Players are Stephen. Tom, Lewis, Jack. Oliver, Ben and Louis.
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Under 8 players pictured at last season's Aylesbury tournment. Players are Stephen. Tom, Lewis, Jack. Oliver, Ben and Louis. |
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| The under 8's are a 7 a side team. They play regular
weekly matches, usually on Sunday mornings, organised
by West Herts. Small-Sided Bixture Bureau.
The team is managed by Graeme Berry
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Little Gaddesden Rangers Under 8's Football Team
Date :Sunday 15th October
Time :14:30
Location :Longdean School playing fields
Played :Bedmond Echoes Under 8's
Score :Little Gaddesden Rangers(LGR) 1 Bedmond Echoes(BE) 1
Background
Last time the boys played against this team was when they were the LGR under 7's team, and we lost 12 - 0!! at home.
So it was with some trepidation that we assembled at Longdean School. Conditions were good, ground firm to soft, light bright, although 100% cloud cover but the low October sun was trying to get through, and played its part in the match, details below. The pitch has a heavy slope from goal to goal, we elected to take the first half disadvantage of playing up the field and facing the sun. On the basis that in the second half, when the boys were tiered we would be playing down hill and the sun would be lower and cause their goalie more problems.
Match Report
We played 8 aside and 20 minutes each way and LGR adopted a 2-3-2 formation, Oliver Battram in goal, Robert Fenemore & Lewis Walker in defense, Sam Hawkridge, Tom Cullimore & Harry Darby mid field, we used our sub Ben Hackett as a rolling sub to give the mid field a rest as the plan was to 'run' the mid field up and down the park to feed the ball up to the strikers, Stephen Berry and David Hill.
The teams were well balanced and it was 10 minutes into the first half when Bedmond Echoes scored. Both teams mid fields were strong, and our defense was good during the whole match, but they caught us out of position and bunched up in one area and they struck home a good goal. The boys re grouped for the kick off and it looked like they were going to score the equaliser at any time.
Half time and we are 1-0 down, but the boys are OK about it and we inform them of the advantage they will have in the second half with the slope and the sun in their favor. So it was, pretty much the same hold up in the mid field, try as they might they could not get the service up to our strikers and there were a few moments when our clearance was not as good as it should have been and Bedmond Echoes looked like scoring again.
But with some inspired goal keeping from Oliver Battram, some tough and resilient defending by Robert and Lewis we held of their attacks. Sam and Harry who were making there début for the rangers, were fantastic in their tackling and running with the ball. All the boys had an outstanding game, Ben Hackett was launching himself at the attacking players and around half way through the second half, Robert Fenemore having obtained the ball from a tackle, ran down the left wing, gave the ball a mighty kick, it was heading in the general direction of David Hill who was too far away to make any change to its direction, behind David is Stephen Berry the ball traveling directly for Stephen who is positioned about central to the Bedmond goal, Stephen left the ball to carry on its way as it was traveling at such a rate, and whack, into the goal, hitting the side netting 1-1.
A great equaliser.
And that was the final score.
The game was well refereed and a good match all round, I think the score was a good reflection on the game as both teams deserved to score a goal but neither of them deserved to lose.
A good start to our new season.
Thanks to everybody involved.
Graeme Berry
Date :Sunday 29th October
Little Gaddesden Rangers Under 8's Football Team
Date :Sunday 5th November
Background
Match Report
Little Gaddesden Rangers Under 8's Football Team
Date :Sunday 5th November
Weather: a grey overcast day with rainclouds, and a cold biting south-east wind; rain forecast on the way. But all the boys were very active on the pitch and accordingly kept warm, and in tremendous spirits throughout the match.
Return to fixtures and results table.
Little Gaddesden Rangers Under 8's Football Team
Time :10:00
Location :Watford Fields, Watford
Played :Riverside AFC Under 8's
Score :Little Gaddesden Rangers(LGR) 2 Riverside AFC(RS) 0
Background
Last time the boys played against this team was when they were the LGR under
7's team, and we lost 7 - 0!! (we think).
After a hastily re arranged game, due to the fact that gypsies had invaded
the Riverside pitch, and after a Saturday where it did not stop raining, and
so no training. I was a little unsure how we would perform on the day.
What a turn out, Thanks boys (and especially you parents, still you got that
extra hour in bed!). Philip commented (amongst others) on what a difference
from a year ago. Not just because of the score line, but Phil was commenting
on the turn out! Last year we struggled to get a team together and in this
game we had 3 subs.
It was a cold day and those who were not playing were getting cold. I feel
we will need to look at this problem for future games.
Conditions were good, ground soft, weather light & bright, although 100%
cloud
cover, windy and cold
Match Report
We played 7 aside and 20 minutes each way and LGR adopted a 2-2-2 formation,
first half Ben Hackett in goal, Robert Fenemore & Lewis Walker in defense,
Sam Hawkridge, Tom Cullimore mid field, Stephen Berry and David Hill up
front as strikers.
Philip Cullimore agreeing to referee the game, thanks Phil. Phil knows that
it is my pet hate, refereeing games. I think you did a great job.
The game was another good one with all the boys playing really well in the
positions they were put in. It was noticeable how Riverside boys bunched
around the ball, just like we used to do, and this highlighted the fact that
our boys were standing back off the ball, just letting one player attack the
ball.
The passing was very good too, Robert and Lewis at the back, defending well
and then passing the ball up the wings to the mid field and strikers. On
occasions when Robert and Lewis had taken the ball themselves into the mid
field area, the mid field players did the right thing and fell back into a
defensive role. Well done boys.
About half way through the first half, we are on the attack again, Tom
Cullimore has the ball, goal in sight, in the penalty area, about to let
loose a stonking kick, when ..................splat! on the floor, legs
taken from under him, shouts from the LGR supporters to the referee, and the
whistle goes, referee points to the penalty spot (now I wish to make the
point, this had nothing to do with the fact that the ref was an LGR dad, and
that it was his son that was brought down, this was a very fair and just
decision, I'm just surprised we didn't get more penalties ref!!!!!).
Couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the Riverside team, heads down,
faces same colour as there kit..... some green some white. Tom took the kick
........... SAVED!!! what! Once again there goalie saved them. But it was a
good kick Tom well done, low hard and on target and would have gone in on
any other day.
At the end of the first half it was LGR1 RS 0 thanks to great play by all
and a super goal by David Hill.
Come the second half Andrew Blood went on in place of Tom Cullimore, Harry
Darby for Sam Hawkridge and Louis Belson on for Ben Hackett, although David
Hill went in goal. 10 minutes into the second half we subbed Ben Hackett for
Stephen Berry, and this way all the boys got out on pitch at some point. It
was noticeable that in the second half David Hill had even less to do than
Ben Hackett had when in goal. It was close to us taking David off due to
hypothermia (being to cold to move).
We had a number of chances on goal, Ben Hackett and Andrew Blood charging at
the Riverside goal, but it has to be said that RS played well in defense
(albeit in large numbers) and the score line would have been much higher
were it not for their goalie who did a great job for them in stopping the
onslaught of the rampant Rangers. Finally the inevitable, Andrew Blood, with
goal in his sights, let loose with a mighty kick, it came off somebody, and
we think it was a Riverside player and it went in.
And that was the final score 2-0.
As I said before, and it was mentioned by a number of people on the day,
what a difference in the team from last year, they found space, didn't crowd
the ball, passed well, defended well, looked up more, and as Terry
commented, had a much better formation. Keep up the good work boys, because
as you can see, all that hard work at training is paying off.
Thanks to everybody involved.
I would like to send my special thanks to Phil for being ref, Terry
Hawkridge who kindly brought along a bottle of water for every boy, and to
Neale and Jayne Belson who fed and watered me.
Return to fixtures and results table.
Time :13:00
Location :Croxley Green, Recreation Ground
Played :Croxley Guild Under 8's
Score :Little Gaddesden Rangers(LGR) 0 Croxley Guild (CG) 2
This game took some putting together as we played one game at 13:00 and one
at 13:30, email has helped with getting names of those who could play which
games ahead of time. As it turned out, although Croxley Guild wanted to play
two games of 8 a side, the first game had to be played 7 a side as one of
their players was ill. The knock on effect was hastily changed team, and
some boy a little upset that they didn't get a full game. I'm sorry about
that, it happens, but at least everybody did get a game.
A big thanks again to Nikki Hawkridge who kindly provided water for the boys
at half time.
The teams are looking better every week, now we all have the same socks and
shorts, we look the business. Thanks Mum's and dads. It makes a big
difference. Did anybody notice that even the Croxley Guild coaches had the
same kit on!!!! well that's another step we need to take.
As with previous weeks it was cold but nor raining.
Conditions were good, ground soft, weather light & bright, although 100%
cloud
cover, windy and cold
We played 7 aside and 20 minutes each way and LGR adopted a 2-2-2 formation,
Oliver Webb in goal, Robert Fenemore & Lewis Walker in defense, Sam
Hawkridge, Andrew Blood mid field, Stephen Berry and Tom Cullimore up front
as strikers.
Once again the game was an excellent game from Little Gaddesden Rangers
point of view, I feel the score line doesn't reflect how well we played. At
the end of the first half the score was 0 - 0 , both teams had worked hard,
defended well and moved the ball around well.
Second half and we made a change, Ben Hackett for Sam Hawkridge, started
this half much as we finished the first half. Sparks of individual flare
from a solid team performance, and then, just when many of us thought that
this was going to be the way for the whole game, and justly so. Croxley
Guild came on the attack and for once, we did not attack them but allowed
them to come to us in our mid field. With a good number of our players back
we gave them the time for a shot on goal, it hit the cross bar bounced back
into play and from the far wing they had time for another shot from an acute
angle and it went in.
The boys regrouped and gave good account of themselves, until, having had
one goal against them the boys pulled back into their own half too far and
with a goal mouth bundle the ball went over the line. Oliver Webb had no
chance. This is the way the score line remained.
Great play by all the boys with lots of effort.
Return to fixtures and results table.
Time :13:00
Location :Croxley Green, Recreation Ground
Played :Croxley Guild Under 8's
Score :Little Gaddesden Rangers 4 Croxley Guild 0
First half: Robert Fennemore in goal; Lewis Walker and Andrew Blood in defence; Marshall Ingham, William Holdness(?) and Harry Darby in mid-field; Sam Hawkridge and Oliver Webb in front as strikers. Unfortunately, after about 8 minutes Marshall suffered a knee injury and had to go off temporarily, with Ben Hackett coming on as substitute for the rest of the first half. But it was quickly clear that Marshall was making a complete recovery.
Second half: Lewis Walker had a rest (having played energetically in the previous match immediately before, and for the first half of the second match, and was justifiably tired), and was substitute for the second half. So Marshall having fully recovered came on instead for the second half in defence. And Marshall shot all of our corners in the second half, and played these very well.
Game characterized by most of the match played in their half, most of the pressure on their goal, lots of corners to us, and several more shots by us at their goal than them at ours! But several good shots by them at our goal, with at least one excellent save by Robert. Good team play, good passing between players. We were clearly the superior team during the match.
Goals scored by Andrew Blood, Sam Hawkridge, Ben Hackett (first half) and Harry Darby (second half) I think from my recollection. Generally the goals were well set up, and scored after appropriate passing moves.
Men of the match: Andrew and Sam equally, followed closely by Harry, in my opinion.
And during the last minute of the match, it had just started to rain quite heavily!
Return to fixtures and results table.
Goal Scorers
| Player | Number of goals |
|---|---|
| Andrew | 2 |
| Robert | 1 |
| David | 1 |
| Sam | 1 |
| Harry | 1 |
| Ben | 1 |