Much Improved For Friendly

Due to lack of opposition numbers, the match was changed late in the week to a friendly against last week's opponents, Rushmoor Vulcans. However, they too had issues with numbers so it was a mix of Rushmoor's U12 sides.

The weather was sunny, and Hartletts was in good condition - great for the Hook brand of football. It was agreed beforehand, as a friendly, the match would be played in 4 quarters.

The main point of the pre-match chat was to get across the need for the boys to grip the game, apply energy and effort from the start (a few words had following a rather lacklustre warm up, with comments about lack of game time for those that showed similar effort and focus in the match!!).

And how! What a great performance. The effort was there, the passing and movement was great, and the running also demonstrated much-improved recovery runs from the midfield, which was often lacking last week.

4-up at the first break, the players went on to dominate throughout. A few positions were changed for some players and, happily, the effort and quality moved with the players (not always the case).

Finishing 8-0 with a very solid performance (just the last 2/3 minutes there was a little bit of ragged play at the back) was well-deserved, and should show the players that if last week's team shows up then they just won't get anything from the result; but if today's team turns up, there really is no reason they can't get promotion, or even win the divisional title...! Too high an aspiration?? Not in the manager's opinion....