U10s Results 19th November 2011

Stalybridge Celtic Blues 0 v 3 Brendon Bees .....By Alun Ireland.......

A disappointing second half meant the Blues fell to the bottom team in the league after having enough first half chances to take the points.

For the second week running, some players went missing in the second 20 minutes, even though they had played well in the first half.

The Blues had two shots in the first two minutes, from Will and from Jack, but gifted a goal to the Bees on their first attack – a spare man on the right shooting past Deacon, and Jack I was unable to clear off the line.

Stalybridge then took control for the rest of the half, and if they could have scored one they would surely have gone on to score more.

Will hit the post, Connor hit a left foot shot which was saved, then James struck a beautiful drive that rebounded off the bar, and then the keeper saved at Connor’s feet after the best move of the match with Will.

The second half was a different story though. After Daniel L was unable to convert a left foot chance, with Tyler hitting the rebound narrowly wide, the Blues began to self destruct.

Poor defending at two corners meant that they lost the points. At the first, poor setting up meant the Bees scored direct from the corner, and even though Tyler hit the post again, the Blues lost their passing and movement and were second to most of the loose balls.

When the Bees got a late corner, which was headed home by an unmarked attacker, the game was over at 3-0.

Man of the match was Jack, but Owen must have been close, as the pair defended well together.

Stalybridge Celtic Whites 2 v 1 Brendon Bees

The Whites won without ever really going in to top gear to keep their winning run going.

A good team performance meant they were never seriously threatened until they were already two goals up. With Declan dominating in midfield, Robson, Niall, Jack and Brandon were all comfortable.

Dec and Niall might both have scored in the first minute as the Whites started with a high tempo. With the ball almost always in the Bees half, Jack C struck a low and hard shot into the corner to open the scoring.

Callum’s movement was causing problems for the defence, and he was unlucky to see the keeper make two saves to keep him out. Niall also just struck over the barf from distance, but Tom had to make his first save of the game just before half time.

The second half began in the same way as the first – Celtic having the ball but needing to be alert as the Bees long ball might have caught out the defence.

Jack almost doubled the score when he had one shot blocked before hitting the rebound over, and Adam hit a drive from outside the box which just went wide.

Brandon had to be alert, sliding in with a last ditch tackle after another long ball. But the second goal came after a Whites corner caused confusion in the box and Robson reacted fastest to knock it in.

Bees never gave up, and scored the best goal of the game with three minutes left on the clock, but the Whites
had done enough to take the points. Man of the match was Dec, who covered every part of the pitch in a great individual performance.