Hook Youth vs Wey Valley Youth U12 Warri
5 - 0
30 September 2017 · North East Hampshire Youth League<br>U12 Division 3
Home friendly match played on 30 September 2017.
Kicked off at 9:30 AM
5-0
vs Wey Valley Youth U12 Warriors
Home friendly match
With 2 players already unavailable, and a late-notice injury, Hook convened with only 9 players and no options for substitutes - today was going to need all players to step up and play the way they have been training to... The pre-match direction was to keep position, play the ball wide for diagonal balls behind the defence for the attackers to run on to in the channels.
They got off to a good start with 2 goals within the first 10 minutes, to the delight of the (vocally stifled) manager, that came out of good passing moves and early finishes... Just what they had worked on in training on Wednesday! The rest of the half was ell-controlled by Hook, but they stepped off the gas a little and started to watch Wey Valley, and see what they would do, rather than try to kill the game of early.
At half time, the manager encouraged them to talk to each other more (simple "time" or "man on" calls would be a start...) and be a little more disciplined at holding shape and keep moving the ball quickly.
The second half was really well dominated (although a couple of times Hook were caught with too many players forward - discipline?? - leaving the defenders and 'keeper to step up quickly to clear the danger. That said, some dominant attacking play led to 3 further goals and a very well deserved win and a second, consecutive clean sheet.
It was difficult to pick many players out from an overall outstanding team display. The defence, notably T R, did a solid job but, in truth, did not have too much real danger to deal with, B E in central midfield was very creative and did a sound job both in defensive duties and in his attacking role, and B A ran the front-line very well.
However, for a performance that capped off weeks of listening at training and constantly building on his play each week, without forgetting previous lessons, T L was MoM for an outstanding display... although incredibly unlucky not to score.
To highlight, T L played the ball quickly, did not get carried away trying to beat every one, he always got his head up to see the options, he played the way he faced even if it meant the ball went to a team-mate behind him, and his runs and crosses were always causing Wey Valley problems. Very well deserved.