top division so it was going to be a tough match. Eagles went ahead early on with a goal from a through-ball. It was a tough half but we equalised just before half-time. In the 2nd half we pushed on and dominated, scoring 4 more goals to make the final score 5-1, giving us 3 points and we move up to 5th in the league.
DIV 1 CUP R1Â -Â HOME v Great Notley Lions
Sun 11th Oct 2020, KO 1pm
WON 4-3 | INJURED - DIDN'T PLAY
Sadly, another match missed, but more important to get back to full fitness so I don't risk injuring my foot again. Val went in goal and we gave him a pair of brand new One Glove Blade roll cut gloves to wear, which he loved in place if his Nikes. We went 1-0 down early on to a free kick goal, but by half time we were 4-1 up, being very much the dominant side. But in the 2nd Hal few slackened off and let them get back into the match with a penalty goal and another free kick goal. We didn't take advantage of our chances and so the match finished 4-3 to us and through to the next round. Val got an assist after kicking the ball upfield after making a save, so well done to Val.
LEAGUE CUP R1Â -Â HOMEÂ v Torquespeed Pumas
Sun 27th Sept 2020, KO 10am
WON 9-1 | INJURED - DIDN'T PLAY
I am currently injured so sadly I wasn't able to play in our League Cup 1st round match. Our previous GK (who had left to play rugby instead) is kindly playing in my absence. Torquespeed Pumas are 2 divisions below us and played a very compact formation which made it hard for us to play through. It took us about 20 minutes to break them down and at half time we were 2-0 up. In the 2nd half we played a wider game and stretched them open, with my good friend Luka scoring not just his first, but 2 goals for the team. At 9-0 we were pushing onwards for 10 and they scored a consolation goal to make the final score 9-1. Onto the next round...
LEAGUE - AWAY v Sporting 77 Youth Cobras
Sun 20th Sept 2020, KO 2pm
LOST 5-3 | MY PERFORMANCE: 3/10
I probably shouldn't have played in this match... I'd had pain in my left foot since last weekend and had done R.I.C.E. on it all week. I didn't do PE or Games at school, no goalkeeping sessions and no team training. I turned up but struggled to move in the warm-up without pain. I played the match but couldn't run out for through-balls, couldn't move around the goal freely and certainly couldn't dive off my left foot. I even struggled to walk to get the ball when it went off for a goal kick! The score was 1-1 at half time as my team thankfully kept the ball away from our goal most of the time, except 1 chance which they scored from. In the second half 1 of my defenders got injured and with my injury too, we were unable to hold back any attacks they had. We scored 2 more but they scored 4 !
LEAGUE - HOME v Braintree Youth Irons
Sun 13th Sept 2020, KO 10am
DREW 2-2 | MY PERFORMANCE: 8/10
Our 1st league match of the season was much anticipated and turned out to be a great game. It was a warm, sunny day and the pitch markings were looking sharp! We went ahead in the 1st half and I made a couple of diving saves to keep us leading 1-0 at half time. They had some chances and we knew they would come out trying even harder in the 2nd half. They did equalise early on with a speculative looping kick which went in over me, just below the bar. With about 10 minutes left they scored from 6 yards out which we failed to clear. It turned into a rough game with tough tackles from both teams. Their linesman flagged for a dubious offside with our striker through 1 on 1, but video shows afterwards, he wasn't actually offside. Then with 5 minutes to go I made an important foot-save and 1 minute later we scored our equalising goal. You only know when it's a 'big save' at the end of the match! The match finished a fair 2-2 draw.